Passion Fruit Vs Granadilla – What’s The Difference?
Passion fruit and granadilla may look similar but they are fundamentally different in small but notable ways.
Passion fruit vs. granadilla, what is the difference? Passion fruits and granadillas belong to the same family. Passion fruits are smaller and have a purple, yellow or green color while granadillas are larger with an orange color. Granadillas have transparent seeds and a sweeter flavor while passion fruit has darker seeds with a yellow pulp and a sweet and slightly tangy flavor.
Read below to learn more about the differences and similarities of both these exotic fruits and the best ways to eat them!
Passion Fruit
Passion fruit is known for its compact size and bright colors. They are native to South and Central America, Mexico, and Brazil – but can be found elsewhere in the world too.
These fruits come from the passionflower vines, hence their name. Passion fruits are best enjoyed by cutting them in half and consuming their seeds using a spoon, or even your finger!
Passion fruits have a slightly tart but sweet flavor that can be leveraged in several baking products. This fruit is also used in the making of various sherbets and beverages too!
Here are some of its characteristics:
Visual
Passion fruits look like eggs, except that they are harder and have a bright yellow or purple color.
These fruits have a very firm but smooth exterior skin that requires to be cut using a sharp knife. Generally speaking, passion fruits are rather smaller than other types of fruit in the same family (more on this below).
When cut, you will find dark-colored seeds with a gelatinous layer over them. This is the edible pulp of the fruit and the main reason why so many people enjoy eating passion fruit!
Texture And Flavor
Passion fruit pulp and seeds are fairly sweet with subtle tart notes. The yellow pulp on the seeds contains the majority of the flavor while the seeds themselves provide an earthy and nutty flavor along with a noticeable crunch.
The pulp has a gelatinous texture but is very soft. However, because it is fused with the seeds, it can be rather difficult to separate the two.
So, if you dislike eating seeds then you might not enjoy what passion fruit has to offer.
Uses
The great thing about this fruit is that it can be used in several ways. Whether it’s baked goods, salads, sauces, and even flavored yogurt, passion fruit can easily fit in with several sweet and even savory foods.
There are several different types of beverages that are made using the pulp of passion fruit too! From cocktails to sherbets, to carbonated drinks, juices, and more.
This is possible thanks to their sweet and approachable flavor which makes passion fruit one of the best fruits for a variety of uses.
Granadilla
Granadillas are the close cousins of passion fruits. They come from the same family but have a few differences.
This fruit is lesser-known but once you have it, you may prefer it over passion fruit! Granadillas look like oranges because of their bright yellow-orange color. They are larger and are generally very hard.
The fruit contains edible seeds that have a very sweet and slightly tart flavor.
The best thing about granadillas is that they are larger and that they have more edible parts than passion fruits. For example, the thin exterior skin protecting the seeds is also edible!
Here are a few detailed characteristics of this unique fruit:
Visual
Visually, granadillas are quite different from passion fruit. They are larger and can even be compared to the size of oranges.
At a glance, they might look very similar to oranges because of their color and stem.
The fruit is generally known to be very hard and is usually punctured by smashing it on a surface or rock (traditional method). However, it can also be pierced using a sharp knife too.
Once punctured, the fruit can be split using the fingers, which would reveal the transparent black seeds inside. The seeds of this fruit are notably larger and can have a white or transparent appearance.
The seeds are covered with a thin plant skin which is further protected by a very firm and hard shell-like exterior.
Texture And Flavor
Granadillas are known to be sweeter and have fewer flavor discrepancies than passion fruits.
While passion fruits tend to be a bit tarter and even sour (depending on the growth of the fruit) granadillas are usually constant in how they taste.
They have a very mild tarty flavor to them but you might easily miss it because of their delicious and majorly sweet flavor.
The outer skin of granadillas is also very hard and is generally firmer than passion fruits.
The seeds and the soft interior skin of the fruit are completely edible and many people tend to just suck out the pulp and swallow the seeds whole.
