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Discovering Sweet Granadilla in Ecuador (Passiflora ligularis)

We’ve tried many new fruits over the past 5 years, and the sweet granadilla is one of our favorites. ou may also enjoy reading about dragon fruit and guaba (the ice cream bean) fruit.

Granadilla-fruit-Ecuador
It’s really fun to try new foods, especially fruit you’ve never seen or heard of before.

You don’t know what it’s going to look like on the inside.

Will it taste sweet, bitter, or sour? Will it have lots of seeds, will it be really fleshy, or juicy?

It’s cool to hold a new fruit in your hands and open it up for the first time!

Passiflora ligularis is commonly known as granadilla in Ecuador.

  • Granadilla in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru
  • Granadilla común in Guatemala
  • Granadilla de China or parchita amarilla in Venezuela
  • Granaditta in Jamaica
  • Maracujá doce or “sweet passionfruit” in Brazil
  • Sugar fruit in Papua New Guinea

Discovering Sweet Granadilla in Ecuador

We had no idea what was waiting for us inside the granadilla.

The granadilla feels light in your hands and on the outside it’s orange. It’s also hard and really smooth.

As you cut into it, it kind of cracks a bit, almost like a shell. Drew likes to give hers a smack against the edge of the countertop to get it open!

Granadilla-fruit-seeds-Ecuador
The first time we opened one up we were surprised. Inside it looks a lot like frog eggs! So now we call it “the frog egg fruit.” That is just a family nickname for granadilla, so don’t ask anyone for the frog egg fruit when you are at the market. 🙂

Granadilla-fruit-inside-with-seeds-Ecuador
The edible part is the seeds and jelly. Each seed is surrounded by a pocket of sweet jelly. The little mass of jelly and seeds sticks together in a clump.

The seeds are very light and crunchy, not bitter, they don’t take away from the flavor of sweet jelly.

Granadilla-fruit-Ecuador
Spoonful-of-granadilla-fruit-seeds-Ecuador
We like to cut the fruit in half (using each side as its own little bowl) and scoop out the “frog eggs” with a little spoon. It tastes sweet and refreshing.

Have you tried granadilla? Please share what you think in the comments on this post.

Nicole & Ian Moore

Tuesday 30th of August 2022

A friend gave us a seedling a few years ago - now we have a lovely vine - we have harvested quite a number of fruit: we have had to erect a net beneath to catch the fruit as they crack easily when they drop. We love the refreshing taste of the fruit./ So pleased we have now identified the Passiflora ligularis - Ecuador Passionfruit. Thank you for this very informative blog.

Bryan Haines

Friday 2nd of September 2022

Sounds amazing - we would love to have one growing on our property. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Ron

Sunday 23rd of January 2022

Question is.....where can I buy it in the U.S.?

Luisa

Friday 26th of September 2014

My husband, who is Ecuadorian, and I (an American expat) use maracuya, badea and maracuya for juice: scooping the seeds and jelly into a blender, adding water and sugar, blending on low to extract the flavors, and then straining out the seeds.

CIndy

Tuesday 23rd of September 2014

I tried the granadilla on a recent trip to Colombia - I found it at the breakfast buffet at my hotel, then I surreptitiously watched other diners to get an idea of how to go about eating it! I have to admit - I wasn't enamored with the crunchy texture of the seeds. But I'm willing to give it another go. I'll be living in Cuenca for 6 months next year and am looking forward to sampling as many crazy fruits as I can - I've added guaba to the list!

Reza

Saturday 20th of September 2014

Is like a Asetra persian caviar