Learn how to cut dragon fruit from basic peeling to half moon slices, perfect cubes, and more. When you know how to prepare this beautiful, juicy, exotic tropical, there is no end to the ways you can enjoy it.
Jump to:
🍉 What is dragon fruit?
Dragon fruit is known as paniniokapunahou in Hawaii and pitaya in many places around the world. Technically a berry, it's a colorful, soft-ball-sized, refreshing treat from the cactus family.
Check out this post on Hylocereus undatus to learn about the many types of this fast-growing, intriguing tropical plant and the fruits' wild color variations.
Hylocereus is low in calories and high in fiber, magnesium, and vitamin C. Varieties with deeply pigmented flesh inside contain enough antioxidants, lycopene, and beta-carotene to be called a superfood.
🍐Taste
If you haven't ever tried pitaya, you're undoubtedly thinking, "What does dragon fruit taste like?" Well, to start, it has a tender, crisp, juicy flesh like watermelon and is filled with tiny seeds like kiwi.
The flavor is most commonly described as a cross between pear and kiwi. However, I think that misses out on the exotic perfume and floral taste unique to pitaya. Also, I've never met a pitaya yet as tart as kiwi.
The sweetness varies by type. White-fleshed varieties are mildly sweet, and the cultivars with red and pink flesh inside are sweeter.
Yellow-skinned Hylocereus is harder to find but well worth seeking out. It has translucent white meat inside and is considered the sweetest tasting variety of all.
🔪 Step by step
Our family loves dragon fruit and can't get enough of it every August and September when this sensational giant berry is at its peak on Maui.
That's why I have come up with so many ways to peel and prepare it. All the steps below show you how to peel and cut it for any recipe you might choose.
How to peel 4 ways
One of the simplest ways to peel pitaya is to cut it in half crosswise and scoop out the flesh.
- Cut in half crosswise.
- Scoop out the flesh with a large spoon.
If you would like an even prettier shape, try this mango scooping trick. The oval-shaped peel will sit flat more easily and can be used as a serving bowl.
- Cut in half lengthwise.
- Scoop flesh away from the peel with a thin-edged glass.
My favorite way to peel dragon fruit when I don't want to save the rind is to simply make a slit and wiggle my thumb between the skin and the fruit underneath.
- Slice the ends off and cut a slit through the skin.
- Push your thumb gently under the skin and peel away the rind.
Of course, you may want to let others have the pleasure themselves by serving wedges with the beautiful peel intact.
- Slice the ends off.
- Cut into wedges and serve the pieces with their easy-to-remove peel.
How to cut 6 shapes
Now the fun part, right? Once you know how to peel this sweet specialty produce, choose your shape from each of the cutting methods below.
Whether you want to cut cubes for a pretty fruit salad, cut wedges for a tropical fruit platter, make Dragon Fruit Juice or cut precise, stackable rounds for a Hawaiian Poke Tower, we've got you covered.
Spheres
- Cut in half lengthwise.
- Use a small melon baller to scoop out round marble shapes.
Half moons
- Cut in half lengthwise.
- Place the cut half flat on a cutting board. Slice down through the skin in even sections.
Flat rounds
- Slice whole, unpeeled fruit crosswise in even half-inch pieces.
- Cut out round shapes with a large cookie cutter or biscuit cutter and discard the skin.
Wedges
- Cut in half lengthwise.
- Divide each half again lengthwise and repeat to make eight wedges.
Chunks
- Cut in half crosswise.
- Remove the whole half from its shell with a spoon and chop it into small or large chunks.
Square dice
Undoubtedly everyone's favorite, the square dice is a little trickier to cut. Follow these steps to cut perfect straight-edged little blocks.
Just save the trimmed pieces for snacking or smoothies, and you won't feel bad about loping off the ends!
- Cut straight down on all sides to make a square block without any peel.
- Slice the square block carefully into even slabs.
- Cut slabs into straight french-fry sticks.
- Cut french-fry sticks into even-sized perfect cubes.
