Sweet and a little sour, passion fruit is rising in popularity worldwide for its distinctive flavor. In fact, the global market for the juicy fruit, which originally hails from Brazil, is set to hit more than $774 million by the end of 2033, according to Persistence Market Research.
The firm notes that one of the most popular ways to consume passion fruit is in drink form (in smoothies and martinis, for example), but passion fruit dessert recipes are rising in popularity, too. If you’re looking for the best passion fruit sweet treats, you’ve come to the right place—find some of our go-to recipes below.
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Does passion fruit have any health benefits?
Passion fruit isn’t just popular because of its flavor—it’s also packed with nutritional benefits. It contains vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, potassium, and fiber, for example. It’s also a good source of protein. Per Women’s Health, it contains around five grams of protein per cup, which, for the record, is just one gram less than an egg.
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Passion fruit is also rich in antioxidants like polyphenols and beta-carotene. These potent plant compounds help protect the body’s cells from harmful free radical damage, which, over time, can increase the risk of disease. On top of this, they also help reduce chronic inflammation.
“It’s a very nutrient-dense fruit with a lot of different health benefits,” Jessica Cording, MS, RD told Women’s Health. “It has a lot to offer.”
7 vegan recipes with passion fruit
Passion fruit can be enjoyed in many ways. It’s delicious as-is, of course, but it’s also the perfect dessert ingredient, thanks to its naturally sweet and tart flavor and juicy texture. From tarts to cakes to mousses, here are some of our favorite ways to indulge in this citrusy, tropical fruit.
Lauren Toyota
1 Vegan Passion Fruit Coconut Tart
Coconut and passion fruit are a flavor match in heaven, as this delicious tart from the Hot for Food All Day cookbook demonstrates beautifully. Serve chilled with coconut whipped topping (store-bought is fine!) and some refreshing mint leaves. Divine.
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Christina Leopold
2 Vegan White Chocolate and Passion Fruit Cheesecake
This creamy, decadent no-bake cheesecake from the No-Bake Vegan Desserts cookbook is the perfect crowd-pleasing dessert to whip up the next time you’re looking to impress your loved ones. It’s incredibly rich and flavorful, thanks to the combination of ingredients like cacao butter, maple syrup, passion fruit, and Medjool dates.
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Rainbow Nourishments
3 Easy Vegan Passionfruit Cake
If you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert option that doesn’t sacrifice flavor, this vegan passion fruit cake from Rainbow Nourishments is the perfect fit. It’s light, fluffy, simple to whip up, and can be ready to bake in just 10 minutes. It tastes like a “tropical holiday,” notes the blog.
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School Night Vegan
4 Chocolate and Passionfruit Bars
These indulgent bars are not just 100 percent plant-based, but they’re gluten-free, too, making them the perfect sweet treat to make next time you’re catering to a range of dietary needs. They’re also delectable, of course. “Honestly couldn’t be easier for a gorgeous, impressively layered dessert,” says Richard Makin of School Night Vegan. “Ideal for all your vegan and [gluten-free] friends! Wooh! Nobody’s left out!”
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Addicted to Dates
5 Vegan Passion Fruit Panna Cotta
Italian favorite panna cotta is traditionally made with dairy and gelatin, but you can get all the same delicious texture and flavor with plant-based ingredients, as this recipe proves. It combines plant-based milk, agar agar, and passion fruit pulp to create a perfect light and refreshing vegan version of the popular sweet treat.
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The Frizzled Leek
6 Vegan Passion Fruit Ice Cream
Sometimes, only ice cream will do. While there are plenty of vegan options on the shelves these days, it’s also easy (and healthier) to make your own from scratch. This tasty recipe from The Frizzled Leek will walk you through how to make a tropical ice cream at home with only five ingredients. “You will feel like you are on a tropical island while you enjoy this ice cream flavor,” notes the blog.
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Nourishing Amy
7 Lemon Passion Fruit Banana Bread
In this recipe from Nourishing Amy, passion fruit brings the perfect sweetness and texture to banana bread. Featuring a zesty lemon curd topping, the gluten-free dessert is bursting with delicious tropical flavor. “All so fresh and zingy but not bitter at all,” notes the recipe developer. “Paired with tropical passionfruit, it’s like a little summer holiday for your taste buds.”
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
