How to Make Passion Fruit Juice (2 Methods)

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How to make homemade passion fruit juice with or without a blender, then customize it to your liking! This maracuya juice is fairly tart, slightly sweet, super refreshing, and packed with several vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants!

Half a passion fruit and a glass with passion fruit juice

Fresh-squeezed juices are a weakness of mine. I’ve been whipping up batches of pineapple juice, freshly squeezed orange juice, and apple juice for years. So I can’t go back to bottled juice “from concentrate.”

I’m used to enjoying passion fruit recipes, especially desserts. And now it’s time to let its own sweet-tart flavor shine with homemade passion fruit juice. It’s perfect for hot summer days and any time you’re craving tropical flavors!

This juice is really simple to prepare, with just the fruit, water, and a sweetener. Plus, there are several ways of adjusting the recipe, including extra add-ins. You are also 100% in charge of the ingredients, meaning no unwanted preservatives and excess sugar levels!

Two glasses with passion fruit and the whole fruit around them

What Is Passion Fruit?

Passion fruit is the fruit that comes from a passion flower plant native to Brazil and Northern Argentina. It is grown across several tropical and subtropical countries. The fruit (technically a berry) is oval in shape. Depending on the variety, has deep purple skin (Passiflora edulis) or yellow skin (Passiflora flavicarpa).

Inside is a golden-orange juicy center with a sweet-tart flavored jelly-like pulp. It also has crunchy black seeds, perfect for adding to desserts and juicing.

Passion fruit is actually just one of many names this fruit it’s called. Other names include Maracuja or Maracuya (in Brazil/Ecuador), Chinola or Parchita (in Puerto Rico), Lilikoi (in Hawaii), Granadilla, and possibly others. For that reason, I’ll use the terms interchangeably below.

Is Passion Fruit Juice Good for You?

Passion fruit, though small, is packed with antioxidants, several vitamins, and plant compounds that are beneficial to overall health. Here are the top passion fruit benefits.

One passion fruit cut in two
  • Passion fruit juice is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A. Both antioxidants will boost the immune system, are anti-inflammatory, and improve wound healing and skin health.
  • The antioxidants can also lower the risk of several cancers.
  • It is rich in carotenoids and polyphenols (the latter is more so than many other tropical fruits, like pineapple, mango, banana, etc.). These are both potent antioxidants with anti-inflammatory benefits.
  • Contains moderate levels of iron, absorbed better due to the vitamin C in the chinola juice. This is important to make hemoglobin and carry oxygen around the body.
  • The fruit has a low glycemic index (GI) value, meaning no steep increase in blood sugars after consuming it.
  • Maracuya juice contains potassium, which is important for heart health and the proper functioning of muscles and nerves.
  • Contains lower levels of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, & vitamin B6.
  • With the seeds included, a single passion fruit contains 2 grams of fiber, which is great for digestive health.
  • The juice contains compounds that function almost like a sedative, helping you to get a good night’s sleep and calm nervous anxiety.

Read more about the health benefits of passion fruit on Medical News Today.

Where to Buy Passion Fruit

This fruit is in season from April through to October. During that time, it is available in many major supermarkets. However, you will also be able to find it in many foreign food markets and stores, such as African, Asian, and Caribbean stores.

In many countries, you can also purchase frozen passion fruit pulp or puree in-store or online. Just check the packaging to ensure it’s 100% passion fruit (no sweeteners, preservatives, etc.).

Fifteen passion fruit on a flat surgace

How Do You Know If a Passion Fruit Is Ripe

To choose the best passion fruit, select a large, heavy (which means plenty of pulp), firm fruit. Look for ones with a deep color (purple or yellow), avoiding any that are too green. Also, avoid fruit with bruises, tiny holes, or large soft spots, as these fruits may be moldy.

