Papaya Juice Recipe » Simple, Healthy & Easy » Sprint Kitchen (2024)

Looking for a tasty trip to the tropics is your juice glass? There is nothing quite like the tropical flavor of papaya. Papaya juice is not just a distinctive flavor but it is also full of beneficial nutrients. Here are some insights into papaya juice and a recipe for a deliciously simple papaya orange juice blend.

How to Make Papaya Juice

Papaya juice is usually made by blending the fruit into a juice with a touch of water or other juice. You can juice papaya in a conventional juicer but you will miss out on the unique mouthfeel that including the pulp gives you. A conventional juicer will only easily juice slightly firm papayas. Ripe papaya on the soft side won’t move through the juicer as well and some of the juice will end up in the pulp bucket and not your glass. Blending papaya for juice will let you easily enjoy the flavor of ripe papayas and will contain all of the fiber that juicers leave behind.

Finding a ripe papaya

Having ripe papaya is key to making the best juice. A ripe papaya will be mostly yellow and orange in color. As they continue to ripen it is normal for spots or blotches to appear that are darker in color.

If all the papayas at the store are green no problem. Like many other fruits, papayas will ripen at room temperature and will ripen even faster in a paper bag. When papayas are put into a bag they will ripen quickly so it is best to check them daily. Papaya is ripe when it gives a little with a slight squeeze. Another clue to a ripe papaya is the smell. Ripe fruit should have a distinct papaya aroma.

Recipe steps

Prep the papaya by removing the skin with a knife or a vegetable peeler. Cut the papaya in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the papaya into chunks that your blender can easily handle.

Juice the orange by hand or your usual citrus juicing method. Add the papaya, orange juice, water, and a pinch of salt to the blender. For a drink with added fiber and texture blend the whole orange instead of just the juice. The addition of salt might be a surprising ingredient in fruit juices but it brings out the fruity flavors of the papaya.

Blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds depending on your blender. Add more juice or water for a thinner juice. Pour over ice and enjoy.

Storage

Papaya Juice is the best drunk soon after making it but it is perfect to pack for lunch or have some ready later on. Be sure to store in an appropriate container like a mason jar or other food storage. Drinks made with fresh fruit like this juice will remain fresh in the fridge for 24 hours. Papaya juice can be frozen as ice cubes and used to chill other drinks or added to smoothies.

Variations

This recipe is just one of the tasty drinks that you can make with papaya. Another popular drink is papaya agua fresca. This is basically a papaya juice that is blended with more water and usually a sweetener to make more of a fruit drink than a juice. Instead of just enough juice to get the blender going, use 2 parts water to 1 part papaya and sugar or another sweetener to taste. The amount of sugar can vary greatly depending on your taste and the sweetness of individual fruit.

Turn your papaya juice into a unique co*cktail. Add a shot of your favorite spirit to any papaya juice recipe. Of course, you can mix up a tasty juice co*cktail with no alcohol. Try mixing with mineral water or other fruit juices and garnishing with fruit slices.

What Other Fruit Can Be Mixed with Papaya

Not only can papaya be mixed with just about any fruit, but it should be! The rich and buttery texture of the papaya and its distinctive flavor makes it the perfect complement to many different fruits. Blending papaya with other fruits is a good way to enjoy papaya for those that might find the flavor a bit too much on its own.

The recipe featured here blends papaya and fresh orange juice. Orange is a great complement to papaya. The fruity and floral flavors of orange lighten the deep papaya flavor and provides the bit of sweetness that papaya often needs. While orange is a simple and tasty addition to papaya, it is just the tip of the flavor combo iceberg.

One of the most popular juices to blend with papaya is pineapple. The refreshing tart and sweet pineapple balance the rich and distinct flavor of papaya. Papaya and lime is a traditional and delicious flavor combo that is common in many Mexican kitchens. Any papaya recipe or papaya for snaking will be enhanced by a squeeze of lime. For a unique and creamy juice, try banana and papaya blended together.

Benefits of Papaya Juice

Papaya has a trove of nutrients and healthy enzymes. Research has shown that eating (or drinking!) papaya might help reduce the risk of several health conditions. These include diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other common ailments. Papaya can help keep blood pressure and inflammation under control. Papaya juice is also a good source of nutrients that aid in eye health, digestion, and even strong and healthy hair [1]

One of the noted benefits of papaya juice is the presence of the digestive enzyme papain. Papain is an enzyme that helps to break down proteins into smaller fragments and makes them easier for the body to digest. This enzyme has also been found to help ease the pain of overworked muscles and even a sore throat.[2]

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