An incredibly named tropical fruit with a sweet taste, dragon fruit is a real treat with lots of health benefits. Regardless of how you use it, you might be wondering whatās the best way to preserve this delicious fruit so you can enjoy it long into the future?
Can You Freeze Dragon Fruit?
Yes, you can freeze dragon fruit for up to 3 months. You will need to peel the fruit before cutting it into cubes. You should then flash freeze the cubes so they donāt stick together before bagging them up and placing them in the freezer
Do Does Dragon Fruit freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Dragon Fruit? No
How to Freeze Dragon Fruit
Given that dragon fruit isnāt available all year round, the fact that you can easily freeze it will be welcome news to many people. Freezing dragon fruit is exceptionally straightforward, providing you follow the steps listed below:
- Peel and Cut
Begin by peeling the dragon fruit and cutting it into chunks or cubes. How you portion the fruit is entirely up to you, but try and cut it into roughly even pieces.Ā - Rinse
Place the cut fruit into a colander or sieve and run it under the cold tap for a few seconds. You will then need to pat the cubes dry with a paper towel.Ā - Flash Freeze
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and place the chunks of dragon fruit out on top, ensuring theyāre well spaced out and not touching one another. Then, add the tray to the freezer and leave it for a couple of hours.Ā - Bag Up
Once the dragon fruit pieces have frozen solid, remove the tray from the freezer and place the cubes in a freezer-safe bag. Before sealing the bag, push as much air as possible out.Ā - Label and Freeze
Write todayās date and the use-by date on the front of the bag, and place the dragon fruit in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze dragon fruit for around three months.
3 Tips for Freezing Dragon Fruit
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing dragon fruit to have the best results:
Expect Textural Changes
When you freeze dragon fruit, be mindful that its texture changes slightly during the freezing process. It will be slightly mushy after it has thawed, which means it wonāt be ideal for every dish.
Also, you might notice that the dragon fruit is not quite as sweet as it was when it was fresh.
Use in Smoothies
Frozen dragon fruit is perfect for use in smoothies or soft drinks and is a great addition thanks to its many health benefits and delicious taste. Using it this way also ensures that you donāt need to worry too much about its slight change in texture.
Check the Fruit Before Freezing It
Before freezing dragon fruit, check if the fruit or skin is dull or has any bruising. This indicates that the dragon fruit is bad and isnāt suitable for freezing. Of course, if you freeze dragon fruit that is already bad, it wonāt be good for use in the future!
How Long Can You Freeze Dragon Fruit?
You can freeze dragon fruit for around three months.
Some people freeze fruits for much longer than this, but weād advise you to use it up within this time frame. This is because the texture of dragon fruit changes slightly in the freezer, and the longer you leave it, the less usable it becomes.
If youāre worried about the taste or texture of dragon fruit changing at all, itās best not to freeze it in the first place.
You Can Freeze Dragon Fruit for up to 3 Months
How Do You Defrost Dragon Fruit?
The best way to defrost dragon fruit is to transfer it from the freezer to the fridge the night before you plan on using it, as this will give it sufficient time to thaw.
Itās best not to thaw dragon fruit at room temperature, but doing so wonāt cause you any harm.
Also, be mindful of the fact that if youāre planning to use dragon fruit in a smoothie, you donāt need to thaw it at all, and you can simply add it directly to the blender.Ā
Can You Refreeze Dragon Fruit?
No, you should not refreeze dragon fruit. This is because its texture changes during the freezing process, and it goes slightly mushy.
If you were to freeze it more than once, the dragon fruit wouldnāt taste great, and it would be almost unrecognisable. Therefore, to ensure the dragon fruit tastes delicious and is full of flavour, you should only freeze it once.
Does Dragon Fruit Freeze Well?
Dragon fruit freezes reasonably well, but it will change in texture slightly and soften once it has thawed.
Some people also notice that dragon fruit that has been frozen isnāt quite as sweet as it is when itās fresh, which is worth considering. Overall, you can freeze dragon fruit without any issues if you follow the steps listed above.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing dragon fruit or fruit in general, then these may help:
The best way to store dragon fruit comes down to how quickly you’ll use it. It will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or around 3 months in the freezer.
Yes, you can eat frozen dragon fruit but not whole or on its own. Instead, you’ll want to put the frozen fruit pieces into a blender and combine them with your favourite smoothie ingredients.
