All about Yellow Dragon Fruit (pitaya), from how to pick out yellow dragon fruit, how to eat yellow dragon fruit, how to store them and more.
What is Yellow Dragon Fruit?
Yellow dragon fruit, also called dragon fruit, la pitahaya (dragon fruit in Spanish), pitaya, strawberry pear, or cactus fruit is an exotic cactus fruit that is juicy and sweet in taste. We personally think the texture is a cross between pear and kiwi. The black seeds are edible and a bit bigger than pink dragon fruit seeds. Yellow dragon fruit grows on the climbing cactus called the Hylocereus. When it is on the cactus it will have thorns that are removed prior to harvesting.
There are three different types of dragon fruits
- Hylocereus megalanthus: This is yellow dragon fruit. This dragon fruit has yellow skin on the outside and white flesh on the inside with black seeds. The flesh is a bit more translucent than the Hylocereus undatus.
- Hylocereus undatus: This is the most common dragon fruit and is pink on the outisde with white flesh on the inside. It also has black seeds, but small than the seeds in yellow dragon fruit.
- Hylocereus costaricensis: This one can be harder to find. It is the pink one on the outside and the pink flesh on the inside. You can find this readily available in the freezer section sold as a puree or cubes. Again, this one also has black seeds, but small than the seeds in yellow dragon fruit.
Yellow dragon Fruit Benefits
Dragon fruit in general is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids and also Vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium. They are high in fiber, and it even contains prebiotics.
In addition to all the P’s like prunes, peaches, pears, we add yellow dragon fruit to our children’s diet to help with constipation.
When is yellow dragon fruit in season?
You can find yellow dragon fruit available year-round. It has a peak season in early summer and fall.
How to eat yellow dragon fruit
How to cut yellow dragon fruit: Wash the dragon fruit. You can either peel the flesh away from the skin and enjoy the flesh as is or cut it in half and then scoop the flesh out. You can also scoop it out with a spoon and then chop it up as desired.
Yellow dragon fruit is easy to peel away from the skin. You can enjoy the inside of the dragon fruit and then compost or discard the skin.
How long does it take to grow yellow dragon fruit?
When planted from seed it takes about 2-5 years to get your first harvest of dragon fruit.
How to store yellow dragon fruit
Unripe dragon fruit can stay on the counter for a few days, but if you want to keep it for a longer period of time once it’s ripe we suggest placing it in the refrigerator. Dragon fruit can absorb odors so place it in a reusable bag to prevent this while in the refrigerator.
Cut dragon fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to pick yellow dragon fruit
Feel the dragon fruit, the skin should give with a little pressure, but shouldn’t be too hard or too soft. Don’t get it if it is shriveled and dry-looking as it will be overripe. Also, avoid any with too many brown or dark spots. If it’s too hard you can let it ripen on the countertop for a few days.
Can you freeze yellow dragon fruit?
Yes, you can freeze yellow dragon fruit but we suggest only freezing if you’re going to use it for smoothies, blending, cooking as it is mushy once thawed.
How to freeze yellow dragon fruit
- Wash the dragon fruit and then peel it away from the skin.
- Cut the dragon fruit up into bite size pieces.
- Place the yellow dragon fruit pieces on a lined baking sheet with a little bit of space in between them so they don’t stick together. We suggest using parchment paper or a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat on a cookie sheet when freezing, if not the dragon fruit will stick to the cookie sheet.
- Once the dragon fruit is fully frozen place into freezer containers or bags (we like using Stasher Bags) and enjoy as often as you’d like!
How to enjoy yellow dragon fruit
Yellow dragon fruit is good on it’s own but it’s also great in salads, salsa, smoothies, ice creams, or even on top of certain baked goods. We hope you give this tasty exotic fruit a try.
How to Eat Yellow Dragon Fruit
Ingredients
- 1 yellow dragon fruit
- vegetable wash
- water
Instructions
- Wash the yellow dragon fruit wtih vegetable wash and water and pat dry.
- Place the dragon fruit on a clean cutting board and then using a sharp knife, cut it in half lengthwise down the middle.
- Slide a tablespoon spoon in between the skin and the flesh and scoop out the flesh of the dragon fruit. Just like you would scoop out an avocado.
- Cut the dragon fruit as desired and enjoy.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is automatically calculated and can vary based ingredients and products used. If the nutrition numbers are important for you we recommend calculating them yourself.
A sure way to tell if the yellow dragonfruit is ripe is to look out for orange âfrecklesâ all around the fruit. You donât have to press the fruit at all.
If it look too orangey, then the fruit could be over-ripe and tastes bad.
The flesh is very sweet even when it is not very ripe but thereâs a woody after-taste. When ripe, however, the flesh transforms to tasting like lychees!
Sometimes there could be gross white âeyesâ forming on the skin. As long as the fruit is not too orangey looking, it is still good to eat.
When green, it can keep for at least a week out.
Thanks for the ripeness tips. That really helped me and my daughter figure out when to cut into these expensive little delights.