Passion Fruit Mojito

The refreshing Passion Fruit Mojito will take you to a tropical island without ever leaving your house.

The right amount of sweet and acidic is this Passion fruit juice recipe. Super popular in Latin America and the Caribbean because of how easy it is to get fresh passion fruit. In Puerto Rico, you can get this Mojito in almost any bar. I loved stopping by at any chinchorro (a small establishment where they usually sell finger foods, fried foods and drinks)  and getting a cold passion fruit mojito which was perfect to beat that Caribbean heat. I will always accompany this with a crispy bacalaito.

Mojito Origin

The popular Mojito is a Cuban-born cocktail created in the year 1910. Hard to believe but this summer favorite was first used as a natural remedy. It is believed that the person responsible for spreading this cocktail outside of Cuba was American novelist Ernest Hemingway. He frequented a bar named La Bodeguita del Medio and this is where he had his first mojito. As for the Passion fruit mojito is just the same mojito base mixed in with passion fruit.

What is passion fruit 

Passion fruit is the delicious fruit that comes from a type of passiflora plant, where the word passion comes from. It is also known by many names like maracuyá in some places, parcha in Puerto Rico and maracuja in Brazil. Passion fruit grows is a vine sometimes with a yellow color and sometimes with a purple color. The inside is full of black seeds attached to the pulp. It has a sweet and sour taste, kind of tangy and acidic. Only the inside of the fruit is edible, even the seeds.

Buying passion fruit

You can usually find it in any big supermarket and usually is available year-round. Passion fruit tends to be pricier than your locally sourced fruits because they only grow in hot climates such as Latin America, and the Caribbean. In the US they grow in South Florida, California and Hawaii. You can even buy passion fruit online. I have bought fruits and vegetables online and always had a great experience. Like the time I got ajies dulces for my sofrito because they can be pretty hard to get.

What can I use if I can’t find fresh Passion Fruit

I know that depending on your location it may be hard to find or just out of budget to buy fresh fruit. You can also get passion fruit pulp which I have seen in many supermarkets. I bet the pulp will be easier to find and it will provide the same great taste but without the seeds. You can also use 100 % juice that sometimes can be found in the Latin or International section at your local store.

Which sugar should I use

This always depends on taste. For example, in Cuba they use regular white sugar. In other places, brown sugar is used. I like to use turbinado sugar and make a simple syrup which is a syrup made with equal parts water and sugar. The reason for not using the sugar as it comes is that I don’t like the drink to have a grainy texture. As for flavored syrups, I don’t know if they are good as a sugar substitute because I have never used them in this recipe.

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How to make the perfect mojito

1. First add your lime juice, mint, passion fruit and lime wedges. Softly muddle everything a couple of times without making too much pressure. You just want to release the oils and juices, not crush your ingredients.

2. Then add your rum. If you want to make a passion fruit mojito mocktail just leave the rum out.

3. Add your ice and give it a good mix.

4. Lastly add your club soda and stir for the last time. You can now garnish with mint leaves or lime wedges.

Ingredients

1. Passion fruit- I used fresh passion fruits but as a substitute, you can use frozen fruit pulp or 100% juice.

2. White rum- You can use any white rum.

3. Mint leaves- I used 10 mint leaves but you can use more for an intense minty flavor. You can use extra for garnishing.

4. Club soda- I use club soda.

5. Lime juice- I used lime juice from fresh limes but you can get pure lime juice instead.

What to serve with

Mojitos always go great with a Mofongo with a side of Carne Frita. Or maybe something fun like finger foods such as Tostones or empanadas. But if what you’re looking for is something light to beat the summer heat a salad will be a lovely match. Try it with a King Crab Salad or a Codfish Salad.