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This Dragonfruit Juice is a pink delight. Pink lady apples, candy cane beets, ginger and dragonfruit (pitaya) come together perfectly in this refreshing drink.
I love juicing and I juice a lot, but I’ll admit that I often get into the habit of just juicing the same ingredients over and over again. That’s why I sometimes love to challenge myself by picking a specific color and/or ingredients I don’t often consume.
I’m currently working my way through the rainbow and today’s color is pink (last week was red and the week before, orange). I tried a few different pink combinations and this one was the simplest one and by far the most delicious. Some of the ingredients may be a little harder to find, so be sure to read the ingredient notes for a list of recommended substitutions.
Table of Contents
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make
- Absolutely delicious
- Includes both fruits and veggies
- Full of nutrients
- Hydrating
- A healthy snack
- Only 4 ingredients!
What are dragonfruits?
Dragonfruits are tropical fruits that are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. They come in several different varieties:
- Red/Pink dragonfruit: that’s the variety used in this dragonfruit juice recipe. The skin is shocking pink and the flesh is reddish to shocking pink.
- White dragonfruit: it looks exactly like red dragonfruit from the outside, but has white flex with black specks.
- Yellow dragonfruit: this variety has a yellow exterior and white flesh with black specks.
Note: There are several sub-varieties of dragonfruit as well.
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Dragonfruits are native to Central and South America, where they’re called pitaya or pitahaya, but they’re now grown all around the world. In English, the name “dragonfruit” has been used since the early 1960s and refers to the fruit’s unique appearance, the shape of the leathery skin resembling flames and dragon scales.
You can usually find them at Asian markets or online. If you buy them online, just make sure that you’re getting the ripe fruit and not the frozen version. The frozen version is great in smoothies and sorbets, but won’t work in juice.
The taste is relatively mild and the texture is soft, similar to (but a little softer than) kiwis.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Here’s a bit more about the ingredients used in this recipe, as well as a list of substitutions. The distinctly pink color in this dragonfruit juice comes from the red dragonfruit, so just keep in mind that if you decide to substitute this ingredient, your juice will still taste great, but it might have a different color.
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Red/Pink Dragonfruit (Pitaya): the most obvious choice when thinking of ingredients for this juice was dragonfruit, specifically the one that’s pink on both in the outside and the inside. Thanks to their vitamin C and other antioxidants, dragonfruits are a great way to naturally boost your immune system. substitutions: white or yellow dragonfruit, mango, papaya, pineapple (note: these all have similar textures, but will result in a very different color)
Pink Lady apples: apples add just the right amount of sweetness and complement the dragonfruit and beets very well. substitutions: any other apples (like Granny Smith or Jona Gold) or pears.
Candy Cane Beets (also called candy striped beets): they have the same texture as regular red beets, but their taste is a bit milder and closer to that of golden beets. substitutions: red or golden beets, carrots, sweet potatoes.
Ginger root: this is an optional add-on, but it adds a nice kick to the juice. If you’re making this dragonfruit juice for kids, be sure to use only very little ginger or omit it completely as it might be too intense for them. substitutions: turmeric root or simply omit.
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Recommended Equipment
A juicer: a cold press/slow juicer is ideal for this recipe. Scroll down to see the one I recommend.
Optional accessories: all other accessories are optional, but I’d recommend drinking juice with a reusable glass straw to protect your teeth. For easy storage, glass jars are always useful and can be repurposed in multiple ways.
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8 Pack Reusable Glass Drinking Straws
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Ball Mason Jars 16oz
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Nama J2 Cold Press Juicer (10% OFF code: BOV10)
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TIP: get 10% OFF all Nama Juicers using my discount code “BOV10” at checkout.
How to Make This Pink Dragonfruit Juice
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- Step one | prepare the produce: wash the apples and cut them open to remove the seeds. The cutting step is optional, you can also add the apples whole. If you’re worried about cyanide in apple seeds, read the info box below. Next, I like to remove the ends of my beets, but this step is optional too. For the dragonfruit, cut off both ends and then use a sharp knife to peel off the skin. The ginger can remain as is.
- Step two | add everything to your juicer: If you’re using a juicer like mine (the Nama J2 Cold Press Juicer), you can just add everything at once. If not, you may need to cut the produce into smaller pieces.
