Rinse and hull the strawberries. Slice, dice, or quarter them to your preferred size. Set aside one third of the prepared berries.

Put the remaining strawberries in a medium saucepan and sprinkle the sugar over them. Let sit for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, cornstarch, vanilla, and a tiny pinch of salt until smooth. This is your slurry.

Pour the slurry into the saucepan with the sugared strawberries. Stir gently to combine.

Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Keep stirring to prevent scorching.

Lower the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.

Remove the pan from heat and fold in the reserved fresh strawberries.

Let the topping cool at room temperature, then transfer to a container and chill.