Two tall glasses filled with homemade bright orange papaya slushy.

Papaya Slushy

There’s nothing better than beating the summer heat with a sip of something cool and sweet. Find the ripest and sweetest papayas you can and you’ll be transported in no time with this homemade Papaya Slushy recipe.

Two tall glasses filled with homemade bright orange papaya slushy.
Papaya Slushy

This homemade Papaya Slushy is made with plenty of fresh papaya, agave nectar (or a homemade simple syrup), and crushed ice. It’s an easy recipe that is perfect for enjoying during the heat of summer!

Two tall glasses filled with homemade bright orange papaya slushy.

Vacation Dreams

With summer beckoning its hot, lazy days so temptingly ahead, my mind is lured into a state of vacation. I close my eyes and am transported to a place of aloha, where time is just a suggestion. Wake when you want to wake. Play when you want to play. Eat when you want to eat.

A fresh papaya sliced open to reveal the orange fruit and dark seeds.

My First Papaya Encounter

I dream of paradise, of mangoes and pineapples, and most especially, of papaya. Funny enough, when I first encountered papayas, I was a little girl, about my son’s age, vacationing in the Philippines.

I scrunched up my face as my mother sat across from me; I watched with a critical eye as her spoon scooped glossy egg-like seeds from the vibrant fruit. With each spoonful, she was in bliss – her transplanted tongue had not had such sweet papaya in years. As I watched her, I turned away in disgust – I was convinced that it smelled quite putrid.

A bowl of fresh papayas.

Papaya Slushy

Show me a bowl of ripe papayas today, however, and my heart will swoon. My tastebuds have been convinced. To me, there is nothing better than to eat a papaya simply, as my mother had. But perhaps a sip of a cool Papaya Slushy will force me to slow down even more. Each sweet sip transports me to paradise, even if my feet are firmly planted on my kitchen floor.

Two refreshing fruit drinks.

This easy recipe requires 3-4 medium-ripe papayas with the seeds removed. The slushy is sweetened with agave nectar (or a homemade simple syrup) and blended with crushed ice.

More Easy Summer Treats

Carrot Mango and Kiwi Smoothie
Pomegranate Berry Smoothie
Green Smoothie Popsicles
20 Simple Smoothie Recipes
Piña Colada Green Smoothie

Papaya Slushy

There’s nothing better than beating the summer (ideally island) heat with a sip of something cool and sweet. Find the ripest and sweetest papayas you can and you’ll be transported in no time with this homemade Papaya Slushy recipe.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Filipino
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 173kcal

Ingredients

Papaya Slushy

  • 3-4 medium ripe papayas seeds removed (It should yield about 3-4 cups of fruit from the rind)
  • 1/4 cup agave nectar OR simple syrup (see following recipe) to taste
  • squeeze of fresh lime juice optional
  • 4 cups crushed ice

Simple Syrup Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar

Instructions

Papaya Slushy

  • Spoon the fruit from the papayas into a blender and puree until smooth. Sweeten to taste (using agave or cooled simple syrup below) and add squeeze of lime, if desired. Add ice and blend until slushy. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Simple Syrup

  • Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sugar dissolves, about 3-4 minutes. Cool completely and refrigerate leftovers. Makes one cup. Use to sweeten the slushy recipe above or use agave nectar instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 2888IU | Vitamin C: 187mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see! Tag @kitchconfidante on Instagram and hashtag it #kitchenconfidante

Comments

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. myfudo

    Honestly, I don’t eat papaya. I am a little uncomfortable with the texture…Recently, however I had to search for papaya treats because my sister is having bowel problems and her doctor recommended papaya purees and smoothies. This looks really perfect for her. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Rikki

    OH this looks so delicious! I love papayas, and this slushy must be the perfect bit of refreshment. It’s so vibrant and colorful too, I just love it!

    Reply
  3. Patty

    We rented a house in Hawaii years ago with a papaya tree in the backyard. Every morning we would go out and pick a papaya to split for breakfast, sure wish I had your recipe for the slushy at that time;-)

    Reply
  4. ATasteOfMadness

    What a delicious drink! Perfect for summer! I have a love for papayas, mangoes..all the colorful fruits. I’m dreaming of vacations and lazy summer days too. When it gets warmer here, I’ll be sure to buy some papayas :)

    Reply
  5. Jean

    I love papayas! I’m having a “duh” moment right now because I’ve enjoyed a similar drink with cantaloupe but never with papaya. I can almost taste this gorgeous slushy. Bliss indeed.

