15 Creative Ways To Use Passion Fruit

Tropical fruit should be considered magical. All you need is one sip of a piña colada, a slice of papaya, or a scoop of passion fruit to transport your mind to a sandy beach with sparkling waves. A salty ocean breeze catches your beach curls, the sun warms your tanned skin, and your shoulders drop about ½ an inch as you take a deep, relaxing breath. And snap, you're back. Time for another bite! To enjoy these small mental vacations more frequently, consider stocking your home with tropical fruits. One of my absolute favorites is passion fruit, and there are endless creative ways to use it in the kitchen.

The beauty of fruit is that it can be used in both sweet and savory capacities. As a plant-based chef and recipe designer who spent a great deal of time in the South Pacific, I try to work passion fruit into my regular shopping list (when I can find it up in New England). When in doubt, spring for the frozen stuff, because there are plenty of creative ways to use frozen passion fruit in both sweet and savory recipes, as well. If you've never tried it before, this is your opportunity to experiment and expand your palate.

Although blending fruit into a smoothie doesn't seem particularly original, there are some pretty unique ways to incorporate the sweet and tangy fruit into your frozen blended beverages. Of course, you can blend frozen passion fruit right into a tropical smoothie or açai bowl, or you could take advantage of its exceptionally bright color to give your drink a fun aesthetic but adding it a different way.

When using fresh passion fruit in a smoothie, consider scooping out the inside and smearing it onto the inside of a clear glass, then filling it with your smoothie. Bonus points if the color of the smoothie contrasts with the yellow of the passion fruit. If you're working with frozen passion fruit, which usually comes in small squares, consider using it as a topping by sprinkling it over your açai bowl or smoothie as a topping. I like to use blueberries or blue spirulina to give my smoothie a cool tone, before topping it with the bright yellow fruit. The flavors work beautifully together, and it's an easy and healthy way to make a colorful snack or meal for a kid, without using any artificial coloring.

It can be easy to get stuck in the salad dressing rut. Everyone loves olive oil, lemon or balsamic, mustard, and maple syrup. It's quick, easy, and a crowd pleaser. But why not dare to adventure from the norm? Blending a tropical fruit into your vinaigrette is an elite move. It provides both the sweetness and the tangy notes that make dressing so desirable. The bold flavor of passion fruit, in particular, along with the attention-grabbing aesthetic, makes passion fruit a great base for your next salad dressing.

For a tangy, sweet, tropical fruit, I would recommend blending it with a full-bodied extra virgin olive oil, minced shallot, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a dash of honey if you're craving a sweeter outcome. Extras could include a light vinegar, Dijon mustard, and of course, minced fresh herbs. Consider a sweet herb like basil, mint, or even cilantro. Herbs can be blended in or minced and mixed. They balance the tangy fruity flavors of the passion fruit and help to elevate the refreshing tropical flavors. And remember, salt and pepper are always a must.

It's always irked me that you rarely find an upside-down cake featuring fruits other than pineapple. Don't get me wrong, pineapple is a fantastic choice, but with a little culinary creativity, you could have a new go-to summertime dessert on your hands. Try mixing passion fruit with your pineapples at the bottom of your pineapple upside-down pound cake. The tropical combination will blow you away, as both fruits have an ultra-sweet flavor, bright yellow hues, and a tangy punch.

In addition to upside-down cakes, use passion fruit in tarts. Use fresh or frozen passion fruit, which work just fine, and although tropical fruits typically scream "summer," you can make an incredible Tropical Holiday Passion Fruit Tart that will transport your frostbitten guests to a warmer climate for the evening. The crunchy seeds bring texture to the dish, creating balance with the creaminess of the tart. For a less crunchy version, try blending the passion fruit in a high-speed blender before adding it to the mix.

Although the world may be divided on many issues, I think we can all agree that a fruity cocktail tastes delicious, even if we won't admit it out loud. Whether you like a sweet cocktail or maybe even a savory one, there's always room for a little passion fruit. And, it's important to note that any cocktail can be made as a mocktail. Let's start with a crowd pleaser: the tropical passion fruit margarita. Although this can be made with passion fruit juice, I like to use real fruit. Consider blending and straining the fruit for a margarita on the rocks, or making a frozen margarita with blended frozen passion fruit.

Another drink that might not be everyone's cup of tea, but certainly makes a strong impression (name and all) is the pornstar martini cocktail. For this one, I prefer to use fresh fruit, as the texture and crunch of the seeds appear a bit stronger. Mix with vodka, prosecco or cava, lime, and if you can find a passion fruit liqueur to top it off, you're gold. Really, you can mix passion fruit into just about any fruity cocktail you see fit, just be sure to blend or strain the seeds if you don't want a crunchy texture in your drink.

