How to Peel and Eat Lychee Fruit

It's surprisingly easy to peel lychee fruit -- and when you're lucky enough to have fresh lychees in front of you, you'll want to get to that sweet, juicy fruit as quickly as possible.

The only edible part of the delicious lychee fruit its juicy flesh -- both the skin and seed are discarded. They're very easy to peel, and once you learn how, the exotic and tropical fruit might just become one of your favorites.

First, an Introduction to the Lychee

Lychees are native to Southern China, and are grown in tropical climates all over the world.

Just a bit bigger than an average-sized grape, there are dozens of lychee varieties. The most common are the Mauritius, the Brewster, and the Hakip.

Lychee skin is usually a stunning reddish-pink color that's quite thin and slightly bumpy. The flesh is translucent and white, and they have dark brown seeds.

The main variety of lychee pictured throughout this article are actually called "Green Lychee" (from Melissa's Produce). They are a green variety -- the green color does not indicate they are not ripe. This variety is incredibly sweet and juicy when they're green, with just subtle pink blush. 

Whatever color they are, they're ripe when they're firm with a very slight amount of give when pressed. They should not bee too soft.

Below is an example of the Hakip variety.

How to Peel and Seed Lychee Fruit

- Gently use your fingers to remove the skin from the fruit. It will probably likely come off in a few small pieces, and it should do so easily. (If you don't have at least a tiny bit of fingernail, just start it with the tip of a paring knife.

- Use your fingers to gently split the skin vertically down the side to carefully remove the seed. It should come out easily.

* Important Tip * You’ll notice a thin, brown layer of color from the seed, that will remain on the inside of the fruit. Don’t try to remove this — it’s very soft and doesn’t detract from the flavor or texture of the fruit. (If you try to remove it, you’ll lose a lot of juice in the process.)

What does lychee taste like?

The flesh of lychee fruit is deliciously sweet and juicy with a soft, chewy, jelly-like texture. It has a floral taste that for me, is reminiscent of a sweet pear, with a subtle nut-like flavor.

When is lychee season?

Fresh lychees are available late spring through mid-summer.

How to Use Fresh Lychees

As with most fresh produce, when it's in season, eating the lychee fruit on its own is amazing! They're also delightful in recipes. Next to eating them directly out of their skins, I love to make lychee ice cream with them.

They're also fabulous for sorbet, fruit salads, cocktails and smoothies. And lychees are even good in savory recipes, like this Chicken Lychee Green Curry, and in ceviche recipes.

Where to Buy Fresh Lychee

During their season (again, late spring through mid-summer), lychees should be available in many main stream grocery stores, and in most Asian markets. Trader Joe's carries them almost every year, and if you're really lucky, you'll see them at your local Farmers' Market, too.

How to Store Fresh Lychee

First, know that you should not peel lychees until you're ready to use -- or eat -- them. When ripe, store them in the refrigerator wrapped in a paper towel in a plastic bag. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bag. They should last this way for about a week.

Other Exotic Fruits and Their Uses

Enjoy!