Any time you’ve scrolled through a food influencer’s Instagram page, you’ve likely come across those hard-to-miss bright pink smoothie bowls covered in a rainbow hue of toppings. The fruit behind these masterpieces? It’s often dragon fruit—also known as pitaya—which is the fruit of a cactus plant boasting a creamy white flesh and flecked with small edible seeds, says Krista Linares, RDN, founder and owner of Nutrition con Sabor. While originally indigenous to the Americas, mainly Mexico and Central America, it’s now also cultivated in a variety of tropical regions in Asia and Australia. Many Americans in hot climates even grow it in their backyard!
If you haven’t tried dragon fruit yet, you’re seriously missing out. It has a delicate, mild flavor that Linares describes as a cross between a kiwi and watermelon.It pairs well with more powerful-tasting tropical fruits like mango and pineapple, she says, but you can as easily include it in vegetable-centric salads for a dash of sweetness.
To find your ideal dragon fruit at the grocery store, think about how you’d choose an avocado. “You want to feel the dragon fruit and choose one that has a little bit of give to it, but is not extremely soft,” says Linares. Preparing it is super simple, too. All you need to do is cut the fruit in half and peel the flesh right out of the rind. For your convenience, though, many brands like PitayaPlus, Foraging Organics, and Pitaya Foods sell handy packets of pureed, frozen or freeze-dried powdered dragon fruit that are ready to go the second they arrive at your door.
Dragon fruit is best eaten raw. “Look for recipes that use raw dragon fruit like smoothies or sorbets,” Linares says. “A simple fruit salad would also make a great choice for dragon fruit.”
Ready to whip up something deliciously refreshing and dragon fruit-forward? Start with these 10 delectable, sweet (and even some savory) dragon fruit recipes.
Start your day with a smoothie bowl that’s as pretty as it is delicious. This recipe uses vanilla protein powder as its base to prevent any sugar spikes and packs a satisfying crunch from toppings like coconut and hemp seeds.
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Per serving: 225 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 92 mg sodium, 48 g carbs, 27 g sugar, 9 g fiber, 8 g protein
Thanks to its mild taste, dragon fruit is a great place to start if you’re not used to vegetable salads with fruit. This summery recipe combines a fresh bed of lettuce, mint leaves, your choice of additional fruits, and a drizzle of honey. Save the dragon fruit rind and use it as a decorative serving bowl.
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Per serving: 101 calories, 1 g fat (1 g saturated), 35 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 20 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 1 g protein
Getting your recommended five-to-ten servings of produce is a breeze when you blend them all together and devour them in one sitting. While the base of this bowl is comprised of banana, dates, plant-based milk, and vanilla, the recipe calls for colorful and nutritious toppings like pitaya, kiwi, cherries, and more.
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Per serving: 101 calories, 1 g fat (1 g saturated), 35 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 20 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 1 g protein
Combine half a dragon fruit, mandarin juice, lime, mint, agave nectar, and reposado tequila for a festive cocktail that’s both tangy and fruity.
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Per serving: 328 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 37 mg sodium, 49 g carbs, 34 g sugar, 5 g fiber, 2 g protein
Ginger and freshly squeezed orange juice are what really bring this bowl to life—and by association, your morning energy levels. The recipe calls for optional spinach, and while it’s loaded with fiber and vitamin K, keep in mind it will affect the bright pink color.
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Per serving: 263 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 10 mg sodium, 63 g carbs, 32 g sugar, 7 g fiber, 3 g protein
The addition of pumpkin gives us permission to eat this summery fruit year-round. Simply blend pureed dragon fruit with canned pumpkin and banana, and season it with pumpkin spice or cinnamon. Top with fall-friendly toppings like pepitas and pomegranate arils. And that fiber content—OMG.
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Per serving: 216 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 47 g carbs, 26 g sugar, 21 g fiber, 4 g protein
Because this dragon fruit smoothie is so loaded in bright and vibrant produce like pitaya, strawberries, mango and pineapple, you won’t even notice the handful of spinach.
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Per serving: 131 calories, 3 g fat (0 g saturated), 31 mg sodium, 26 g carbs, 18 g sugar, 5 g fiber, 3 g protein
Power your morning (or snack-time) with this hearty pitaya bowl,blended with strawberries to drive the bright pink theme even further home. Get creative with toppings or go for the classics like granola, nuts, chia seeds, and sliced banana.
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Per serving: 322 calories, 15 g fat (13 g saturated), 10 mg sodium, 46 g carbs, 27 g sugar, 7 g fiber, 4 g protein
Next time you’re stumped on what kind of crowd-pleasing dessert to make at your summer barbecue, consider this fluffy dragon fruit-infused meringue cake topped with pitaya-pink whipped cream and fresh fruit.
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Per serving: 479 calories, 28 g fat (17 g saturated), 27 mg sodium, 56 g carbs, 53 g sugar, 5 g protein
This stunning smoothie is giving us all the secret Starbucks menu vibes.In the hot pink smoothie, there’s a totally Instagrammable blue-green spirulina and raw cashew butter drizzle that’s loaded with nutrients and heart-healthy fats.
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Per serving: 192 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 3 mg sodium, 37 g carbs, 24 g sugar, 4 g fiber, 3 g protein
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