Let's take a moment to look at the world of baked goods through a wider lens. While chocolate and vanilla are popular flavoring options for a reason, there are endless fruits, herbs, nuts, and other star ingredients to choose from. Furthermore, when topping a baked good with frosting or a glaze, it's your opportunity to think outside of the box. Passion fruit is one of the best ingredients to consider when selecting your theme, as it goes with most other fruits, along with chocolate, vanilla, and almond.

Whip it into a frosting for a uniquely soft yellow appearance, speckled with black, crunchy seeds. The level of sweetness and tanginess, along with that tropical flavor, can be made subtle by using less, or could dominate the flavor of the icing, acting as the star ingredient. It's simple to make into a glaze, as it already has a jelly-like texture. Whip with melted coconut oil, honey, and a touch of salt for a quick and easy glaze for almost any baked good (including banana bread).

When does a loaded grilled cheese just become a sandwich? In my humble opinion, you can add exactly one other star ingredient to the bread, cheese, and whatever you use to get your bread crunchy, like mayo, butter, or olive oil. Spices and herbs don't count towards your total, so add as much freshly ground pepper and thyme as you desire. One of the best additions to grilled cheese is fruit. As we know from our good friend, the charcuterie board, cheese and fruit balance each other. Fatty, salty, and sweet tangy couldn't be more different, but the contrasting duality provides mouthwatering results.

Passion fruit pairs beautifully with Camembert, blue cheese, sharp cheddar, and Brie. Try pressing it into your next grilled cheese. The key is to just add just enough fruit so that the flavor shines through without dominating the sandwich, making it read "sweet" instead of savory.

Although marinades get a name for being dominated with olive oil, soy sauce, savory spices, miso, vinegar, herbs, and of course loads of salt and black pepper, there is another flavor that sometimes gets overlooked. Every marinade should have some sweetness to it, even if it's a tiny dash of brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, or even a little bit of blended fruit. Passion fruit, in particular, can add a tangy sweetness to a plethora of different meats and vegetables.

First, grab a ripe passion fruit, spoon out the guts, and whisk them into a mixture of olive oil, soy sauce, herbs, and spices. Add other ingredients like Dijon or miso for extra flavor. Next, zero in on the type of meat you want to work with. White meats like pork and poultry tend to pair best with the tropical fruit, along with fish, tempeh, tofu, and vegetables. Pair with a white or light wine with a fruity, dry base, and get grilling.

Have you ever cooked your food via acidity? If you've made fresh ceviche, then your answer is yes. While technically you aren't heating anything up, the acidity of the citric acid marinates the raw seafood, which essentially cures it. Other flavors besides the citrus, providing the citric acid, are added to the raw fish, along with fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Different regions have varying approaches to the dish; it's one of those dishes with endless combinations. Passion fruit can make a welcome appearance, especially in a hyper-tropical version like coconut lime shrimp ceviche.

Simply scoop fresh passion fruit and mix it into the marinade before combining it with the raw seafood and vegetables. Along with onions, cilantro, lime juice, and chili peppers, your passion fruit ceviche will be unstoppable with that subtly sweet jelly-like fruit as an undertone of flavor. And those crunchy seeds will add some incredible texture to the already complex dish.

If you've ever eaten fresh passion fruit, then you might already know that it's very jelly-like in texture. So, why aren't we eating it as jelly? There are a few ways to enjoy passion fruit as a jelly, and the first way is to scoop the fruit from the skin and smear it right onto your peanut butter sandwich or dollop on your morning yogurt. It's sweet and doesn't need sugar.

However, if you're looking to really make a traditional jam, that's sweeter and thicker, then all you need is sugar, passion fruit, and a pot. For a stiffer jam, consider adding pectin or corn starch, but you may not need it. Slow-cook the fruit, along with the sugar, until it reaches your desired consistency, sweetness, and texture. Let it cook, and consider using it on your peanut butter and jelly with tropical flavored coconut flakes for texture. It can be spread onto toast, baked goods, or even eaten right out of the jar.

Truth time: I try my best to stick to a dairy-free diet, but cheese is my weakness. In particular, baked Brie has a real hold on me. There's something about that nutty, buttery flavor and texture that I just can't resist. However, how baked Brie is topped is just as important to me. I like a combination of herbs and fruit, and sometimes nuts, along with crunchy crackers or freshly baked bread. The herbs and the fruit work together to enhance the mellow Brie, and create a complete mouthfeel that will live in your mind, rent-free.

Try smearing passion fruit on top of a scraped Brie before sending it into the oven. Consider sprinkling a little thyme or edible lavender on top as well. Bake, and enjoy the ultra-honey-like sweetness of the passion fruit, and the crunch of the seeds as they contrast with the fatty, buttery, rich mouthfuls of melted Brie.

