Papaya juice is a sweet and refreshing tropical drink! Made with 2 ingredients, it comes together in minutes inside a blender, no juicer is required! It's fruity and loaded with nutrients and it's great for hot days served over ice!

Homemade papaya juice is the perfect way to cool off during the summer months and it's my favorite way to use up fresh fruit. You can serve it for breakfast, pool parties, or whenever you are craving something tropical and refreshing. It is a delicious family-friendly drink that takes only minutes to prepare!

Papaya has many amazing health benefits. This tropical fruit is rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium, and it contains plenty of fiber. It has a fruity, earthy flavor and can be very sweet. In addition to being made into juice, papayas can be enjoyed in fruit salads or inside of cooked dishes.

Recipe ingredients

Large papaya. Ripe fruit will give you a sweeter and stronger papaya flavor.

Apple(optional). If you want a sweeter drink with an even more fruity flavor, you can blend the papaya with a honey crisp or fuji apple.

How to make papaya juice

1. Prepare the papaya: Cut the papaya in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Using a spoon, scoop out all the seeds and discard them. Then, with a peeler, remove the skin of the papaya, ensuring to remove any green portions. Cut the papaya into roughly 1-inch pieces for easier blending.
2. Prepare the apple (if using): Choose a sweet apple variety, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, for the best flavor. Using a peeler, remove the skin from the apple. Then, with a knife, cut around the core to remove it. Slice the apple into roughly 1-inch pieces, similar to the papaya.
3. Blend: Place the papaya and apple pieces (if using) into your blender. Secure the lid and blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth. This could take anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on your blender's power.
4. Strain (optional): If you prefer a smoother juice, pour the mixture through a sieve or cheesecloth placed over a bowl or large jug. This will remove any remaining pulp. Use a spoon to press the mixture down and extract as much juice as possible.
5. Sweeten (optional): Taste your juice. If it's not sweet enough for your liking, you can add a sweetener of your choice. Honey or agave nectar are great options. Start with a small amount, blend or stir it into the juice, then taste again. You can also add a squeeze of fresh lime juice at this stage to brighten the flavors.
6. Serve: Pour the juice into glasses. If you prefer it chilled, you can add a few ice cubes or refrigerate it for an hour before serving.

How to pick a ripe papaya

The key to the best homemade juice is choosing the right fruit. Since this recipe contains no milk or sugar in it, all the flavor will be coming from the papaya and ripe fruit will give the best flavor and sweetness.

The easiest way to tell if your papaya is ripe is by looking at its coloring. A fully ripe fruit will have a vibrant orange/yellow color with a tiny bit of green on the skin. It will also have a fresh papaya aroma and be soft to the touch. If it's mushy then it's overripe and will taste bland and mealy.

If your papaya is completely green or mostly green it will be hard and it's best to add it to soups or garden salads.

Variations

Milk. This juice is made without milk so it's very light and refreshing. If you want a creamier juice, blend it with a splash of almond milk or regular milk if you like!

Strain your juice. If you don't want any pulp in your juice, blend your papaya with a little bit of water then pour it through a sieve or strainer

Tropical papaya slushy. Make a homemade slushy by blending the fruit with crushed ice.

Add in other fruits. Some papayas are sweeter than others and adding in other fresh fruit will make your drink naturally sweet without having to add any refined sugar. Fresh apples, pineapples, mangos, bananas, and oranges all taste amazing with papaya.

Add in lime juice. Fresh citrus juice helps to add a slightly tangy flavor to your juice. This is great if you want a tangier drink or to help balance out the sweetness of the papaya if your fruit is too sweet for your taste.

Frequently asked questions

Leftovers

Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge, covered with a lid or with foil. Store for 1 day maximum. Before drinking again, stir with a spoon. Do not freeze.

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Hope you will like this papaya juice recipe as much as we do. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.