- Step three | juice & enjoy: Once you’ve added all the ingredients, close the lid of your juicer, turn it on and juice away! This shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. You can then either strain the dragonfruit juice or add it directly to a pitcher, glass jars, or glasses. If you’re consuming your juice right away (recommended!), adding a few ice cubes can make it even more refreshing. If you’re planning on drinking it later, store it in an airtight (preferably glass) bottle or jar in the fridge.
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Did you know? Apple seeds can be toxic and even lethal, but in order to be at risk for cyanide poisoning, an adult would need to consume upwards of 150 apple seeds at once and they’d need to be crushed. A few seeds are completely harmless. Therefore, wether or not you cut your apples before juicing them depends on your personal preference. I usually cut mine, but whenever I’m feeling lazy, I just use the whole apples.
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Clik here to view.Tip: clean or at least rinse off your juicer right after using it. This way it’ll only take a couple of minutes and you won’t have to think of it later!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I blend the ingredients instead of juicing them?
No, please don’t! I promise you that as a smoothie, this won’t taste as great. If you don’t have a juicer, however, you can blend and then strain the ingredients using very fine strainer or a nut milk bag. It’ll be a bit messier, but it’ll do the trick.
How long will this dragonfruit juice last in the fridge?
You can keep the dragonfruit juice in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, but I’d recommend consuming it as quickly as possible. If you do store it in the fridge, be sure to shake it well before drinking it.
Doesn’t juice contain too much sugar?
Yes and no. Yes, fruits contain natural sugars, but those are very different from refined sugars. That said, removing the fiber will make those natural sugars enter your bloodstream faster, so if you’re diabetic or have other health concerns, please be sure to check with your doctor or dietician to see if juices are a good option for you. I always try to combine fruits with vegetables for a little more balance, which is why this recipe includes beets.
Can I use this juice as a meal replacement?
Juices are an excellent supplement to an overall well planned and well balanced plant-based diet, but since they don’t include much protein, I wouldn’t recommend regularly replacing your meals with them, but rather adding them to your other meals or enjoying them as a snack. If you’re planning on doing a short-term reset (like my 3-day juice reset), however, that is usually more than fine. But as mentioned in the previous point, if you have any health concerns at all, please check with a health care professional first.
Where can I buy dragonfruit?
You can find dragonfruit at most Asian markets and online. You can sometimes also find them at larger grocery store chains. Even though dragonfruits are originally from central and South America, they are now also grown in many other areas, including the United States.
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More Juice Recipes & Articles
- Apricot Peach Sweet Potato Juice
- Watermelon Cherry Berry Beet Juice
- Easy & Delicious Cold-Pressed Yellow Juice
- Root Veggie Juice
- Iceberg & Pear Juice
- 10 Reasons to Start Juicing (Article)
Dragonfruit Juice Recipe Card
Save, pin, print, or share this recipe via the recipe card below. For more details, ingredient notes, and substitutions, be sure to read the blog post above.
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Pink Dragonfruit Juice (with Candy Cane Beets)
Equipment
- Nama J2 Cold Press Juicer Get 10% off any Nama juicer with the code "BOV10"
Ingredients
- 1 red dragonfruit pitaya
- 3 small candy cane beets
- 2 pink lady apples
- 1/2-1 thumb of fresh ginger root
Instructions
- Prepare the produce: wash the apples and cut them open to remove the seeds. The cutting step is optional, you can also add the apples whole. If you’re worried about cyanide in apple seeds, read the info box below. Next, I like to remove the ends of my beets, but this step is optional too. For the dragonfruit, cut off both ends and then use a sharp knife to peel off the skin. The ginger can remain as is.
- Add everything to your juicer: If you’re using a juicer like mine (the Nama J2 Cold Press Juicer), you can just add everything at once. If not, you may need to cut the produce into smaller pieces.
- Juice & enjoy: Once you’ve added all the ingredients, close the lid of your juicer, turn it on and juice away! This shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. You can then either strain the dragonfruit juice or add it directly to a pitcher, glass jars, or glasses. If you’re consuming your juice right away (recommended!), adding a few ice cubes can make it even more refreshing. If you’re planning on drinking it later, store it in an airtight (preferably glass) bottle or jar in the fridge.
Notes
- Read the ingredient notes in the blog post above for substitution recommendations.
- This recipe makes approximately 2 cups/500mL of juice, which is the equivalent of 2 small or 1 large serving(s).
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Clik here to view.Don’t hesitate to comment below if you have any questions or feedback. And if you try & love this recipe, it would mean the world to me if you could leave a review and Image may be NSFW.
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