How to Cut, Prepare and Eat Mangosteen Fruit

Here's How to Enjoy This Delicious Tropical Fruit

  • 01 of 06

    How to Choose Mangosteen

    Mangosteen Fruit
    Xu Chaojiang / EyeEm / Getty Images

    The tropical fruit mangosteen is grown abundantly in Thailand. It's the size of a tennis ball, with a firm shell that is deep purple. This unique fruit has a sweet flavor and very soft texture and is rich in antioxidants and micronutrients. It can be found in Asian food stores and markets.

    Good mangosteens have healthy-looking green caps and a nice glossy sheen on their outer skins. The fruit should be firm and have no cracks. Make sure the fruit is bug-free, and do not buy fruit that has hardened beads of yellow resin on the outer rinds as those often contain sections that have suffered from resin seepage.

    Continue to 2 of 6 below.
  • 02 of 06

    Cut Into Your Mangosteen

    Cutting Mangosteen
    Darlene A. Schmidt

    To open your mangosteen, hold it firmly on its side and make a cut with a serrated knife. The older the mangosteen, the harder the skin will be (a sawing action may be needed). Cut shallowly all around the circumference, about 1/4 to 1/3 inch deep, just enough to create an opening for your fingers to get in. You do not want to cut all the way through to the middle.

    If you do not have a knife, you can hold the mangosteen between your two palms and squeeze your hands to crush the purple shells. Once the shells are cracked, you should be able to peel them off. Just keep in mind this way is messier and may result in the internal sections getting crushed, releasing some of the juice.

    Continue to 3 of 6 below.
  • 03 of 06

    Pry Open the Mangosteen

    Preparing Fresh Mangosteen
    Darlene A. Schmidt

    Once you have cut around the entire fruit, try prying it open with your fingers or gently pulling apart each half with your hands, similar to opening an avocado. If you cannot do this, or cannot see the white of the fruit, you have not cut deeply enough.

    Continue to 4 of 6 below.
  • 04 of 06

    Expose the Mangosteen

    Opened Mangosteen Fruit in Shell
    Darlene A. Schmidt

    Pull away the skin to reveal the white mangosteen fruit. If a little of the purple shell of the mangosteen sticks to the fruit, leave it be; this deep purple skin is full of antioxidants and valuable micronutrients.

    Good mangosteens have sections that are opaque white, firm, and not translucent or yellowish.

    Continue to 5 of 6 below.
  • 05 of 06

    Separate the Mangosteen Fruit

    Separating parts of mangosteen fruit
    Darlene A. Schmidt

    Mangosteen fruit looks similar to an orange in that it has internal sections. Simply use your fingers to pull the sections apart from one another.

    The seeds are soft and edible and do not need to be removed. In some cases, you might not even notice the seeds are there. Some people choose not to eat the seeds because they may be hard and bitter.

    Continue to 6 of 6 below.
  • 06 of 06

    Enjoy Your Mangosteen

    tropical fruit smoothie
    Image Source/Getty Images

    Mangosteen can be eaten fresh or combined with other fruits in a fresh fruit salad. Some people juice them, shell and all. Mangosteen can be used for ice creams and sorbets, and many other desserts, such as mangosteen clafouti. Use it as a garnish on top of an Asian pudding, such as Thai tapioca pudding. You may also want to incorporate mangosteen into savory dishes, adding a sweet layer of flavor.