Ah, summertime. The perfect season to forgo bowls and use fruit instead. Let’s do this!
Have you ever tried a papaya?
My first time was when we vacationed in Bali and it seemed to be the star of most fruit platters. The flavor was a little unique at first and I couldn’t decide if I loved it or hated it. I’m kind of a watermelon and cantaloupe kind of girl, but I must admit this juicy, tropical fruit is growing on me.
Not only is papaya sweet, juicy and tender, it’s also super healthy! Serious bonus.
Papaya is packed with Vitamins A, C, and K, and it also boasts plenty of fiber, potassium, and folate. If the health perks still don’t win you over, try cantaloupe instead! It works beautifully in this recipe as well.
This recipe may be my simplest yet! I don’t know where the concept originates from, but it’s essentially a fruit bowl of goodness.
Simply halve your papaya or cantaloupe, scoop out the seeds, and top with whatever you can round up!
Banana ice cream
Coconut yogurt
Kiwi
Cherries
Blueberries
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Slivered almonds
These are so versatile you can easily adjust your fixings to suit your tastes.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know by leaving a comment and rating it! And be sure to show us by taking a picture and tagging it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers!
Tropical Papaya Boats
Ingredients
- 1 ripe papaya or cantaloupe (halved, seeds removed)
- 1 cup banana ice cream or flavored dairy-free yogurt (I love blueberry coconut yogurt from Trader Joe’s)
- 1 medium kiwi (skin removed and chopped)
- 1/2 cup cherries (pitted and halved)
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- 2-3 Tbsp slivered almonds
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 Tbsp hemp seeds
- Granola (see all of my granola recipes)
Instructions
- To make banana ice cream (instead of using dairy-free yogurt), add 2 (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) ripe, previously sliced and frozen bananas to a blender or food processor and blend on low until a creamy ice cream consistency is reached. Scrape down sides as needed, and add a splash of almond milk if it has trouble blending.
- To assemble papaya (or cantaloupe) boats, simply fill the hollow centers with desired amounts of banana ice cream or coconut yogurt, fruit, nuts, and seeds!
- Enjoy immediately – best when fresh.
Ella says
So excited to make this! This would work with banana / passion fruit or blueberry/ cherry SOY yoghurt? Thank you in advance
We think either of those would be lovely!
Karen M. Chapman says
These were amazing and so flavorful!
Yay! Glad to hear it, Karen!
Nathalia says
Hi! I was looking for some cool papaya pictures to use in a project and saw this (Like wow, amazing) picture and wondered who the author was, or if it had copyrights. I guess you took it, so is it free to use o do you manage any type of permission?
Melissa @ HLB Specialties says
Oh wow! Love love love the papaya boat images! And the yoghurt looks so creamy, beautiful! We tried something similar with our Organic Papayas and I have to admit, yours looks better. :)
suitgirl says
excelent recipe i love it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lane | Modern Granola says
This looks amazing! So refreshing! I first tried papaya on a cruise, and it was amaaazing! But I’ve tried it since, and I think the fruit had gone bad, because it was disgusting. How do you tell it a papaya is ready to eat?
xx Lane
This video is a great help!
Lian says
I hope to find fresh tropical papayas nearby because I can’t wait to enjoy these colorful refreshing treat. Can’t wait to have it! Thanks for sharing!
Nelly Arboleda says
I grew-up having only cut-up papaya for break-fast every day as I dislike coffee or bread.. South-american papayas are huge, maybe 25cm. long, enough to fill-up 4 people for breakfast.
In some hot countries like Venezuela and Colombia, we must have fruit juice with our lunch. The juice is done like a kind of smoothy, by putting fresh cut-up fruit and milk in the blender, shake it, add some ice and keep shaking until is very smooth and very chilled. Papaya juice is very favorite and com
mun. Papaya grows in hot weather. Depends where it comes from, is the color inside which varies from peal yellow to the very sweet very redish-yellow from the Caribean . In Canada we get papayas from Mexico ,the Caribean and from Hawaii. The papayas from Hawaii are very small, come green and you have to put it to ripen in a warm spot.Papayas are very delicate, with a very fine and thin skin.
This delicios fruit is very rich in fiber good for the digestion and help with constipation.
Sarah | Well and Full says
I love how they’re called “boats”! It makes me think of summer and tropical islands :)
termet says
This is so beautiful, must be delicious :)
Millie | Add A Little says
Love this idea! Looks so delicious!
Laura Olinger says
I like my papaya the way it’s served in Honduras (and other countries, I believe) with a spritz of lime juice. Adding other toppings can only take it to the next level.