If the skin is smooth, it’s likely unripe still, and if it’s too wrinkly, it’s likely overripe. The ideal level is where the skin looks dimpled all over, but not overly wrinkly. If it’s not fully ripe when purchasing it, leave it to sit at room temperature (out of direct sunlight) until it wrinkles for the sweetest passion juice.

How to Make Passion Fruit Juice

Use just fresh passion fruits, water, and sweetener (in this case, a simple syrup). Then it’s easy to learn how to juice passion fruit with or without a blender.

Ingredients for passion fruit juice

Note, you can use purple or yellow passion fruit, though purple has the sweetest flavor.

Passion Fruit Puree Vs Juice Vs Pulp

Passion fruit pulp is everything you scoop out from the peel (seeds and liquid). Passion fruit puree is the liquid from the fruit after straining the seeds. Passion fruit juice (lilikoi drink/chinola juice/maracuya juice) combines the fruit puree with water and sugar into a refreshing passion fruit drink.

How to Cut Passion Fruit

Before using either of the below methods, you first need to gather the passion fruit pulp/seeds. Luckily, preparing passion fruit is very simple. First, use a sharp knife to cut it in half (width-wise). Then use a spoon to simply scoop out the flesh and seeds into a bowl (or blender).

The flesh of eight passion fruit in a bowl

Once cut, store any open passion fruit in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Manual Method

It’s easy to make passion fruit juice without a blender and only a tiny amount of effort.

  1. Transfer the passion fruit pulp to a fine-mesh strainer or nut milk bag and strain the liquid from the seeds. Squeeze the bag or use the back of a spoon in the sieve to press as much liquid through as possible.

If you don’t mind the seeds being in the juice, then skip this step entirely.

  1. Then, simply add the water and sweetener to prepare the maracuya drink.

Blender Method

This method of making passionfruit juice takes even less time and effort to prepare but leaves you with more washing up.

  1. Simply transfer everything (the fruit pulp, water, and sweetener) to a blender or food processor. Pulse for 1-2 seconds at a time to help loosen the juice from around the seeds, avoiding breaking up the seeds too much.
Before and after blending passion fruit

You may prefer to add just a little water and sweetener at a time. That way, you can dilute and sweeten it to your desired levels.

  1. Then, pour the juice into a fine-mesh sieve to strain the seed remnants.
Steps for sieving passion fruit juice to remove the seeds

If you blend the mixture too much, the seeds will pulverize, and it becomes trickier to strain out the bits of seed from the resulting juice. On the plus side, seeds mean more fiber!

Then enjoy the passion fruit drink as is. Or serve it with ice and a few mint leaves for a super refreshing, tropical homemade juice. You can also use the juice to add to salad dressings, make it into syrup, turn it into jelly or sorbet, etc.

Two glasses of passion fruit juice

How Long Does Passion Fruit Juice Last in the Fridge?

For maximum nutrients, enjoy the refreshing drink immediately. However, you can store any leftovers in a covered container (like a pitcher, glass bottle, or mason jar/s) in the fridge for 4-5 days. Give it a good stir/shake before serving each time, as it can separate as it sits.

Can You Freeze Passion Fruit Juice?

Absolutely. You can store the pasion fruit juice either in Ziplock bags or ice cube trays (then transfer to freezer bags) for up to 6 months. You can then pop a few ice cubes into lemonades or a smoothie. Or thaw them first to enjoy as juice or in a cocktail.

A glass with passion fruit juice and several passion fruit aroun dit

FAQs

Can you eat passion fruit seeds?

Absolutely. The flesh and seeds inside the passion fruit are the edible part of the fruit.

What to do with passion fruit leftover peels?

This is a tricky one. I’ve consulted several sources. Some claim that purple passion fruit peels are inedible as they contain compounds that can form cyanide in our bodies.
Still, there are recipes for passion fruit peel flour and jam (perhaps okay with yellow fruit) out there. Yet, I prefer not to eat them. Instead, you can create a natural dye or use them as an organic “pot” for seedlings.

What to do with leftover passion fruit seeds?

