Kiwi
Kiwi (kiwifruit) is a small, fuzzy-skinned fruit with bright green or golden flesh, vividly tart-sweet flavor, and tiny edible black seeds, eaten fresh, blended into drinks, or used as a garnish and tenderizing marinade ingredient.
How to buy
Choose kiwi that yields slightly to gentle pressure, similar to a ripe peach; rock-hard fruit will ripen further at home but underripe kiwi can taste sharply tart and astringent. The fuzzy brown skin should be free of major bruises, soft wet spots, or shriveling. Golden kiwi varieties are sweeter and less tart than the common green-fleshed type.
How to store
Firm kiwi ripens at room temperature over several days; placing it near apples or bananas speeds ripening through the ethylene they release. Once ripe, refrigerate and use within about a week. Peeled, sliced kiwi doesn't hold up well for long storage and is best eaten within a day, as it continues to soften and release juice.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Bright, tangy-sweet with a tropical, slightly grassy edge; green kiwi is more tart while golden kiwi is milder and sweeter with tropical notes closer to mango or pineapple. Riper fruit is noticeably sweeter and less acidic than firm, underripe kiwi.
- Texture
- Soft, juicy flesh studded with tiny crunchy seeds, encased in a fuzzy skin that's edible but usually peeled. Kiwi contains an enzyme, actinidin, that breaks down proteins -- which is why it's used as a natural meat tenderizer and why it can make dairy taste bitter or curdle if mixed in too far ahead of serving.
- Aroma
- A light, tropical-sweet fragrance with a faintly grassy or herbal undertone, more pronounced in fully ripe fruit.
How to prepare
- Peeled and sliced — Cut into rounds or wedges for fruit salads, parfaits, and dessert garnishes.
- Halved and scooped — Cut in half and eaten straight from the skin with a spoon.
- Blended — Puréed into smoothies, juices, or sorbet bases for a tart, bright flavor.
- Used as a meat tenderizer — Mashed and added to marinades briefly, where its enzyme actinidin breaks down tough muscle fibers.
- Made into salsa — Diced and mixed with chile, lime, and herbs as a bright topping for grilled fish or meat.
Classic dishes
American
- Kiwi smoothie — Blended kiwi, often with banana or yogurt, into a tart-sweet breakfast drink.
- Kiwi cheesecake — A creamy baked or no-bake cheesecake topped with glossy sliced kiwi.
- Kiwi green smoothie bowl — Blended kiwi and other fruit served thick in a bowl and topped with granola.
Italian
- Kiwi and prosciutto skewers — Sliced kiwi paired with salty prosciutto on skewers for a sweet-savory appetizer.
Mexican
- Kiwi salsa — Diced kiwi mixed with chile, lime, and cilantro as a bright, tangy topping for grilled fish.
- Kiwi with chile and lime — Sliced kiwi dusted with chile-lime salt as a popular sweet-spicy street snack.
French
- Kiwi fruit tart — Sliced kiwi arranged over pastry cream in a glazed fruit tart.
- Kiwi sorbet — A simple frozen dessert highlighting the fruit's bright, tangy flavor.
- Kiwi jam — Kiwi cooked down with sugar and lemon juice into a bright green preserve.
Korean
- Kiwi in bulgogi marinade — Mashed kiwi added to beef marinade, where its enzymes tenderize the meat before grilling.
- Kiwi pepper-marinated pork — Pork marinated with puréed kiwi and gochujang, using the fruit's enzymes to soften the meat before grilling.
Caribbean
- Tropical fruit salad with kiwi — Kiwi sliced into mixed tropical fruit salads alongside mango and pineapple.
- Kiwi caipirinha-style cocktail — Muddled kiwi used in place of or alongside lime in fruit-forward rum or cachaça cocktails.
Filipino
- Kiwi in fruit salad (buah rojak-style) — Sliced kiwi featured alongside other fresh fruit in mixed fruit cup preparations popular across Southeast Asia.
British & Irish
- Pavlova with kiwi — A meringue dessert topped with whipped cream and sliced kiwi, a classic New Zealand and Australian presentation.