Make this Fresh Strawberry Pie without gelatin or Jell-O while the strawberries are ripe and juicy! Classic graham cracker crust is filled with a sweet, fresh strawberry filling made with agar-agar. It's a no-bake recipe that's perfect for summertime!
If making a homemade graham cracker crust, prepare it first as it needs to set in the fridge for 1-2 hours. If using store-bought, you won't need to worry about the crust until later.
1 graham cracker crust
Quarter 5 1/2 cups of the strawberries; if you have very large strawberries you may want to cut them into smaller pieces, and if they are small you may only need to halve them. Make them approximately equal in size.
7 cups strawberries
Add the chopped strawberries to a large bowl and stir in the sugar to completely coat the berries (to macerate the berries). Let them sit for approximately 25 minutes to release their juices, stirring occasionally. Once you have 3/4 cup liquid, proceed with step 4*.
1 cup granulated sugar
Meanwhile, puree the remaining 1 1/2 cups of strawberries in a mini food processor or blender, then set aside. You can also mash the berries using a potato masher or large fork if you don't have a food processor.
In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberry juice/syrup from the macerated strawberries, water, and agar-agar flakes. Bring to a boil; whisk the mixture occasionally, and boil for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly.
¾ cup water*, 3 Tablespoon agar-agar flakes
Once the liquid has slightly cooled, add the pureed strawberries and the remaining quartered strawberries to the liquid; stir to combine. Pour the strawberry filling into the prepared 9-inch graham cracker crust, evenly spreading it across as needed.
Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours until it has firmed up. It is best served the day of making it, so I recommend planning ahead as needed. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!
Whipped cream
Notes
Liquid: you'll need 1 1/2 cups liquid total; if you have more strawberry syrup from macerating, you can adjust the amount of water you add (i.e. if you have 1 cup strawberry syrup, use only 1/2 cup water).
The pie is best served the day you made it. Especially delicious with a large helping of whipped cream!