11 Exotic Costa Rica Fruits You’ve Got to Try

Costa Rica has an incredible variety of tropical fruits, many of which you won’t find at your local grocery store back home. Some taste like candy, some look like aliens, one needs to be boiled before you can eat it, and another one tastes like ice cream. It’s such a fun cultural food experience to try these when you visit.

One of my favorite things to do whenever we have visitors come to stay with us is to take them to the nearest farmers’ market and hand them a crazy tropical fruit they’ve never seen before.

We’ve been living here since 2016 and we still occasionally stumble across something new at the market. Here’s a roundup of the Costa Rica fruits worth seeking out on your trip, including what they taste like and how to actually eat them.

1. Maracuya (Passion Fruit)

What it Tastes Like

On its own, maracuya is intensely sour. Add a bit of sugar and it transforms into something bright, punchy, and addictive.

How to Eat It

We almost always have a pitcher of passion fruit juice in our fridge. To make it: scrape the insides into a blender, blend until smooth, then strain out the seeds. Add sugar and water to taste. Simple and absolutely delicious.

I have also heard of people putting passion fruit seeds in salads to add a fruity taste with a bit of crunch.

Pro tip: Passion fruit makes a killer margarita base. Just saying.

2. Cas (Sour Guava)

What it Tastes Like

Tart and sour. It is very much a pucker-up fruit. Not something you’d bite into raw for fun, but absolutely perfect in juice form.

How to Eat It

Cas juice (jugo de cas) is one of the most common drinks you’ll find at Costa Rican sodas (local restaurants) and restaurants. It’s made the same way as maracuya. Blend, strain, add sugar and water.

I’ve also heard of people eating it raw with salt, though I haven’t tried that myself yet.

3. Granadilla

What it Tastes Like

Sweet with a slightly bitter note if you chew the seeds. It’s one of the more unusual food experiences you’ll have in Costa Rica.

How to Eat it

This is hands-down the most fun fruit to watch someone try for the first time. Peel back the hard shell to reveal what honestly looks like a sack of brains (I warned you). Bite in, suck out the juice and pulp, and spit or swallow the seeds whole. Don’t chew them, they’re bitter.

Weird? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely!

If you try this, definitely report back! It’s a tasty fruit, just really weird to eat at first. 🙂

4. Pejibaye

Pejibaye is a red or orange fruit grown in clusters on a really tall palm tree. 

The harvesting process is interesting and a bit terrifying to watch. 

Basically, a really long pole with a large blade on the end is used to cut off the clusters. You, of course, have to be extremely careful because large clusters of fruit are falling directly at you from high above.

What it Tastes Like

Think yucca crossed with a firm sweet potato. Dense, savory-leaning, and starchy.

How to Eat it

It almost always comes pre-boiled in a light brine when you buy it at the market. If not, you’ll need to boil it for a couple of hours before eating.

Once cooked, peel off the skin (you’ll want a good peeler), slice it up, and top with mayonnaise or natilla (Costa Rica’s version of sour cream). It’s a lot of effort, but worth it.

7. Rambután (Rambutan)

What it Tastes Like

Sweet, juicy, and delicious. These are a close relative of lychee, with a similar translucent white interior.

How to Eat It

Those spiky red orbs look intimidating but eating them is easy. Use your fingernail to break the outer skin and pop the white fruit inside straight into your mouth. Buy a whole bag at the market, you’ll likely go through them faster than you expect.

8. Guaba (Ice Cream Bean)

“What is that weird dried bean?” is what I thought when I first saw guaba. We were so curious that we had to buy them and try them out.

What it Tastes Like

Very mildly sweet and fluffy. I think it’s more of a texture experience than a flavor bomb. The name “ice cream bean” sounds more exciting than the actual eating experience, to be honest.

How to Eat It

Crack open the long pod to reveal white fuzzy fruits inside, each surrounding a large seed. You suck the soft flesh off the seed and discard the seed itself. It’s worth trying once, just don’t buy a whole bag unless you have a lot of patience.

9. Mangostán (Mangosteen)

What it Tastes Like

Sweet, creamy, and delicious! The texture is soft and the flavor is clean.

How to Eat It

The hard purple shell opens up beautifully. Use a knife to score it around the middle, then lift off the top half. The white segments inside peel apart easily.

Larger pieces have a seed, spit it out. The smaller ones are pure fruit.

These also usually keep well for a week or two, which is a bonus.

