21 Passionfruit Recipes That Taste Like a Tropical Vacay

Sweet but mouth-puckering and extremely juicy, passionfruit is a single of the most underrated fruits, which is why we’re introducing it to every cocktail and dessert we can. Nevertheless the plant is native to Brazil, at present, you can discover it in most grocery suppliers. The seeds and jelly texture may well be mystifying at initial look, but harness the flavor of its juice and you are in for a sweet deal with that preferences like a tropical holiday. It can final up to 5 weeks in your fridge, even though these 21 passionfruit recipes could inspire you to get cooking with it, ASAP.

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• Time Commitment: 2 several hours, 30 minutes

• Why We Like It: special occasion–worthy, <500 calories

These fancy-seeming puffs are hiding a few secrets. First, they’re easier to make than they appear, and second, they’re filled with a sweet-yet-tangy passionfruit pastry cream to compliment the raspberries.

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• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes

• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, <500 calories

Fans of sour candy and citrus treats will swoon over this impossibly refreshing beverage. If you’re not able to source fresh passionfruit, you can easily swap in puree, which is sold in specialty stores and online.

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• Time Commitment: 35 minutes

• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, no cook, crowd-pleaser

Pass us the chips, because we’re about to dive into this sweet-yet-savory dip headfirst. For what it’s worth, we also think it would make an excellent topper for seafood or chicken tacos.

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• Time Commitment: 20 minutes

• Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, <10 ingredients, gluten free

Passionfruit boasts a unique flavor that’s delicately sweet yet tart like citrus, which makes it an ideal mixer for cocktails. One sip of this drink will take you to a beach in Mexico.

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• Time Commitment: 3 hours, 55 minutes

• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy

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Think key lime pie but with a tropical vacation twist. Plus, the crust is as easy to make as anything, if you’re game to crush a few sleeves of graham crackers.

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• Time Commitment: 5 minutes

• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, ready in <15 minutes, special occasion–worthy

Speaking of cocktails, this elegant sipper is begging to be enjoyed on a porch or in a backyard. Hot tip: Splurge on Luxardo cherries for the garnish if you can they’re*chef’s kiss*

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• Time Commitment: 35 minutes

• Why We Love It: vegetarian, gluten free

Yogurt and a few berries? Snooze. Yogurt and blueberry muffin granola? This is a breakfast game-changer. A spoonful of fresh passionfruit takes it from good to delish.

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• Time Commitment: 5 minutes

• Why We Love It: <500 calories, special occasion–worthy, ready in <15 minutes

This NOLA specialty is native to the city’s French Quarter, and features two types of rum, fresh orange and lime juice and passionfruit. Use a flavored rum or blend it into a frozen drink to take it to the next level.

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• Time Commitment: 12 hours, 55 minutes

• Why We Love It: make ahead, special occasion–worthy

In Hawaii, you’ll find passionfruit referred to as lilikoi. If you’re lucky, you’ll also encounter this light-as-air dessert, which has a tart filling and a creamy topping to balance the flavors.

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• Time Commitment: 10 minutes

• Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients

The tropical delight happens to play nice with other fruits, as proven by this rhubarb-passionfruit marg. It’s sweet, sour and heavy on the lime—just the way we like it.

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• Time Commitment: 5 minutes

• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, no cook

Swap the usual grapefruit juice for passionfruit and you’ll transcend to a tropical island at first sip. Pair the refresher with everything from chips and guac to tacos and grilled fish.

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• Time Commitment: 20 minutes

• Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, <10 ingredients

You can treat passionfruit juice like lemon or lime and make a luscious, tart curd for filling pies, cakes and cookies (or just eat it by the spoonful).

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• Time Commitment: 5 minutes

• Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients

Bring out the floral flavors of the fruit by pairing it with lime, mint and a splash (or two) of white rum.

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• Time Commitment: 5 minutes

• Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, special occasion–worthy

For extra tropical flavor, reach for a pineapple or coconut flavored vodka. The ginger beer will keep it from getting too sweet.

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• Time Commitment: 5 minutes

• Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients

Contrary to the cloying, pre-mixed drink you might associate with a Mai Tai, the bev is actually a classic tiki cocktail that deserves all the respect. It’s not traditionally made with passionfruit, but the tropical flavor complements the rum and orange liqueur ever so nicely.

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• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 25 minutes

• Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser,

Each layer is bursting with sweet-tart flavor (in addition to a buttery smooth frosting). It’s not our birthday, but sure, we’ll take the first slice.

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• Time Commitment: 20 minutes

• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, ready in <30 minutes

The base is soda water and a homemade fruit syrup, so you can turn this fizz into a cocktail (with coconut rum) or a leave it as a mocktail, depending on your preference.

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Crunchy yet creamy and sweet like a marshmallow, we’d argue the pavlova is an underrated dessert. Bonus: It makes an excellent canvas for heaps of tropical fruit.

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• Time Commitment: 5 minutes

• Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, no cook, dairy free,

Our motto: A smoothie is only as tasty as the fruit you put in it to hide the healthy greens. We jest…but there’s no denying the power of a little fresh passionfruit to liven things up.

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Sometimes a celebration calls for more than boxed cake mix. These cuties are crowned with a swoop of Champagne-infused raspberry buttercream and a dollop of passionfruit curd to bring out all the stops.

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• Time Commitment:1 hour, 40 minutes

• Why We Love It: special occasion–worthy, gluten free, dairy free

And here you thought this fruit was just for sweets and drinks. Add it to this fresh fish dish—the halibut gets “cooked” by the citrus and makes for a light meal or snack.

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_{Katherine Gillen is a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she’s an avid home cook and fanatic baker.}