Amanda @ Sweets and Greens says
Oh, yum. What a great way to serve fruit. So simple, yet ingenious!
Jane says
I LOVE papaya! My go-to breakfast, snack, dessert is chopped up ripe papaya, pineapple and mango sprinkled with a heavy dose of coconut flakes. Not the small ones but the shaving-like coconut. To make it more of a dessert I add a whipped topping. My husband grunts and groans (in a good way!) when he eats this. I never seen him inhale fruit like that before!
The next time I will just chop up pineapple and mango and put that in the papaya boat!
Thanks Dana! I enjoy getting emails from you.
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme) says
These are gorgeous and so fun!
Tonya says
I love papaya! I could sail away with these!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
This is taking advantage of all the Summer goodness here- Yum! I’m not a huge fan of papaya on it’s own but pimped up- I’m a fan!
Vegan Donkey says
This is so creative! I hope to make this, or some derivative, later this week — figs are in season where I am now and I bet they would be delicious with papaya or another fruit!
Tori@Gringalicious.com says
What a fresh and fun idea for summer! Love it!
Farha - faskitchen says
amazing colors. looks like a perfect to set sail to. it looks like a perfect recipe
Medeja says
Such a beautiful idea! Nice summer dessert!
Healing Tomato says
I love Papaya so much and this will be one of my new favorite ways to eat it.
Cassie says
Geeeeeee, I’m in the works of making a papaya boat recipe YouTube video! :D lol JK you didn’t really steal my idea–but I think you’ve done a better job than me! :)
Michele @ Two Raspberries says
such a great idea! I love FUN food! ;-) so summer-y I love it! and I love all the toppings for extra flavor and texture!!!!
Kelly says
Those look like the perfect summer treat! Papaya brings back great memories of vacationing in Hawaii!
XO, Kelly
Susanne says
Hi! I have followed your blog for ages and never even posted a comment.. I call it internet shyness.. But here goes: Love the posts, pictures, recipes and all! Beautiful work! Greetings from the Netherlands, Susanne
Abby says
Oh my goodness, Dana, these papaya boats look delicious! I want one nowwww. <3
Fran says
Hi there,
I like the new colors and finally the search box it’s easy ti find!!!
You are inspirational ! can I say ” inspirational”, I mean does it actually mean what I want to say? Never mind, it’s a compliment !
Beautiful recipe as usual, but I have a question for you.
I have a Canon 650D at the moment but soon (hopefully!) I will move to a canon full- frame DSRL, yuhhhuuu! I am tempted to buy a wide angle but not really sure which one is best for food photography.
I was thinking about the Canon ef 28mm f 1.8 usm or the 35mm, but I’m not quite sure which one is easier to use and which one is best for food photography. I have a 50mm 1.4 and a macro 60mm 2.8 at the moment and I need a good lens to shoot from above!
Thanks for your help!
I love your blog, your food photography school, your pics.. Thanks for everything you do to help peopole like me that just started !
Fran
christina @ but i'm hungry says
Love this idea, and love papaya! Who needs banana splits when you could have something this beautiful and delicious-looking?!
Annaliese says
I was JUST looking at papaya today…shoulda grabbed a few! Next time…!! I also love cantaloupe/musk melon (but still don’t know the difference to this day…ha!), but always have room in my heart for more fruit!! Great summertime idea :)
Kalee@ The Crowded Table says
What a beautiful recipe! Looking at your pics makes me want to go on vacation somewhere tropical! :)
Eve @ Baking the Day says
I have never tried fresh papaya – only in bought smoothies, but I am sure I will love the flavour. This is such a clever idea for summer, especially with the cooling banana ice-cream.
Leah M @ love me, feed me says
The first time I tried papaya I hated it and I kept accidentally eating it thinking it was mango and I hated it more and more each time, but it’s grown on me. And this makes me want to get one so bad!
Love your little changes on here! It looks so good! Simple and fresh!
Sam @ Pancakewarriors says
this sounds so interesting. I haven’t had papaya before but that’s on my list of summer fruits to try! Love how beautful these are
Anna says
omg this is soo on trend right now!! loove it :D can’t wait to make my own creations
Rachel says
I love how bright and cheery these boats are! They look refreshing and perfect for summer!
Evans says
It looks delicious!!!!!!!!!!!
Alexa [fooduzzi.com] says
I’ve never had fresh papaya, but this looks too delicious NOT to try it! I love stuffing cantaloupe with yogurt/granola, so I’m betting that I’ll love the papaya version just the same!
P.S. I’m loving the site beautification!