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Food and Entertaining
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Eating Techniques
How to Eat a Lychee Download Article Reviewed by Ashley Crawford
Last Updated: January 27, 2025 Approved
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Eating Fresh Lychee
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Using Lychee in Recipes
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Video
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Q&A
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Tips
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Warnings
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Things You'll Need
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This article was reviewed by Ashley Crawford. Chef Ashley Crawford is a Private Chef and the Founder of A Taste of Chef Ash. Chef Ashley started in the culinary industry when she was 14. She specializes in Creole and Cajun cuisine but has experience in all culinary topics. She has been featured in ESPN and Sports Illustrated for her culinary work with athletes. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 11 testimonials and 92% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 485,936 times.
Once stuck in the tropics, lychee have freed themselves to travel to most of the world. Most canned lychee fruits can be eaten right out of the container. A fresh lychee fruit easily beats its canned cousins in flavor, and only requires a few seconds of work to prepare.
How to Eat Lychee Fruits
To enjoy a fresh lychee, peel the skin off with your fingers and toss it out. Push the seed out of from the middle of the lychee before you eat it. If you want to add lychees to other meals, toss them into a fresh salad or mix them into a sweet and sour stir fry.
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 2:
Eating Fresh Lychee
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1 Choose a ripe lychee. Find a firm fruit, that gives a little when squeezed without collapsing or leaking. A relatively smooth skin is also a good sign, with slight bumps instead of major raised nubs.[1]XResearch source Hard, unripe fruits are edible but won't have as strong a taste. A wet, soft fruit is overripe, and may be fermented (edible with a different, strong taste) or rotted (unpleasant). Crushed or soaked peels are almost always rotted.[2]XResearch source
Different varieties have different skin colors, but most are red, orange, or yellowish when ripe. Brown fruits have usually gone bad.
2 Peel the end of the lychee. Grasp the nub of the stem and peel away the pink or yellowish-brown skin at one end. The white, semi-translucent flesh inside is the edible portion of the fruit. You may want to peel the fruit over a bowl to catch the dripping juice.
If the lychee has been left out a while, the skin will be harder and tougher to peel. Use your fingernail, teeth, or a knife to cut a slit. Soaking the fruit will make it easier to peel as well.[3]XResearch source
Completely transparent flesh, mottled flesh, or yellow-brown flesh mean the lychee may be fermented or rotten.
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3 Squeeze or tear off the skin. A perfectly ripe lychee has a soft skin that separates easily from the flesh. You can gently squeeze these fruits to pop out the flesh inside. If this doesn't work, just tear off the skin in small pieces using your fingers.[4]XResearch source Pijpers, Dick, Jac. G. Constant, and Kees Jansen. <i>The Complete Book of Fruit</i>. NY: Gallery Books, 1986.
The skin is inedible. Throw it away or compost it.
4 Dig out the seed. A large seed lies in the center of the fruit. Gently tear apart the flesh with your fingers, pick out the glossy brown seed, and discard it. The seed is slightly poisonous.
5 Eat the fruit. Fresh lychees have sweet, crisp, juicy flesh, with a signature scent that you can't find in the canned product. Enjoy it raw, or keep reading for more uses of this fruit.
A thin, brownish membrane lies on the interior of the flesh, where the seed was. Just eat this with the rest of the lychee. It adds a slight crunch without affecting the flavor. Removing it tends to squeeze out a lot of the tasty juice.[5]XResearch source
6 Store extra fruit. Refrigerate lychee wrapped in a dry paper towel, inside a perforated plastic bag or a container with the lid left ajar. They can last up to a week this way, although the rind may turn brown and hard. Throw away the fruit if it turns grey.
If you can't eat them all within that time, freeze the rest whole and unpeeled, in a sealed zip-locked bag. Run warm water over the frozen lychee for 15 seconds, then peel and eat. Partially thawed lychee have a texture similar to sorbet.
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Using Lychee in Recipes
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1 Add to a fruit salad. This obvious option is perfect for summer. Because lychee lose juice rapidly when peeled, add them at the last minute.
