I have fond memories of going to iHOP as a child. There was something really special about the syrup caddy. How could there be more flavors than just original maple syrup?! As I matured my tastes for sweets greatly dissipated, but I still enjoy fresh fruit from time to time. With that in mind, I made this lightly sweetened vegan blueberry compote recipe with fresh rosemary, orange zest, vanilla extract and more that partners beautifully with pancakes, waffles or biscuits.
This recipe makes ~1 cup of blueberry compote.
A few things…
- I used fresh blueberries, but you could certainly use frozen in this compote recipe. It will just take longer to simmer and reduce, so keep that in mind.
- I also used fresh rosemary, but feel free to add dried rosemary. Instead of ¼ tsp, just add a generous pinch of dried rosemary. It might seem like it’s insignificant, but rosemary is a very loud herb. It has no problem making itself know, so a bit will do.
- For the orange requirements, I like to just buy one. I zest it. Juice my 2 Tbsp. And the remaining half of orange, I eat 😊
- After you add the vanilla extract at the end, give the blueberry compote a taste. You may want to add more maple syrup.
- You can adjust how thick you’d like the compote based on how long you simmer it. If you like it on the thicker side, just let it simmer longer and allow more liquid to evaporate.
Please enjoy! And don’t miss other UVK recipes, like Vegan Cranberry Sauce, Fennel Risotto with Orange Zest, Pineapple Upside Down Cake Muesli, Roasted Fennel and Beets, Roasted Baby Carrots with Leeks, Lemon Zest and Parsley and more.
Blueberry Compote with Rosemary, Orange Zest and Vanilla
2½ cups fresh blueberries (see notes above)
1 Tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp orange juice
¼ tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (see notes above)
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1. Add the blueberries, maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice and rosemary to a small saucepan. Over high heat, bring it to a boil.
2. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue simmering the blueberry compote for ~25 minutes or until it reduces by half. Stir it every now and then.
3. When it’s reduced enough for you, remove it from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Taste the blueberry compote and adjust flavors, if needed (more maple syrup?). Serve with pancakes, waffles, biscuits or whatever you like.