Sprinkles, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup are all overdone when it comes to topping ice cream. In fact, I'm not sure who thought whipped cream was a good idea on a sundae. When eaten with ice cream, it just tastes like less-sweet, warm ice cream filled with air pockets. Have you ever enjoyed olive oil on ice cream? What about balsamic glaze? Or even flaky sea salt? Ditch your maraschino cherry and opt for a more distinct flavor. Passion fruit brings vibrant color, crunchy texture, and jelly-like sweetness to the table, so try dolloping it on top of your cone or sundae.

Passion fruit pairs with just about any flavor out there, but chocolate, vanilla, nutty-based ice creams, and fruit flavors tend to fare best. You could even blend passion fruit right into your homemade ice cream, using either fresh or frozen fruit. As someone who avoids dairy, I often opt for nice cream, which is easier to make and exceptionally delicious, using a tropical star ingredient, bananas, as a base. Blend passion fruit into your strawberry nice cream for a four-ingredient treat.

Is there anything more decadent than cheesecake? It's the merging of two irresistible foods into one mouthwatering dessert. But your standard cheesecake recipe could probably use a little boost of flavor. If you're looking to enhance standard cheesecake, consider mixing passion fruit into the filling. You could either mix it in entirely or mix it into half of the filling to spread on the top portion, creating some contrast and pattern. Alternatively, use it to smear on top of the finished cake.

Similarly, pavlova, which is essentially a giant meringue stacked with fresh fruit, is dying for a sauce. Use the jelly-like inside of a passion fruit as just that. Spread it on the finished cake before you start stacking on fruit. Top with other tropical fruits for a mental trip to the South Pacific, and enjoy the tart notes that bring some life to the otherwise mellow sweetness of pavlova. A tropical passion fruit pavlova might be just what you need in the dead of winter, especially if you're skipping a vacation this year.

To really elevate the texture and sweetness of passion fruit, consider transforming it into a curd. If you've never made curd before, you're not alone. But once you learn how to make curd, you'll find so many fantastic uses for it. You can spread it, use it as a filling, use it in place of jam, use on thumbprint cookies, use it to upgrade your sponge cake, or eat it with a spoon. It's essentially a creamier, sweeter, thicker, denser version of the fruit itself.

It's likely you've enjoyed lemon curd before, which is famous for its ultra sour notes balanced by loads of sugar. Because passion fruit has a similar tanginess with a slight tartness, it can replace lemon juice in your recipe, or accompany it. All you need to make a passion fruit curd, that you must try as an alternative to the traditional lemon version, is sugar, butter, eggs, and of course, passion fruit. Follow a recipe if it's your first time, because the heating process takes some technique. Enjoy as is, or as an enhancement to your dessert.

There's nothing like popsicles in the summertime. I don't know about you, but I dislike those icey, colorful pops that have fake flavors and dye your hands and wrists when they melt. There's just not enough flavor there. Instead, consider making your own pops at home. It's easy, will save you a fortune, and you don't have to worry about transporting frozen pops from the grocery store in a hot car. Just grab a popsicle mold, and pour in blended fruit.

To make an ultra creamy passion fruit pop with a slight tart undertone, make an easy two ingredient fruity ice pop using yogurt. Try an unsweetened full-fat yogurt, or a rich coconut yogurt as a non-dairy option. It complements the sweet and mellow passion fruit well, and the color will be all the more vibrant when mixed with the creamy yogurt. Alternatively, just freeze the passion fruit, or passion fruit blended with mango and enjoy a tropical blend of flavor, speckled with crunchy seeds. For an even more beautiful option, pour the passion fruit into the mold, let it freeze, and then pour another blended fruit on top. Enjoy layers of flavor and fun.

Most charcuterie boards have a theme: French. Sometimes they skew Mediterranean, but many of them are pretty similar. You can expect cheese, cured meats, pickled foods, fruit, bread or crackers, and sometimes chocolate. If you're lucky, a few sauces and drizzles will make an appearance, and some fresh herbs will set the scene as garnish. It's time we choose a more unique theme, reaching outside of Europe. For your next charcuterie board, think tropical. You'll want to keep some of the main charcuterie elements like complex textures, and variety including both savory and sweet foods.

The best way to present passion fruit on a charcuterie board, in my opinion, is to slice a ripe passion fruit in half and accompany each half with a tiny spoon. Pair with cured pork, papaya seeds, grilled pineapple, jícama, pickled papaya, tropical salami, fried queso blanco, sliced avocado, and guava jam. Passion fruit can also shine on a traditional charcuterie board, balancing hard and sharp cheeses, salty cured meats, and pickled olives.