You can leave the crunchy seeds in the passion fruit drink. Or you can strain them out and snack on them or chuck them in your compost.

How to make passion fruit juice from frozen pulp?

Allow the pulp to thaw first, then simply follow the methods above. If it’s frozen puree (no seeds), then simply dilute it with water and sweetener. No blender or straining is necessary.

More Fresh Juice Recipes

If you try this simple homemade passion fruit juice recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!

How to Make Passion Fruit Juice (2 Methods)

5 from 8 votes
By: Samira
How to make homemade passion fruit juice with or without a blender, then customize it to your liking! This maracuya juice is fairly tart, slightly sweet, super refreshing, and packed with several vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 
 

  • 8 Passionfruit small (about 1.8 oz/50 g each whole fruit); or 1 cup/6.7 oz/190 g pupl
  • 1/3 cup simple syrup or any liquid sweetener, like honey, maple syrup, etc.
  • 2 cups water

This will yield about 2.5 cups/600 ml juice

    Instructions 

    • Use a sharp knife to cut the passion fruit in half (width-wise). Then use a spoon to simply scoop out the flesh and seeds into a bowl (or blender).

    Manual Method

    • Transfer the passion fruit pulp to a fine-mesh strainer or nut milk bag and strain the liquid from the seeds. Squeeze the bag or use the back of a spoon in the sieve to press as much liquid through as possible.
      If you don’t mind the seeds being in the juice, then skip this step entirely.
    • Simply add the water and sweetener to prepare the maracuya drink.

    Blender Method

    • Simply transfer everything (the fruit pulp, water, and sweetener) to a blender or food processor and pulse for 1-2 seconds at a time to help loosen the juice from around the seeds, avoiding breaking up the seeds too much.
      You may prefer to add just a little water and sweetener at a time. That way, you can dilute and sweeten it to your desired levels.
    • Pour the juice into a sieve to strain the seed remnants.
      If you blend the mixture too much, the seeds will pulverize, and it becomes trickier to strain out the bits of seed from the resulting juice. On the plus side, seeds mean more fiber!

    Storage Instructions

    • For maximum nutrients, enjoy the refreshing drink immediately.
      To store: store any leftovers in a covered container (like a pitcher, glass bottle, or mason jar/s) in the fridge for 4-5 days. Give it a good stir/ shake before serving each time, as it can separate as it sits.
      To freeze: store the juice either in Ziplock bags or ice cube trays (then transfer to freezer bags) for up to 6 months. You can then pop a few ice cubes into lemonade or a smoothie or thaw them first to enjoy as juice or in a cocktail.

    Notes

    • Tweak the ingredient ratios: This passion fruit juice recipe is made of just three ingredients: passion fruit pulp, water, and sweetener. Adjust the amount of water and sugar based on how tart/robust you’d like the flavor to be.
    • Use your sweetener of choice: It’s best to use a liquid sweetener that will dissolve easily into the juice, like a simple syrup (which can be made with your choice of granulated sugar). However, feel free to use maple syrup, honey, agave, or sugar-free syrup.
    • Passion fruit pulp yield: One fruit contains around 2 tablespoons of pulp. So, you’ll need around 8 for a cup of pulp.
    • To make passion fruit concentrate: Strain the seeds from the passion fruit pulp into a smooth puree.
    • For texture: Add some passion fruit seeds back into the juice (bonus fiber, too!). There’s no need to remove the seeds at all if preferred.
    • For more flavor: Use coconut water instead of regular water or combine the passion fruit with other fruits like mango, pineapple, orange, or even a squeeze of lemon or lime juice into the passion fruit drink.
     
    Check the blog post for more tips and answers to top FAQs!
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: Brazil, Hawaii
    Freezer friendly: 6 Months
    Shelf life: 4-5 Days

    Nutrition

    Serving: 100ml, Calories: 161kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 47mg, Potassium: 406mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 1442IU, Vitamin C: 34mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 2mg

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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