2 Stuff the lychee. Carefully peel the lychee fruits and remove the seed, without tearing the flesh. Mix minced nuts, honey, and/or ginger into a soft cheese, such as cream cheese or chenna. Gently push open the lychee with your thumb, and fill with a small spoon or chopsticks.
You can even stuff the lychee with savory foods, such as a chicken stir fry. Make sure all ingredients are finely minced, and broil the lychees for 2–3 minutes after stuffing.
3 Garnish cocktails. Add a skewered, pitted lychee fruit to margaritas or other light cocktails. Or try something new with the lychee sake martini or novelty Mad Eye martini.
4 Chop up for a salsa. Soft, sweet lychee adds a bold dimension to spicy or sour salsas. Try a simple salsa of avocado, lychee, and red onion, with your salsa toppings of choice.[6]XResearch source
5 Cook lychee in hot dishes. To make lychee chicken or another hot, savory dish, add the lychee to a stir fry or roasting pan just a couple minutes before the dish is done. Lychee pairs particularly well with cinnamon, ginger, or honey.
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Question Do you have to peel lychees? wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer Yes, the lychee needs to be peeled before eating because the edible part is under the lychee’s skin. To peel it, take hold of the lychee from the stem end, then peel back the skin from the other end. It shouldn’t be too hard unless the lychee is old, in which case you may need a knife to cut toughened skin. Since juice will drip out once the lychee is opened, peel over a bowl to catch the juice, which you can drink if you want. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 3
Question How does lychee taste like? wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer A lychee has a mouth-feel similar to a grape. The flavor is unique but is somewhat similar to a mix of grape, pear, rosewater or floral flavors. It’s best to give one a try, so you can decide for yourself! Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 8
Question How do you know when a lychee is ripe? wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer The best sign that a lychee is ripe is its pink or red skin. A lychee must be picked when it has already ripened, as it will not ripen after picking. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 11 Helpful 5
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Tips
Grocery store lychees are often old or poorly cared for. Ask what day the store receives the next shipment, or find a small grower that ships directly to consumers.[7]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 5
If the fruit interior doesn't match this description, you may have a related fruit, such as a rambutan, quenette, longan, or pulasan.[4]XResearch source Pijpers, Dick, Jac. G. Constant, and Kees Jansen. <i>The Complete Book of Fruit</i>. NY: Gallery Books, 1986.Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 2
Some fruits fail to pollinate fully, producing a thin "chicken tongue" seed. If you find one, you've lucked out — the fruit fills the gap with more flesh.[8]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 5
Show More Tips Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Warnings
If the inside of the lychee is yellow, it is too old and not good to eat. Thanks Helpful 74 Not Helpful 20
The lychee seed is mildly toxic to humans and animals. Do not eat them. Thanks Helpful 31 Not Helpful 21
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Things You'll Need
A knife (optional)
Sink/napkin
A lychee
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Reviewed by: Ashley Crawford Private Chef This article was reviewed by Ashley Crawford. Chef Ashley Crawford is a Private Chef and the Founder of A Taste of Chef Ash. Chef Ashley started in the culinary industry when she was 14. She specializes in Creole and Cajun cuisine but has experience in all culinary topics. She has been featured in ESPN and Sports Illustrated for her culinary work with athletes. This article has been viewed 485,936 times. 36 votes - 92% Co-authors: 24Updated: January 27, 2025 Views: 485,936 Categories: Eating TechniquesArticle SummaryX
To eat a fresh lychee, start by peeling away the pink or yellowish-brown skin at one end to expose the edible, white portion of the fruit. Next, squeeze or tear off the skin, and remove the seed before eating the fruit. If you want to use lychee in recipes, try adding them to a fruit salad. Alternatively, add chopped lychee to spicy or sour salsa for a bolder flavor. You can also try stuffing lychee with a mixture of cream cheese, nuts, and honey for a unique blend of textures and flavors. For more tips, like how to cook lychee in hot dishes, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Anonymous
Jul 9, 2018
"On a whim I bought a container of lychee at my grocery store. I've always wanted to try them. Was hoping a wikiHow would have instructions on what to do with lychee and how to properly eat them. Thanks for having my back, wikiHow! They are delish!"..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Ashley Crawford Private Chef Co-authors: 24Updated: January 27, 2025 Views: 485,93692% of readers found this article helpful. 36 votes - 92% Click a star to add your vote
Anonymous
Jul 9, 2018
"On a whim I bought a container of lychee at my grocery store. I've always wanted to try them. Was hoping a wikiHow would have instructions on what to do with lychee and how to properly eat them. Thanks for having my back, wikiHow! They are delish!"..." more
Sue Boyd
Apr 16, 2017
"I didn't know in the slightest what I was buying. Never seen this fruit before, but was inexpensive, so bought it. Shared it with family in case they were curious also."..." more Rated this article:
Dan Jodzio
Jul 9, 2017
"I knew very little about lychee fruit until I read this article. It helped me better understand the fruit and how to eat it properly."..." more Rated this article:
Michelle C.
