Papaya is an exotic fruit with a unique taste and texture. And because it’s not as popular as many of the other fruits you can find in abundance in the supermarket, many people wonder what the best way to preserve it is.
With this in mind, can you freeze papaya?
Papaya can be frozen for up to 3 months. You will need to slice and portion your papaya before bagging it up and placing it in the freezer. You will need to make sure it’s tightly packed to protect it from freezer burn.
Do Does Papaya freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Papaya? No
How to Freeze Papaya
When you’re looking to freeze fresh papaya, you will need to prepare it before doing so.
But the good news is that there’s nothing overly complicated about the freezing process, and you shouldn’t experience any issues when you’re freezing papaya, providing you follow the steps introduced below.
- Prepare
Take your fresh papaya and slice it in half. Then, remove the seeds and strings from the centre of the fruit before cutting them into smaller cubes. It’s totally up to you how big you make the cubes and largely depends on how you plan to use them. - Flash freeze
Place some baking parchment on a tray and place each of your papaya cubes on top. Spread them out as much as you can to ensure they’re not touching or overlapping, and place the tray in the freezer.
You will need to leave the tray of papaya in the freezer for several hours until the fruit has frozen solid. - Bag up
When your papaya cubes are frozen, remove them from the tray and place them in a freezer-safe bag. Press as much air as you can out of the bag and seal. - Label and freeze
Write the use-by date on the front of the freezer-safe bag and place it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze papaya for around three months without any issue.
3 Tips for Freezing Papaya
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing papaya to have the best results:
Always Flash Freeze
Because papaya is soft, you will need to flash freeze it before you bag it up. If you skip this step, you will find that your papaya sticks together during the freezing process, which will make things difficult when you come to thaw it.
Freeze With Other Fruit
If you’re planning to freeze your papaya for use in a smoothie, you can portion it up and freeze it in the same bag as other fruits, such as guava. The benefit of doing this is that you don’t need to defrost the bag of fruit before adding it to your smoothie mixture, which saves you time and effort first thing in the morning.
Only Freeze Ripe Papaya
When you’re looking for the ideal papaya to freeze, pick one that is ripe and ready to eat. You should also look to freeze your papaya as soon as you can, as it won’t remain fresh for very long when you store it at room temperature.
How Long Can You Freeze Papaya?
You can freeze papaya for around three months. If you keep fruit in the freezer for any longer than this, you will find that it loses some of its flavours due to the ice crystals that form during the freezing process.
Another important thing to bear in mind is that your papaya should be super fresh when you come to freeze it. If you freeze papaya that has been sitting out for several days, it won’t do as well in the freezer as one that is firm and fresh.
You Can Freeze Papaya for up to 3 Months
How Do You Defrost Papaya?
If you’re planning to use your frozen papaya in a fruit smoothie, you don’t need to defrost it.
However, if you want to eat it as a fruit or use it in a delicious dessert, the best way to thaw papaya is to transfer it from the freezer to the fridge. It will take several hours for your papaya to thaw, so bear this in mind if you need it for a particular recipe.
Can You Refreeze Papaya?
While there’s nothing dangerous about refreezing papaya that has been thawed in the fridge, it’s best from a flavour and taste perspective to only freeze it once. This ensures your papaya is flavoursome when you come to enjoy it and hasn’t been affected by the freezing process.
If you decide to freeze papaya more than once, it’s best to use it as part of a recipe where its taste and texture isn’t as important as it is when you enjoy it as fruit on its own.
Does Papaya Freeze Well?
Papaya, like many other fruits, freezes really well. Make sure you select a ripe and fresh papaya to freeze and slice it up, so it’s ready to use once it has been defrosted.
Providing you follow the steps listed above, you can freeze papaya for up to three months without issue.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing papaya or papaya in general, then these may help:
Thank you.
Happy to have helped!