Papaya lends refreshing sweetness to all kinds of dishes, from smoothies to salads to salsas. Once you learn how to slice a papaya, we’re sure you’ll find even more ways to enjoy the tropical fruit.

What Is Papaya?

Papaya is a sweet tropical fruit with green-yellow skin and soft, almost custardy flesh that ranges in color from golden to orange to reddish-pink. Native to South America and Mexico and grown in tropical areas around the world such as Hawaii, papayas contain shiny, edible black seeds that resemble caviar. The seeds' slight crunch and peppery flavor makes them well suited to garnishing dishes such as salads or salsas (though it's best to eat them in small quantities; consuming large quantities of papaya seeds can cause an upset stomach). Ripe papaya can be eaten raw, enjoyed with a squeeze of citrus or utilized in salads, smoothies, sorbets, chilled soups and salsas. Unripe, green papayas can be used in salads or made into pickles and chutneys. Papaya contains papain, an enzyme that helps break down proteins, so it can also be used in marinades to help tenderize meat.

How to Tell When a Papaya Is Ripe

As it ripens, the skin of the papaya will turn from green to golden-yellow and take on a mottled appearance. A good rule of thumb to remember is the greater the proportion of yellow to green skin, the riper the papaya. A ripe papaya will also be slightly soft to the touch; take care not to squeeze too hard. Store unripe papaya at room temperature until it ripens. Once the papaya has ripened completely, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

How to Cut Papaya, Step-by-Step

Step 1: Trim the Papaya

On a stabilized cutting board, use a sharp knife to trim both ends of the papaya--the stem end and the rounded end--to create flat ends.

Step 2: Halve the Papaya

Slice the papaya in half lengthwise.

Step 3: Seed the Papaya

Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and pulp from each half of the papaya. Discard the seeds or save seeds to use as a garnish or add to smoothies.

Step 4: Peel the Papaya

Place one papaya half cut side down on the cutting board and use a vegetable peeler (a Y peeler works well here) or a sharp knife to peel off the skin. Repeat with the second half.

Step 5: Cut the Papaya Into Desired Shape

Slice your papaya as desired, either into half-moons or into long strips, which can be lined up and cut crosswise into chunks, cubes or small dice.

Can You Eat Papaya Seeds?

Yes! But papaya seeds have a strong peppery flavor. You can scoop them out, rinse them off, and bake them at a low temperature until they're dry to the touch. Then, grind them coarsely with the back of a measuring cup or a mortar and pestle and use them as a crunchy, peppery topping.

How to Eat Papaya

Once you've sliced your papaya, enjoy the ripe papaya flesh on its own or cook with it. Below are some of our favorite papaya recipes.

Summer Fruit Relish

A duo of diced nectarines and papaya veer into savory territory with the addition of red onion, lime, cilantro and Serrano chilies. Serve with tortilla chips for an easy summer entertaining snack or pair with grilled fish or chicken skewers.

Spicy Papaya Guacamole

Guacamole add-ins are always the subject of contentious debate but chopped papaya paired with diced habanero create a sweet-heat that makes the case for elevating basic guac.

Balinese Fruit Salad with Lychee and Coconut Milk

A refreshing coconut milk-and-lime dressing pulls together a fruit medley, including papaya, pineapple and mango. A shredded coconut garnish doubles down on the tropical island vibes.

Grilled Tropical Fruit

Grilling fruit helps caramelize the natural sugars in fruit, especially tropical ones like papaya, mango and pineapple. It makes for a perfect dessert straight-up but a scoop of ice cream and drizzle of caramel sauce makes it extra sweet.

Papaya Smoothies

Put your papaya cutting skills to good use and bring a taste of the tropics to your typical strawberry-banana smoothie routine. Throw in a handful of papaya seeds for an extra dose of fiber.

Related Links:

Our Favorite Fruit Salad Recipes

Our Favorite Salsa Recipes

20 Healthy Smoothie Recipes