How to Eat Pawpaw

Enjoying Pawpaw Raw

Check to make sure the pawpaw is ripe. You’re usually able to tell if it’s ripe right when you try to cut into it—the skin and fruit should be super soft and easy to cut if it’s ripe. Another way to tell if the pawpaw is ripe is to press on the skin and see if it gives. If it doesn’t, it hasn’t ripened. If the skin is tough and you’re not having an easy time trying to slice it open, it’s likely not ripe yet. Pawpaws give off a fruity aroma when they're ripe. Pawpaws can differ in color depending on the specific type, so relying on color to determine if the fruit is ripe isn't your best bet.

Chill the fruit beforehand to make cutting and peeling it easier. By putting the pawpaw in the fridge for a few hours before slicing it, the pulp will have an easier time separating from the skin. The seeds should be able to more easily pop out as well. You can store pawpaws in the fridge for about 2 days, making it easy to pull one out whenever you'd like to cut it open.

Slice the fruit in half lengthwise for a quick, tasty treat. You can either use a sharp knife to try to slice the pawpaw completely apart lengthwise, or you can cut around the skin and then pull it apart like you would an avocado. This leaves you with 2 open halves, ready to be eaten once you remove the seeds. Use a spoon to scoop out the fruit inside of the skin and eat it. Try to remove the seeds right after you cut it, as they're not edible. The halved fruit creates a great bowl, making eating right out of the skin super easy.

Cut the pawpaw crosswise if you'd rather eat it in slices. The slices can be however thick you’d like, but a thickness of at least 1 centimetre (0.39 in) is recommended because the seeds will be in between the slices. Use a sharp knife to make each slice, and eat the slices after removing the seeds and skin. You can remove the skin by creating a cut in the skin and then peeling it off all the way around the slice. Slice the pawpaw like you would cut up a banana.

Remove and discard the seeds. Pawpaw seeds are rather large, dark seeds that aren’t edible. Once you cut the pawpaw, you’ll be able to easily see the seeds to remove them. You can do this using a spoon or knife, or, if the fruit is chilled, the seeds are likely to pop out easily. A pawpaw seed is roughly the size of a large pill, making it difficult for you to swallow one accidentally.

Scoop the pulp out and freeze it, if desired. Use a large spoon to scoop the insides of the pawpaw into a bowl. You can either use this pulp in a recipe, eat it raw, or store it in a bag in the freezer to enjoy later. Pawpaws will only last a couple of days before going bad, which is why they should be frozen for up to a year if you’d like to keep them fresh for longer than 2 days. If you're going to eat the pawpaw within the next day or two, store it in the fridge in an air-tight container. Use a spoon to eat the frozen pawpaw as you would eat ice cream. Freeze the pawpaw in 2–4 c (470–950 ml) increments to make serving it easier.

Using Pawpaw in Recipes

Substitute pawpaws for mangoes or bananas in any recipe. Due to their taste similarities, pawpaws can take the place of both of these fruits and work just as well in a recipe. Measure out the same amount of pawpaws as you would bananas or mangoes for the chosen dish.

Make ice cream out of pawpaw pulp for a cold treat. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of sugar to 2 cups (470 ml) of pawpaw pulp. Combine 2 cups (470 ml) of cream and 2 cups (470 ml) of milk, stirring them into the pawpaw pulp and sugar mixture. Once all of these ingredients are combined, pour them into an ice cream maker and follow the machine’s specific instructions for making ice cream. You can also just freeze pawpaw pulp and eat it frozen, more like a sorbet. If you don't have an ice cream maker, try hand-churning or a similar method.

Enjoy pawpaw beer if you’re able to homebrew. If you’re interested in making beer yourself, or already know how to brew your own beer, consider using pawpaw when brewing to add flavor. Many people ferment the pawpaw pulp, just as you would other fruits. For example, you can make pawpaw mead with very little equipment.

Create pawpaw pie for a great dessert. Combine 1 c (240 ml) of sugar, 1 c (240 ml) of milk, 1 egg, 0.25 tsp (1.2 ml) of salt, and 0.5 c (120 ml) of pawpaw pulp together, cooking it on the stove over medium heat until it becomes thick. Pour the mixture into an unbaked pie crust and bake it until the crust is cooked. Make sure the pawpaw pulp doesn’t have any seeds or skin in it. Bake the pie at 350 °F (177 °C). Check on the pie every 10 minutes or so to see if the crust is browning.

Mix together a pawpaw drink to quench your thirst. Mix 2 c (470 ml) of water, 1 US tbsp (15 ml) grated ginger, 2 c (470 ml) peeled pawpaw, and 1 can of pineapple juice together in a blender. Pour 3 US tbsp (44 ml) lime juice and 0.5 c (120 ml) honey into the blender and blend one last time so everything's combined. You can serve the drink over ice.

Make pawpaw pudding for a tasty treat. Whisk together 2 cups (470 ml) sugar, 1.5 c (350 ml) bread flour, 1 tsp (4.9 ml) baking powder, and 0.5 tsp (2.5 ml) cinnamon. Add 3 eggs, 2 c (470 ml) pawpaw pulp, 1.5 c (350 ml) milk, 0.5 c (120 ml) melted butter and whisk them all together before pouring the mixture into a baking dish. Bake the pudding for 50 minutes at 350 °F (177 °C). When it's done, you should be able to insert a toothpick into the center with it coming out clean.