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Vegetables · Fruiting vegetables

Green (raw) papaya

Unripe papaya with firm, pale flesh, shredded raw into som tam or cooked in soups, curries and pickles.

Also called: raw papaya, unripe papaya, kachcha papita, kacho papayu

A kind of papaya

1 recipe with it

What it is

Green papaya is papaya picked before ripening, with smooth, firm green skin and crisp white to pale-green flesh around white seeds. It tastes neutral and is treated as a vegetable, very different from sweet orange ripe papaya. Its latex can irritate skin.

Carica papaya (unripe)

How it’s used

  • Shredded raw into som tam and other papaya salads
  • Simmered in Filipino tinola
  • Cooked in curries and sabzi
  • Pickled as atchara
  • Used to tenderise meat

Characteristics

Taste
Neutral and faintly sweet.
Texture
Crisp and crunchy raw; soft cooked.
When cooked
Contains enzymes that tenderise meat; peel, seed and shred.
Sold as
fresh
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate to slow ripening; use while firm and green.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • The milky latex can irritate skin; wear gloves when peeling.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
43 kcal
Protein
0.47 g
Carbohydrate
10.82 g
Fat
0.26 g
Fibre
1.7 g
Sugars
7.82 g

USDA FoodData Central: Papayas, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Chayote — For soups; firmer.
  • Cucumber — With carrot, for salads; softer and juicier.

Related ingredients

Recipes with green (raw) papaya

More fruiting vegetables