You must have heard that a drink using Passion Fruit is unmissable in the beverage world. Despite having varying flavors, passion fruit is a major ingredient in refreshing cocktails. That made you wonder, ‘what does passion fruit taste like?’ didn’t it? We are going to talk about just that.

Passion fruit has a sweet, fruity, and tarty flavor. It also has an enriching, fragrant aroma. Passion fruits have a unique flavor profile that makes it hard to draw comparisons, but few deem the taste of this fruit as that of kiwi and pineapple. 

Passion fruit is an oval-shaped tropical fruit from the passion flower plant. It grows well in hot and arid climates. There are various varieties of passion fruits. These have immense nutritional values too. We will look at all that is necessary to know about passion fruit. 

What Is Passion Fruit?

Passion fruit is the fruit obtained from the Passiflora vine, a variety of passion flowers. Passion fruits mostly grow in tropical climates but can also be grown in subtropical climates. 

Passion fruit has a soft pulp with a hard rind comprising many seeds. These seeds and the pulp can also be eaten and added to juices. These have shiny, smooth skin when fresh, but it shriveled once they ripen. 

What Does Passion Fruit Taste Like? 

Passion fruits are tropical fruits that promise deliciousness at all costs. These have a sweet, fruity, and tart flavor when they are fresh. When they are ripe, their sweetness intensifies, and they have a complex flavor similar to that of kiwis, pineapples, and citrus fruits. Overripe passion fruits have a rich flavor, almost like fermented foods. 

The seeds of passion fruit have a crunchy texture. Even then, they are edible and can be easily added to juices. The white pith has a mildly bitter flavor and is also edible. 

7 Different Types Of Passion Fruit And Their Different Tastes

There are a few varieties of passion fruits based on size and color. That said, purple and yellow passion fruits are the most popular and produced varieties of passion fruits. Let us look at the other types of passion fruits.

1. Purple Passion Fruit

Purple passion fruit is small in size when compared to other passion fruits. It has a purple color when unripe, and the color darkens once it ripens. The flesh of purple passion fruit has edible black seeds covered in a juicy sack. Purple passion fruit has a fragrant flavor and a rich, sharp, sweet, and tart flavor. 

2. Yellow Passion Fruit

Coming from the Passiflora ligularis family, yellow passion fruit is also known as golden passion fruit. The vine of yellow passion fruit is strong, and as a result, it produces big fruits. Yellow passion fruit has a gelatinous pulp and a fresh, sweet-tart flavor. It can be used in salads, cocktails, yogurts, and ice creams.

3. Banana Passion Fruit

Banana passion fruit is also known as taco and curuba. These fruits are elongated in shape and look green or bright yellow in color. Banana passion fruit has a thick texture and a sweet, tart flavor with subtle hints of banana flavor. That is how the banana passion fruit gets its name – due to the subtle flavor and appearance as that of a banana.

4. Giant Passion Fruit

Giant passion fruit is also known as giant granadilla or barbadine. These fruits are large and weigh around four kgs. Matured giant passion fruits have a yellow-colored skin with many seeds. Giant passion fruit has a sweet-sour flavor. It is also used for treating headaches, diarrhea, asthma, and dysentery.

5. Sweet Passion Fruit

Sweet passion fruits are deemed to be the tastiest among passion fruits. They have a distinctive color that changes from blue to orange when ripening. Sweet passion fruits have a sweet flavor, as the name suggests, and these have a refreshing aroma. 

6. Misty Gem Passionfruit

Misty gem passion fruit is a type of purple passion fruit. It is an easily available passion fruit variety and is also one of the widely grown species. Some deem misty gem passion fruits to be the most flavorful among other passion fruits. Misty gem passion fruits have a refreshing, tangy flavor similar to guava. 

7. Granadilla

Granadilla is a type of purple passion fruit that has an elongated shape. It has a firm, thick green rind that changes into yellow when ripe. Granadilla passion fruit has a sweet, fruity, and tangy flavor. Its seeds have a nutty, floral flavor as well. Since the seeds have an exotic taste, they are used in desserts, salads, and cocktails.

How To Tell If Passion Fruit Is Ripe?

Passion fruits are not ready for consumption if they are still attached to the vine – they are edible only when they fall off the plant. Purple passion fruits are harvested around the end of summer, while yellow passion fruits are harvested throughout the winter.

So, how can you know if the passion fruit is ripe enough to be used in cocktails or any other recipe you have in mind? Passion fruits are fully ripe when plump with rich, dark colors and slightly wrinkled texture. Purple passion fruits almost become black, and yellow passion fruits turn yellow. Fully ripe fruits fall off the vine easily.

How To Find The Best Passion Fruit At Stores? 

The details on when to pick passion fruits help you know when the fruits can be harvested from your garden. That said, if you go grocery shopping, you need to know how to choose the best ones from the lot. A few factors will help you with that.

The first thing to look out for a while choosing the best passion fruit is its color. The darker the hue of the fruit, the richer will be the flavor of the fruit. The next thing you should check is the skin of the fruit.

You will have to discard the ones with smooth skins. The ripe, best passion fruits have wrinkled skins. Few cuts and spots are normal in passion fruits. 

How To Store Passion Fruit The Right Way?

Passion fruits can be left at room temperature to fully mature if they are almost ripe. You can store them in the refrigerator for a week or two. They have to be stored in crates or boxes for enough air circulation. These should not be kept under direct sunlight. Before storing, you have to wash and dry the fruits first. 

What Can You Substitute For Passion Fruit?

Since passion fruits are fruits with tropical flavors, tropical fruits are the best substitutions for passion fruits. Pineapple, mango, guava, banana, and papaya can be used to substitute for passion fruit. 

What Are The Uses Of Passion Fruit? 

Passion fruit has a sweet, fruity flavor and finds use in many types of recipes. It is a tasty fruit used in desserts, drinks, condiments, sauces, and salad dressings. It can be stirred into baked goods, mousse, and entrees.

It is also a wonderful addition to several cocktail drinks. Passion fruit margarita, passion fruit Moscow mules, passion fruit caipiroska, and passion fruit martini. 

What Are The Health Benefits of Passion Fruit?

Passion fruit is widely popular for its nutritional benefits. It is a good source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, copper, iron, and magnesium. 

Consumption of passion fruit is extremely beneficial for controlling blood sugar levels and enhancing immunity. It has a low glycemic index and is thus a very good fruit choice for those with diabetes. It helps in boosting heart health, reducing anxiety, and improving skin complexion. 

Nutritional Content Of Passion Fruit

A cup of passion fruit (236 g) gives the following benefits:

Final Word

That was all about passion fruit and its taste. I hope the article gave you enough knowledge on passion fruit, its distinctive flavor profile, culinary uses, health benefits, and ways of storage. These details should help you in dealing with a recipe using passion fruit. Let me know if you liked the taste of passion fruit

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)