How to eat tamarillo
How to eat tamarillo, what it tastes like, and how to tell when it's ripe — a practical guide with Tamarillo's flavour, prep, and storage.
How do you eat tamarillo? Cut in half and spoon the flesh (skip the bitter skin), or peel and cook into chutney; brighten with a little sugar.
What does it taste like? Sharp and tangy with a savoury, tomato-meets-passionfruit edge; the flesh around the seeds is sweeter, the skin bitter (so it's peeled).
How to prepare & eat tamarillo
Cut in half and spoon the flesh (skip the bitter skin), or peel and cook into chutney; brighten with a little sugar.
Ways to eat & use it
- Halved and scooped raw with a little sugar, or blended into juice (a Colombian breakfast staple)
- Cooked into chutneys, relishes, and sauces for meat
- Skinned and simmered for jams and dessert compotes
- Sliced into savoury salads where its tang stands in for tomato
Pairs well with tomato, passion fruit, kiwi.
What does tamarillo taste like?
Sharp and tangy with a savoury, tomato-meets-passionfruit edge; the flesh around the seeds is sweeter, the skin bitter (so it's peeled). Red types are tarter, gold ones milder and sweeter.
Sensory & practical profile
Taste fingerprint
- Sweetness
- Tartness
- Aroma
- Juiciness
- Firmness
Approximate, at peak ripeness · 0–5
- Ripe when
- Deep, even colour and gives to a gentle squeeze like a ripe plum; the skin is taut and glossy.
- How to eat
- Cut in half and spoon the flesh (skip the bitter skin), or peel and cook into chutney; brighten with a little sugar.
- Typical price
- Everyday
New Zealand rebranded the "tree tomato" as the "tamarillo" in 1967 — an invented, more exotic name to lift sales.
When it's in season, by region
| Region | Peak months |
|---|---|
| Latin America | Year-round (Colombia/Ecuador highlands) |
| Oceania | May–Oct (New Zealand) |
How to tell when tamarillo is ripe
Deep, even colour and gives to a gentle squeeze like a ripe plum; the skin is taut and glossy.
How to store tamarillo
Ripen at room temperature until it gives to a gentle squeeze, then refrigerate for up to a week. The pulp freezes and cooks well.
Tamarillo: frequently asked questions
What does tamarillo taste like?
Sharp and tangy with a savoury, tomato-meets-passionfruit edge; the flesh around the seeds is sweeter, the skin bitter (so it's peeled). Red types are tarter, gold ones milder and sweeter.
When is tamarillo in season?
Tamarillo is typically in season Latin America (Year-round (Colombia/Ecuador highlands)); Oceania (May–Oct (New Zealand)). Peak months shift between the northern and southern hemispheres.
How do you eat tamarillo?
Cut in half and spoon the flesh (skip the bitter skin), or peel and cook into chutney; brighten with a little sugar.
How do you know when tamarillo is ripe?
Deep, even colour and gives to a gentle squeeze like a ripe plum; the skin is taut and glossy.
Is tamarillo good for you?
Tamarillo is a nutritious everyday fruit, best enjoyed as part of a varied diet. It is a good source of fibre (about 3.3 g per 100 g), which supports digestion and satiety. It is a good source of vitamin C (about 30 mg per 100 g), supporting immune function and helping the body absorb iron from plant foods. It supplies useful potassium (about 320 mg per 100 g), a mineral linked with healthy blood pressure as part of a balanced diet.
How much tamarillo should you eat?
A typical fruit serving is roughly a handful, one medium fruit, or about 80 g, and two or more varied fruit servings a day is a sensible everyday pattern.