Feijoas — season, tips, and recipes in Australia
Feijoas is a fruit available in Queensland during March, April, May, June, peaking in April. This page is a practical guide for home cooks: when to buy feijoas, how to pick a good one, how to store it, what it goes well with, three original recipes, and detailed nutrition information.
Native to southern Brazil. More common in New Zealand, but increasingly grown in southern Australia. If you find them at a farmers' market, buy them. The flavour is unique.
How to pick a good one
Ripe when slightly soft and the inside is translucent, not white. Should smell intensely fragrant.
How to store it
Ripen on bench. Once ripe, eat within a day or two. Scoop and freeze for smoothies.
Goes well with
ginger: Feijoa's unique volatile aroma -- somewhere between guava, pineapple, and mint -- is intensified by ginger's warmth. Used together in chutneys and jams, the combination is more complex than either alone.
lime: Feijoas have their own acidity, but lime adds a different kind of sharpness that lifts the aroma. The combination works particularly well in drinks and dressings.
vanilla: Vanilla's sweetness and warmth round off feijoa's sharp, slightly medicinal edge. Used in crumbles and cakes, vanilla stops feijoa from tasting too clinical and makes it more approachable.
apple: Apple's mild flavour acts as a carrier for feijoa's more intense aroma. Combined in crumbles, chutneys, or juice, apple extends the feijoa flavour without diluting it.
yoghurt: Yoghurt's mild acidity and creaminess moderates feijoa's intense aroma. The combination is one of the better breakfasts available during feijoa season.
Recipes
Feijoa Crumble
The autumn classic.
Ingredients: 8 feijoas, 1 tbsp sugar, squeeze lemon, 80g oats, 60g flour, 60g brown sugar, 50g cold butter
Method: Scoop feijoa flesh into a baking dish. Toss with sugar and lemon. Rub oats, flour, sugar, butter until crumbly. Scatter over. Bake 180C for 25 min.
Feijoa Chutney
Incredible with cheese. Makes 3 jars.
Ingredients: 500g feijoas (peeled diced), 1 onion (diced), 1 apple (diced), 200ml cider vinegar, 150g brown sugar, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp ginger, pinch chilli
Method: Simmer everything in a pot for 40 minutes until thick and jammy. Spoon into sterilised jars. Seal.
Feijoa Smoothie
Tropical, creamy, fast.
Ingredients: 4 feijoas (scooped), 1 banana, 200ml yoghurt, 100ml milk, 1 tbsp honey
Method: Blend everything until smooth. Pour. Drink immediately (feijoas oxidise quickly).
Nutrition
One feijoa provides about 50% of your daily vitamin C. High in fibre, folate, and potassium. Contains unique volatile compounds that give it its distinctive aroma. About 55 calories per 100g. One of the most vitamin-C-dense fruits available in autumn when citrus season has ended.