10. Pitahaya (Dragon Fruit)

The hipster of fruits! If you are active on Instagram, I’m sure you’ve seen some perfect pictures of people eating these.

What it Tastes Like

Mildly sweet with a tiny bit of tang. Beautiful to look at and so refreshing to eat.

How to Eat It

Cut it in half and scoop out the inside with a spoon. That’s really it. You can blend it, add it to smoothie bowls, or just eat it straight.

Note: pitahaya is seasonal and a bit pricier than other fruits here. You’ll mostly find it in late summer and early autumn.

Cacao

What it Tastes Like

The white pulp around the seeds is slightly tangy. It’s definitely not what most people expect from something connected to chocolate.

How to Eat It

Yes, this is where chocolate comes from! Cut the pod open lengthwise and you’ll find seeds wrapped in white pulp. You can suck on the pulp directly. It’s interesting but not something you’d eat by the bowlful. The seeds themselves can be dried, roasted, and ground into cocoa powder.

Pro Tip: If you love chocolate, check out a chocolate tour while in Costa Rica. It’s really fun and usually involves eating lots of delicious sweet treats.

You can find out more with our guide to chocolate tours.

Other Costa Rican Fruits

Although these fruits are not highly unusual, there are a few other tropical fruits you should definitely eat while on a trip to Costa Rica.

Mango

Mangos are found in almost every fruit salad you will have in Costa Rica.

Another unique way to eat them is with salt before they are fully ripe. Usually, if you are driving on the highway and get stuck in traffic you will see locals selling these in little plastic bags.

Coconut

On the beach, you can always find people selling fresh coconuts to drink out of.

There aren’t many things more enjoyable than walking down a beautiful beach while drinking fresh coconut water.

When you are done, you can always cut it open and eat the pulpy white fruit.

Papaya

Papaya is found in most fruit salads you will have at breakfast in Costa Rica.

I am very particular about papaya and will only eat it when it is extremely fresh. If it is the tiniest bit too ripe I think it tastes like vomit haha.

Limes

I’m sure you have most likely eaten plenty of limes in your life, but the limes in Costa Rica are extra juicy.

The best time to eat them is during the rainy season when you can buy about 10 for $1. 

Bananas

Next time you go to your local grocery store, check where the bananas come from. It is not unusual to see Costa Rican bananas at grocery stores all over the world. 

It is always nice to eat a fresh banana, from the country it grew up in.

Plantains

Plantains are a common breakfast food in Costa Rica.

They are often served fried with Gallo pinto (rice and beans), scrambled eggs, and a fruit salad. Delicious!!

Pineapple

Pineapple is grown all over Costa Rica.

Just like with bananas, check at your local grocery store and see where your pineapple comes from.

There is a good chance it came from Costa Rica.

Sugar Cane

Sugar cane isn’t a fruit, but I will add it here anyway.

Sugar cane is grown throughout the country and it is even possible to go on a sugar cane tour to see the entire production process from cane to sugar.

Where to Buy Fruits in Costa Rica

Our favorite place to find unusual Costa Rica fruits is at a local farmers’ market (feria). Almost every town has one at least once a week. Just ask at your hotel or rental for the nearest one. It’s one of the best ways to experience everyday local life here and prices are significantly cheaper than supermarkets.

Roadside fruit stands are another great option. You’ll spot them throughout the country, sometimes run by a single person with a folding table. These are usually very fresh, local, and the vendor will often help you figure out how to eat whatever you’ve picked up.

For convenience, you can also find many of these fruits at any major supermarket, but the selection is smaller and the prices are higher.

And if you want the smoothie experience (which I highly recommend), most sodas and restaurants offer fresh juice. Ask for it en agua (with water) or en leche (with milk).

FAQ: Costa Rica Fruit

 

You might also be interested in:

• 15 Traditional Costa Rican Foods You Have to Try
• Costa Rica Chocolate Tours – A Fun Activity for All Ages
• Costa Rica Grocery Stores: Where to Go & What to Buy
• Costa Rica Coffee Tours: Best Farms to Visit Across the Country
• Is Costa Rica Expensive? What to Budget for Vacation Costs

You might also be interested in:

• 15 Traditional Costa Rican Foods You Have to Try
• Costa Rica Chocolate Tours – A Fun Activity for All Ages
• Costa Rica Grocery Stores: Where to Go & What to Buy
• Costa Rica Coffee Tours: Best Farms to Visit Across the Country
• Is Costa Rica Expensive? What to Budget for Vacation Costs