Passion Fruit

Ripe passion fruit should feel plump, firm, and heavy for its size. Choose fruit that are fully colored — either dark purple, dark yellow, orange, or red — with wrinkly and soft skin. Wrinkly skin is a sign of ripeness, not spoilage.

Avoid unripe fruit, which are green or have green spots and smooth skin. Green passion fruit will not fully ripen after being picked; it will be very tart even when the rind darkens.

If you purchase unripe fruit — with dark rinds but round and smooth skin — leave them at room temperature, away from sunlight, for a few days until the skin begins to shrivel. Store ripe fruit in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To use: cut the fruit in half and use a spoon to scoop out the pulp from the rind. No knife needed in a pinch — cup the fruit between your palms, lock your fingers, and push your palms together until the skin breaks open.

Passion fruit shines in both raw and cooked preparations. Its bright, sweetly-tart flavor pairs with sweet and savory foods alike.

Fresh Uses: Spoon raw pulp onto yogurt, chia seed pudding, or ice cream. Toss into sweet or savory salads, or blend into salad dressings. Use it as a topping with creamy Brie and crackers.

Drinks: Make a simple syrup with juice, water, and sugar — use it for cocktails, coolers, or stir into sparkling water. A natural fit for a passion fruit caipirinha (the Brazilian classic), sangria, or horchata.

Desserts: A base flavor for sorbets, ice cream, mousse, custards, puddings, and éclairs. Traditional Australian pavlova spoons the pulp onto meringue and whipped cream. In Hawai'i, lilikoi butter and lilikoi bars are beloved local treats. In Colombia, it's used for esponjados — a flavored custard dessert.

Beyond the Pulp: The seeds can be pressed into an oil used as a skincare product, while passion flowers are used for herbal tea.

Passion fruit freezes exceptionally well — simply defrost before using. Freezing the pulp or juice in ice cube trays (either pure or diluted one-to-one with water) makes it easy to add to drinks, sauces, and recipes throughout the year.

Making passion fruit butter (similar to lemon curd) is a popular preservation method. The fruit also makes excellent jam, jelly, or a sweet-tart addition to pickling applications.

Passion fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin C and fiber. Despite the small amount of edible pulp per fruit, its concentrated nutritional profile makes it a potent addition to juices, smoothies, and desserts.

The name "passion fruit" has nothing to do with romance. Food historians believe the fruit was named by 16th century Spanish missionaries in Brazil, who thought the plant's flower resembled the crown of thorns of Christ — the "Passion" of the Passion Play.

You've almost certainly had passion fruit as a child: it has been an ingredient in Hawaiian Punch since it was first created as an ice cream topping in the 1930s.

Only about one-third of the fruit is edible pulp — the thick rind makes up the majority. In Brazil and Fiji, pectin is extracted from the rinds. In Hawai'i, the rinds are dried and combined with molasses for cattle feed, or converted into silage.

Pesticides: Passion fruit is susceptible to a number of diseases and pests, and commercial producers may use pesticides. When possible, purchase organically grown passion fruit. While the thick peel offers some protection, pesticides are detrimental to the environment regardless.

Seasonality: In South Florida and California, available from January through November. In Hawai'i, available year-round.

Geography: Brazil is the world's largest producer and consumer, responsible for roughly 60 percent of global production. Other top producers include Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, California, and South Florida.

Waste Reduction: Research is underway to turn passion fruit rinds into food packaging films — an innovative use for the majority of the fruit that most people discard.