How to Peel and Eat Lychee Fruit

It's surprisingly easy to peel the tropical lychee fruit -- and when you're lucky enough to have fresh lychee 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 is the flesh -- both the skin and seed are discarded. They're very easy to peel, and as soon as you learn how to do it, the exotic and tropical fruit might just become one of your favorites.

First, an Introduction 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 seed.

Green skin typically indicates the lychee isn't ripe -- most turn red as they ripen.

However, the main variety pictured throughout this article are actually called "Green Lychee" (from Melissa's Produce). They are incredibly sweet and juicy when green with a just subtle reddish blush. And below is an example of the Hakip variety.

How to Peel and Seed Lychee Fruit

- Gently use your fingers to easily remove the skin from the fruit.

The skin will probably come off in a few small pieces.

- Use your fingers to carefully dig into the lychee a bit to remove the pit.

You’ll likely notice a thin, brown layer of color from the pit, that will remain on the the inside of the fruit. Don’t try to remove this — it’s very soft and doesn’t detract from the flavor of the fruit. (If you try to remove it, you’ll loose 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. I think their taste is reminiscent of a sweet pear, with a subtle nut-like flavor.

When is lychee season?

Fresh Lychees are available in late spring through mid-summer.

How to Use Fresh Lychees

As with most produce, eating the fresh fruit on its own is amazing! And they are also delightful in recipes. Next to eating them directly fresh out of their skins, I LOVE to make lychee ice cream with them (pictured below).

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

Where to Buy Fresh Lychee

During their season (again, late spring through mid-summer), lychee should be available in many main stream grocery stores, and 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 lychee until you're ready to use (or eat!) them. When ripe, store lychee 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