    Reply
  6. Jen Laceda @ Tartine and Apron Strings

    Oh Liren, unlike you, I am still stuck in that “i-hate-papaya” stage. My grandma had a papaya tree in her garden before, but I never touched that stuff. I can literally count with both hands how many times I’ve tried papaya in my life. Your slushy looks really good, though. It looks kinda like a mango shake (which I love)! Time to let go of the chains of the proverbial papaya prejudice! Hahahaha…Kidding aside, your slushy looks sooooooo refreshing!

    Reply
  7. Nami | Just One Cookbook

    I’m so thirsty looking at your delicious papaya drink! Liren, do you think this recipe works for other fruits too? Maybe we can adjust the amount of syrup depending on fruit? My kids are not into papaya but they would love slushy!

    Reply
  8. Suzanne

    Beautiful slushy that I really want to sip on right now. You had me transported back to Hawaii just thinking about them. The first time I stayed in Maui we stayed in a complex of condos that had papayas trees in the courtyard and mangoes too it was a just so tropical and lush. Don’t even talk about how good the pineapple is either nothing like here in the states.

    Reply
  9. Sandra's Easy Cooking

    Your Papaya Slushy sound so refreshing and I love the idea of a lime kick in the there.
    I wish I can just take this off the screen right now..Beautiful pics!!!!!

    Reply
  10. Rowena @ Apron and Sneakers

    Funny, I never liked the smell of papayas. I still don’t. I like the taste though. Especially the small ones that they say are Hawaiian papayas because they are so sweet. I try to shut my nose when I eat them. It reminds me of my daughter who has an extra sensitive nose and doesn’t like anything that smells strange. One hand pinches her nose and her other hand is used to put the food in her mouth.

    Reply
  11. Cate

    Papaya was never my favorite…but since there’s always so many local-grown papaya available, I’ve learned to jazz it up. Now I love it puréed with some lime juice, ginger and sparkling water. Super good!

    Glad you had fun out here :)

    Reply
  12. Vicki Bensinger

    I love papaya’s, mangoes, and pineapple as well. Your papaya slushy sounds divine. I usually make something with mangoes but your papaya’s sound perfect and looks refreshing. Great idea using simple syrup or agave nectar. Did you try it with the agave nectar or the simple syrup? The reason I ask is typically agave nectar is very sweet and oftentimes I find I cut the amount by 1/2 of what I’d use if adding sugar.

    Great drink and so healthy too!

    Reply
    • liren

      So true, agave can be rather sweet. I made it with the agave, but definitely try it out with less, you can always add a little more!

      Reply
  13. thyme (sarah)

    That drink looks fabulous. We have lots of papayas here since we are just north of Mexico. I haven’t had them in a drink like this and it looks perfect for our hot and humid summer weather.

    Reply
    • liren

      Oh, the thought crossed my mind, but when I made it it was rather early in the morning, so I had to behave. But for later in the day, absolutely!!

      Reply
  14. Platanos, Mangoes and Me!

    My mother would make papaya chunks in syrup skin attached. Oh I love that with “queso blanco” – white cheese and also milk shake with papaya….

    Yours looks very refreshing.

    Reply
  15. Holly

    I look forward to these posts every Sunday. :) This looks delightful, I’ve always wanted to buy papaya at the market, but I don’t know how to choose a ripe one. Do you tell if they are ripe like you would a mango?

    Reply
    • liren

      Aw, that is so nice, Holly! Thank you for making *my* Sunday!

      When I look for papayas, I look for ones that are nearly all yellow (or no longer green), and like a mango, it is a little soft to the touch. The outside of a papaya is not exactly the most photogenic when it is ripe, as it can get that mottled look, but inside will be lovely! Hope that helps :)

      Reply
  16. Cookin' Canuck

    Papayas have been one of my favorite fruits since I was a kid, and I’ve always enjoyed it with a little squeeze of lime. These slushies would be the perfect thing to ward off the blazing heat we are experiencing. So refreshing!

    Reply
    • liren

      I really love that you enjoyed papayas at a young age, because I distinctly remember thinking they smelled awful! It took me a while to really appreciate them :) And yes, this heat! You’d think it was already July! Stay cool out there :)

      Reply
Kitchen Confidante®
1.5k