Jul 26, 2017
"I had never eaten lychee in the States, so I really needed information on how to eat or see if it was rotten." Rated this article:
Hamdi A.
Aug 4, 2016
"Very useful. Never ate Lychee before, and so it was great with the tips on how to peel and eat the fruit." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Reviewed by: Ashley Crawford Private Chef This article was reviewed by Ashley Crawford. Chef Ashley Crawford is a Private Chef and the Founder of A Taste of Chef Ash. Chef Ashley started in the culinary industry when she was 14. She specializes in Creole and Cajun cuisine but has experience in all culinary topics. She has been featured in ESPN and Sports Illustrated for her culinary work with athletes. This article has been viewed 485,936 times. 36 votes - 92% Co-authors: 24 Updated: January 27, 2025 Views: 485,936 Categories: Eating Techniques Article SummaryX
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1 Choose a ripe lychee. Find a firm fruit, that gives a little when squeezed without collapsing or leaking. A relatively smooth skin is also a good sign, with slight bumps instead of major raised nubs.[1] Hard, unripe fruits are edible but won't have as strong a taste. A wet, soft fruit is overripe, and may be fermented (edible with a different, strong taste) or rotted (unpleasant). Crushed or soaked peels are almost always rotted.[2] 
2 Peel the end of the lychee. Grasp the nub of the stem and peel away the pink or yellowish-brown skin at one end. The white, semi-translucent flesh inside is the edible portion of the fruit. You may want to peel the fruit over a bowl to catch the dripping juice. 
3 Squeeze or tear off the skin. A perfectly ripe lychee has a soft skin that separates easily from the flesh. You can gently squeeze these fruits to pop out the flesh inside. If this doesn't work, just tear off the skin in small pieces using your fingers.[4] 
4 Dig out the seed. A large seed lies in the center of the fruit. Gently tear apart the flesh with your fingers, pick out the glossy brown seed, and discard it. The seed is slightly poisonous. 
5 Eat the fruit. Fresh lychees have sweet, crisp, juicy flesh, with a signature scent that you can't find in the canned product. Enjoy it raw, or keep reading for more uses of this fruit. 
6 Store extra fruit. Refrigerate lychee wrapped in a dry paper towel, inside a perforated plastic bag or a container with the lid left ajar. They can last up to a week this way, although the rind may turn brown and hard. Throw away the fruit if it turns grey. 
1 Add to a fruit salad. This obvious option is perfect for summer. Because lychee lose juice rapidly when peeled, add them at the last minute. 
2 Stuff the lychee. Carefully peel the lychee fruits and remove the seed, without tearing the flesh. Mix minced nuts, honey, and/or ginger into a soft cheese, such as cream cheese or chenna. Gently push open the lychee with your thumb, and fill with a small spoon or chopsticks. 
3 Garnish cocktails. Add a skewered, pitted lychee fruit to margaritas or other light cocktails. Or try something new with the lychee sake martini or novelty Mad Eye martini. 
4 Chop up for a salsa. Soft, sweet lychee adds a bold dimension to spicy or sour salsas. Try a simple salsa of avocado, lychee, and red onion, with your salsa toppings of choice.[6] 
5 Cook lychee in hot dishes. To make lychee chicken or another hot, savory dish, add the lychee to a stir fry or roasting pan just a couple minutes before the dish is done. Lychee pairs particularly well with cinnamon, ginger, or honey. Advertisement 
wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.