Our all-new strawberry papaya smoothie recipe is sure to give you a big surprise.
Strawberry and Papaya — An Oddly Pleasurable Duo
No one would think that a tart fruit and a rather sweet fruit would go well together, but as it turns out, they do. Papaya’s ultra sweetness mellows the tartness, and nothing’s more classic than a tart-sweet drink.
The smoothly thick texture also got us, and things get even better if fruits are frozen beforehand. You’ll get what we mean if you’re also into the idea of having a brain freeze for breakfast.
That being said, strawberry isn’t the only fruit that goes well with papaya. We’ve paired this fruit with mango, avocado, banana, and pineapple and the results were glorious each and every single time. Don’t believe us? Give them a try and see for yourself!
It’s Also Pretty Darn Nutritious.
Healthy recipes are what we make, and this combo is no exception.
For starters, the two fruits bring to the table different sets of micronutrients: plenty of vitamin C, vitamin A, and trace amounts of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins, among many more. Hence, this drink can help you get loads of vital nutrients.
Each serving also contains a healthy amount of calories and added sugar — 98 calories and 9 g added sugar, from 1/2 tbsp honey. If your fruits are already very sweet, you can skip the honey, lowering your sugar intake by a small amount.
Let’s Talk Ingredients
For our strawberry papaya smoothie recipe you’ll need only five ingredients:
As with most smoothies, you can use either fresh or frozen fruits, depending on how thick you prefer your treat. We think it’s better to sip this smoothie rather than eat it, so fresh or room-temperature fruits are what we recommend.
In case you haven’t worked with papaya before, it’s a large fruit with scrape-able seeds at the center. Slice it in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, and scoop the flesh into a bowl.
You can also consider using canned papaya, but keep in mind that sometimes they come submerged in a sweet syrup. Canned peaches, for instance, are easy to rinse, but canned papaya is quite soft and fragile. The best you can do is gently place them into a sieve, drizzle on top some water to thin out this sugary layer, and let gravity do its job.
How to Tell if a Papaya Is Ripe
Like mangoes, young papayas are green, gradually turning yellow as they mature. To ensure you select a ripe papaya, look for ones with no green patches on their skin. If your sense of smell is up to par, you can also give the fruit a quick sniff and select only the ones that smell richly ripe.
Storage and Freezing the Leftover
Without ice, the beverage can be kept refrigerated for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Only add ice when you need to serve, to avoid watering down the drink.
For everyday use, place the leftovers in a large bottle or pitcher, for easier pouring. For freezing, however, we suggest pouring the drink into small sealable bags.
Green or not, very ripe papaya prefers cool places without direct sunlight, such as the corner of your kitchen counter. The fruit will gradually ripen and if you place some bananas nearby, it will ripen faster. Once fully ripe, either store the whole fruit in the fridge or cut it up and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Strawberry Papaya Smoothie Recipe
Our strawberry papaya smoothie recipe is a lush drink with a gorgeous hue and beautiful flavors. You'll only need 5 ingredients to make it.
- by Tuyet Pham, Luna Regina, 2022-05-18
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 5 mins
- COURSE Beverage, Smoothie
- CUISINE Global
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 98 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 10 oz strawberries (hulled)
- 14 oz papaya
- 2 tbsp honey (optional)
- 8 mint leaves
- 2 cups ice
INSTRUCTIONS
Add all ingredients to the blender: 2 cups ice, 10 oz strawberries, 14 oz papaya, honey to your taste but no more than 2 tbsp, and mint leaves.
Blend in 30 seconds until smooth.
Pour into serving glasses.
Enjoy immediately.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary ConsultantLuna Regina
Writer, AuthorSaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer- PolidoreDelicious and healthy smoothie recipe with a tropical twist!