Uses
Granadillas can be used in the same way as passion fruits. They are almost the same if not for their sweeter flavor.
In many cases, granadillas may even be able to replace or substitute passion fruits in recipes.
While you can enjoy them in baked goods, beverages, salads, and sauces, perhaps the best way to eat this fruit is to just break it open and eat it out with a spoon!
Furthermore, granadillas are also used for medicinal purposes and are even said to be a great tonic for the heart.
This fruit is popular as a folk medicine that is believed to treat many different ailments of the body. However, there is not much scientific research to back its medicinal properties.
Passion Fruit Vs Granadillas
Passion fruits and granadillas are bound to share similarities since they come from the same passionflower family but they also have a few key differences as explained above.
Here is a summarized comparison of both fruits:
| Type of Fruit | Passion Fruit | Granadillas |
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Sweet with a subtle tart flavor. | Sweeter than passion fruits with a hint of tartness. |
| Color | Bright yellow, purple, or green. | Bright orange with shades of yellow. |
| Size | 2.5 to 3.5 inches. | 4 to 6 inches. |
| Shape | Egg-like shape. | Orange-like shape. |
| Exterior | Firm. Can be cut with a knife. | Very hard, usually pierced before splitting. |
| Uses | Cocktails, dessert beverages, baked goods, puddings, salads, savory food, and more. | Cocktails, dessert beverages, baked goods, puddings, salads, savory food, and more. |
| Nutrition | Cal: 17, Fiber: 1g, Carbs: 4g, Fat: 0.1g Protein 0.4g. | Cal: 19, Fiber: 1.2g, Carbs: 5g, Fat: 0.1g Protein 0.5g. |
Ripe Vs. Unripe
Most countries import unripe granadillas and passion fruits. These fruits can be smaller in size and will usually also be greener.
While you can still consume unripe granadillas and passion fruits, it is advised that you wait until they ripen for the right flavor.
Unripe granadillas and passion fruits are known to have a bitter and sour flavor and their seeds may also be mildly toxic! So, when shopping for these fruits outside of the countries they’re grown, please always check for ripeness.
Ripe granadillas are dark yellow or orangey while passion fruits will be purple or yellow. Furthermore, ripen varieties of both these fruits will also be heavier due to the extra moisture content inside of them.
To ripen them, keep them away from direct sunlight and moisture. Store the unripe fruits over the counter in a cool and dark place.
Turn them every few days to discourage the growth of mold and wait until the fruit have the right color and texture—which should take a few weeks.
Once ripe, eat them as soon as possible and avoid fruits that have gray, black, or other discolorations, as that might indicate that the fruit have gone bad!
Related Questions
There are clear differences and similarities between both these delicious fruits and while passion fruit may be the more popular of the two, granadillas are equally unique and delicious in every way.
Here are some related questions regarding both!
Are passion fruits and Granadillas considered the same?
Yes. It’s true that both of these fruits are usually referred to as passion fruit. Even though they have clear differences, they have enough similarities, especially in how they taste, to be termed as just one type of “passion fruit”.
Typically, one can only understand the differences between both these fruits when they are eaten side by side.
Furthermore, if you were to visit Peru, Ecuador, or other countries where this fruit is grown, then you would usually only see granadillas as the default “passion fruit”!
Are granadillas healthier than passion fruit?
Both fruits provide more or less the same nutritional value when eaten in equal serving sizes. Also, since both of these fruits are considered the same, they provide almost the same micronutrients and benefits too.
Is “sugar fruit” the same as passion fruit?
Sugar fruit is another name for granadillas. The term “sugar fruit” is often used in countries like New Zealand and Papua New Guinea and can also be sometimes used to denote regular passion fruit.
Needless to say, due to the fluid use of both the terms, it can be difficult to differentiate between both fruits. However, once you visually inspect them, the differences can become very clear.
Up Next: 7 Best Smoker Vacuums
