I know I’m not the only one to wonder about passion fruit: how to eat it and what it tastes like.
So let’s explore this tropical delight together!
At first glance, passion fruit can be a bit scary.
If you’ve never had one, you may be confused about how to eat it – it’s kind of sloppy!
You also may not know how to pick the best one or how to prepare it.
Luckily, I’ve got you covered. This post will go over all things passion fruit, including how to eat it and what it tastes like.
Spoiler: it’s delicious!
What is Passion Fruit?
Passion fruit is a type of passion flower from the Passiflora vine. Native to the southern parts of Brazil and northern Argentina, passion fruit is usually small and round (sometimes oval) with a juicy center full of pulp and seeds. Some species are also grown in Australia.
This delicious, tropical fruit has tons of flavor and health benefits. You just have to get through the outer shell first, which is quite tough and not edible.
Inside you’ll find brightly colored, super juicy pulp with lots of seeds.
Passion fruit has a surprising amount of fiber, along with lots of vitamins and antioxidants. And it comes in a range of colors and sizes.
The most common are purple and yellow.
Passiflora edulis have purple skin and are small and round. The yellow ones are called Passiflora flavicarpa, and they’re a bit larger and also round or oval-shaped.
Passion fruits are a tropical fruit; however, they can also survive in sub-tropical climates. This makes them easy to find all over the world!
What Does Passion Fruit Taste Like?
If you love tropical fruits, you’ll love the flavor of passion fruit.
Passion fruit tastes like a unique blend of sour and sweet with a very floral finish and citrussy notes. It’s a little like pineapple or yellow kiwi, though some say it has grapefruit, pear, and guava notes. Passion fruit is totally unique and tastes different depending on its color and ripeness.
When used in baked goods and desserts, passion fruit is often paired with creamy ingredients to help mellow it out.
The juice of passion fruits can be used to flavor all kinds of recipes. It’s a strong, refreshing, tropical flavor that’s super easy to love.
How to Eat Passion Fruit
Passion fruit can be enjoyed in many different ways. But the simplest way to eat it is by cutting it in half and scooping out the pulp.
If you’ve picked a particularly sour fruit, sprinkle some sugar on it for added sweetness.
Similar to an orange or lemon, the inside of the skin has a white pith. Avoid eating this part, as it tastes somewhat bitter.
You can also juice passion fruit by straining it through a fine mesh sieve. It won’t yield a lot of juice, but you won’t have the crunchy seeds to work around.
If you want a puree for baking, you can always blend the seeds and pulp together. Then strain it for a smoother texture.
How to Tell When Passion Fruit Is Ripe
As passion fruit ripens, the skin will become darker.
Yellow passion fruits will change to a dark yellow, red, or orange color. Meanwhile, purple varieties turn really dark – sometimes almost black.
You can also gauge a passion fruit’s ripeness by the texture of the skin. If it has a little bit of a wrinkly texture, it’s likely time to crack it open!
If it is excessively wrinkled, you’ve missed the window.
If the skin is still smooth, wait a little longer. The passion fruit will still be too tart to eat.
Tips on Picking Out Passion Fruit
Although smoother passion fruits are tart, they’re still edible. Just add sugar or use them in sweetened recipes and juices.
You may find a passion fruit that’s a bit green. These fruits are not ripe yet and may not be good to eat. They may even be empty and dry on the inside.
If you find passion fruits that are hard or excessively wrinkly, they are likely beyond their peak and can become moldy at this stage.
If you have passion fruits at home, try to eat them within a week or keep them in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life.
Can You Eat Passion Fruit Seeds?
Passion fruit seeds are totally edible. In fact, they contribute a lot to the tart flavor of this tropical fruit. Since they’re so small, they can be swallowed whole. They can also be chewed and have a slightly crunchy texture. Finally, they can be pureed to give a smooth finish.
Passion fruit seeds have lots of fiber and are great for digestion. So eat up!
How to Store Passion Fruit
Passion fruit is a great snack or dessert, so they’re wonderful to keep at home.
If they’re medium-ripe, store them at room temperature for up to two weeks. But if you cut one open, it needs to go in the refrigerator.
Put opened passion fruits into an airtight container and store them in the cool compartment of your refrigerator for seven to ten days.
If you store whole passion fruits in the fridge, place them into an airtight container, and they’ll last about a month!
My favorite way to store passion fruit is in ice cube trays in the freezer. Just scoop out the flesh, spoon it into a tray, and freeze.
This makes it easy to add to recipes like smoothies and sauces.
Passion fruit should last about a month in the freezer.
When is Passion Fruit in Season?
Passion fruit is more abundant in warmer months. Early summer through winter is the peak of the growing season. However, tropical passion fruits are available all year long. Since they’re grown all around the world, they don’t have a specific season.
Of course, with its sunny color and sweet-tart taste, it’s best for summer recipes and drinks!
Passion Fruit: How to Eat It and What It Tastes Like
Passion fruit is a delicious fruit that can add such bright flavor to any dish, cocktail, or dessert. If it feels like it’s out of your comfort zone, try it anyway! You won’t regret it.
Ingredients
Eat the pulp on its own
Juice the passion fruit to remove the seeds
Puree the pulp and seeds
Instructions
- Eat the pulp – If you’re looking for a sweet-tart snack, cut one open and enjoy the pulp inside. Scoop out the flesh and seeds for a delectable treat. If you have a passion fruit that’s a bit too sour, just sprinkle on some sugar.
- Just the juice – Harvest the juice of your passion fruits by scooping the flesh into a sieve. Strain the liquid from the seeds to get a lovely nectar. You can add juice with or without seeds to any drinks. It makes fantastic cocktails when paired with rum!
- Pureed passion fruit – You can also puree the flesh and seeds together. Scoop it from the fruit and add it to a blender. Add sugar if needed and blend until smooth. You can use passion fruit puree as a topping for ice cream or pancakes!
Passion fruit cheong! Then slice up the peels, let them dry for a week+ and use to brew tea!
Thanks, Amy! What a fun idea! I’ll have to try that the next time I find some ripe passion fruit 🙂