Learn how to cut dragon fruit (pitaya) at home with just a few simple to follow steps. This tropical fruit makes a great healthy snack or sweet addition to fresh fruit smoothies and smoothie bowls.
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📋 What is Dragon Fruit (Pitaya)?
Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya or strawberry pear, is a tropical fruit from the family Cactaceae and is closely related to cactus species. It has a leather-like skin that is bright pink or red and has green spikes, influencing its name, dragon fruit. Some dragon fruit varieties have a bright pink inner flesh, whereas others have a white flesh with black seeds (as pictured).
Dragon fruit is native to warmer regions such as the Caribbean, Asia, South America, and tropical regions of the United States and is most common in the summer seasons.
⁉️ What You'll Need
- Sharp chef's knife - One of the most important tools in the kitchen. It may be counterintuitive, but using a small knife or a dull knife is going to make it more likely that you will cut yourself and have difficulty cutting your lettuce uniformly. A good chef's knife should glide through whatever you are cutting without resistance and feel comfortable in your hand.
- A paring knife - Although you can use a chef's knife in a pinch, investing in a good paring knife can be helpful for cutting fruits and vegetables, particularly scoring fruit and removing it from the outer rind.
- Cutting board - The larger the better! Using a small cutting board is going to make your workspace feel crowded and take you longer to prep.
🔪 How to Cut a Dragon Fruit
How to Cut Dragon Fruit Quickly for Snacking
- Cut in half lengthwise. Place the ripe dragon fruit on a cutting board and cut it in half lengthwise.
- Open the dragon fruit, exposing the inner flesh. The edible portion of a dragon fruit is the white inner flesh with black seeds.
- Scoop out the flesh. Using a spoon, scoop out the interior of the dragon fruit.
- Enjoy as a quick snack. This is a great way to cut dragon fruit to enjoy as a fast and easy, nutritious snack.
How to Dice a Dragon Fruit
- First, cut the dragon fruit in half, exposing the inner flesh.
- Score the dragon fruit flesh. Using a paring knife, score the flesh of the dragon fruit, creating cubes.
- Scoop out the cubes. Using a spoon, scoop out the cut cubes, separating the rind from the dragon fruit flesh.
❄️ How to Store a Dragonfruit
To store whole, uncut dragon fruit: Whole, uncut dragon fruit can be stored at room temperature until ripened. Then once ripe, dragon fruit is best stored in the refrigerator to slow the ripening process and prolong its freshness.
Refrigerated ripe dragon fruit will typically last up to 5 days in the fridge and should be enjoyed before it becomes too soft.
To store cut dragon fruit: Cut dragon fruit will spoil considerably faster than whole uncut dragon fruit, but can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container or zip top bag in the refrigerator.
If you won't be able to enjoy your dragon fruit within three days, flash freeze it on a baking sheet until solid. Then, store it in a zip top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
🍽 How to Use Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit is a delicious fruit to eat on its own as a healthy snack, but it can be used in smoothies, smoothie bowls, sprinkled on salads, or turned into fruity cocktails and mocktails.
Starbucks has a popular refresher to try - Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refresher. Additionally, here are 20 Dragon Fruit Recipes you may love and inspire you.
🔍 FAQs
Dragon fruit is most commonly in season in the summer months, with some varieties producing fruits in the winter months.
You will know a dragon fruit is ripe when the outer rind is bright pink or red and the flesh has a little give to it when squeezed, similar to a mango or avocado. It should be easy to slice without much pressure, but not feel too soft and mushy.
Dragon fruit is sweet and is often compared in flavor to fruits like kiwi and pears when ripe.
Dragon fruit is more expensive because it is not grown in many places and is expensive to ship to places like North America where dragon fruit does not commonly grow. When possible, purchasing frozen dragon fruit can be more affordable and easier to find in off seasons.
💭 One More Tip
How to ripen dragon fruit quickly: Dragon fruit will ripen at room temperature, but can be ripened faster when stored in a brown paper bag with another fruit such as a banana. Bananas release the gas, ethene, with helps fruit ripen quickly.
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🍴 Recipe Ideas + More Cooking Tips
📖 Recipe
How to Cut Dragon Fruit
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 dragon fruit
Instructions
How to Cut Dragon Fruit Quickly for Snacking
- Cut in half lengthwise. Place the ripe dragon fruit on a cutting board and cut it in half lengthwise.
- Open the dragon fruit, exposing the inner flesh. The edible portion of a dragon fruit is the white inner flesh with black seeds.
- Scoop out the flesh. Using a spoon, scoop out the interior of the dragon fruit.
- Enjoy as a quick snack. This is a great way to cut dragon fruit to enjoy as a fast and easy, nutritious snack.
How to Dice Dragon Fruit
- First, cut the dragon fruit in half, exposing the inner flesh.
- Score the dragon fruit flesh. Using a paring knife, score the flesh of the dragon fruit, creating cubes.
- Scoop out the cubes. Using a spoon, scoop out the cut cubes, separating the rind from the dragon fruit flesh.
Notes
Nutrition
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