🍴How to eat dragon fruit
There's almost no wrong way to eat dragon fruit. If you can dream it up, go for it! Pitaya's crisp texture benefits from chilling, and it's true in most cases, raw is the way to go.
However, you can see from the list below that the sky really is the limit when you know how to cut dragon fruit for recipes.
- Spheres - Small spheres cut with a melon baller are adorable sprinkled over yogurt, chia pudding, and on top of frosty drinks.
- Half moons - These shapes are especially attractive with red-skinned, white flesh varieties and are perfect for adding color to mixed green salads.
- Flat rounds - I invented this cut just to make a vegan Poke Tower. I wonder what you might use it for?
- Wedges - This cut is gorgeous on a tropical fruit platter or to garnish breakfast plates.
- Chunks - Chunks can be used to make sorbet, frozen pops, and superfood juice, or frozen and blended into sauces and smoothies later.
- Square dice - Show off your knife skills by mixing these charming cubes in fruit salads and sweet salsas.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Sharp knife - Use a sharp, straight-edged blade to cut dragon fruit.
- Select fruit - The shape of fruit you choose before cutting will lend itself to different recipes. For example, round pitaya is helpful when making square blocks for evenly diced cubes, and ovals make lovely serving bowls.
- Store fruit - Wrap whole, unpeeled produce tightly in plastic wrap and store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Store cut fruit in a tightly covered container with a paper towel at the bottom for 3-4 days.
- Freeze - Peeled pitaya cut in any shape can be frozen for up to 3 months. It will be mushy when it thaws but perfect for blending into juice or smoothies.
💭 FAQ
Dragon fruit is ripe when a firm thumb press leaves an indent. The skin should be smooth, shiny, free from major blemishes, and not wrinkled. Squishy or overly soft produce is past the ripe stage.
Dragon fruit in all colors is non-toxic to dogs and safe for them to eat. Check with your vet for amounts appropriate to your breed. Peel first and start with small portions as too much can cause loose stools.
📋 More seasonal recipes
Enjoyed this post? Leave a comment, rate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it, and follow @poppyswildkitchen on Instagram. Aloha!
📖 Recipe
How To Cut Dragon Fruit 10 Ways
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp chefs knife
- 1 large spoon
- OPTIONAL:
- 1 melon baller
- 1 large cookie cutter set
- 1 thin-edged glass
Ingredients
- 2 large dragon fruit about 12 ounces each, any color
Instructions
Peel (4 ways)
- Cut dragon fruit in half crosswise and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon.
- Cut in half lengthwise and scoop flesh away from the peel with a thin-edged glass.
- Slice the ends off and cut a slit through the skin. Push your thumb gently under the skin and peel away the rind.
- Slice the ends off fruit. Cut it into wedges and serve the pieces with their easy-to-remove peel.
Cutting (6 shapes)
- Spheres - Cut in half lengthwise and use a small melon baller to scoop out round marble shapes.
- Half moons - Cut in half lengthwise. Then, place the cut half flat on a cutting board. Slice down through the skin in even sections.
- Flat rounds - Slice whole fruit crosswise in even half-inch pieces. Cut round shapes with a large cookie cutter or biscuit cutter and discard the skin.
- Wedges - Cut in half lengthwise. Divide each half again lengthwise and repeat to make eight wedges.
- Chunks - Cut in half crosswise and remove the whole half from its shell with a spoon. Chop it into small or large chunks.
- Square dice - Cut the dragon fruit straight down on all sides to make a square block without any peel. Next, slice the square block carefully into even slabs. Then, cut the slabs into straight french-fry sticks. Finally, cut the french-fry sticks into even-sized perfect cubes.
Store
- Wrap whole, unpeeled produce tightly in plastic wrap and store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Store cut fruit in a tightly covered container with a paper towel at the bottom for 3-4 days.
Freeze
- Peeled pitaya cut in any shape can be frozen for up to 3 months. It will be mushy when it thaws but perfect for blending into juice or smoothies.
Lisa says
Delicious I'm very good trip that you can do anything with.
Poppy Hudson says
Yes so versatile!