• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Monica Nedeff
  • Breakfast
  • Main Meals
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts
  • Nutrition Counseling
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Subscribe
  • Nutrition Counseling
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Breakfast

    Breakfast Papaya Bowl

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    tropical papaya bowl pin
    papaya breakfast bowl pin
    papaya bowl pin
    papaya boat pin

    Papaya Bowls make a delicious, healthy breakfast or snack. Load them up with your favorite toppings like granola, fresh fruit, chia seeds and yogurt for a filling and satisfying meal.

    papayas sliced in half facing upwards and topped with yogurt and fruit

    Remember when zucchini boats took the world by storm? Well, if you ask me, these look like papaya boats!

    I'm all about simple recipes like taking a veggie or fruit and turning it into a main dish by stuffing it with yummy ingredients. So, this felt like a fun, easy recipe - jump on board! Time to make some papaya boats!

    Jump to:
    What Does Papaya Taste Like?
    Nutritional Profile
    Tropical Vibes
    Making Papaya Boats
    Recipe FAQ & Tips
    Breakfast Papaya Bowl

    What Does Papaya Taste Like?

    Have you ever had papaya? If not, I highly recommend trying it plain! Papaya has a buttery flavor. It's very sweet when ripe and super bitter when unripe, which is why I always make sure it's ripe before slicing.....otherwise, it isn't too tasty.

    Nutritional Profile

    Papaya is nutritious too. Full of fiber, folate, antioxidants, vitamin A and C. Papain is a digestive enzyme found in papaya and helps aid protein digestion.

    Peak season is summer into early fall, so it's still a great time to buy papayas!

    four papaya halves facing upward filled with fruit and granola

    Tropical Vibes

    This recipe makes me think of something I would eat in Bali, Hawaii or another tropical destination. I remember eating so many mangos and papayas in Hawaii last summer, and they were out of this world good!

    While we may not be taking our usual summer vacations this year, we can still transport our taste buds. So, let's go somewhere tropical with this week's recipe!

    Making Papaya Boats

    Pretty simple! Just 4 steps to a delish, tropical-inspired breakfast.

    collage of steps for cutting, scooping and filling a papaya
    1. Cut the papaya lengthwise. You'll know your papaya is ripe when you gently press near the stem and the fruit gives back a little. The skin of the papaya will become more yellow than green when it becomes ripe.
    2. Scoop out and discard the black seeds with a spoon. Fun fact: Papaya seeds are edible! They have a peppery flavor. Try throwing them in a salad if you want to try them in food.
    3. Fill the bottom of your boats with 1 cup yogurt. I sometimes do plain yogurt with honey or use a single-serving container of flavored Greek yogurt. If you have smaller papayas, like the ones I have in the above pictures, you may need to carve out more of the center to make room or just use less yogurt.
    4. Add the rest of your toppings to your papaya boats! I add a bit more fruit, chia seeds and granola.

    Recipe FAQ & Tips

    Can I use a large papaya?

    Absolutely! I used smaller papayas because that's all that my local grocery store has right now. Larger papayas work just fine too!

    How do I know when my papaya is ripe?

    Shades of yellow, red and orange mean the papaya is ripening. Papayas that are mostly green are typically unripe. Gently press near the stem of the papaya. If you get a little give then, it's ready for eating.

    Can I meal prep this recipe?

    When it comes to eating fruit, it's best to eat it right after you slice it. Therefore, I'd recommend not meal prepping this recipe, and enjoy the papaya boats shortly after you make them.

    What if I am making only one serving and need to save the other half of papaya? How can I store it so that it won't go bad?

    Wrap the leftover papaya half in saran wrap to prevent as much oxygen exposure as possible. Store in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.

    Let me know if you try this fun recipe! It's super easy and delish to make. Drop any other toppings ideas too. I always love changing it up!

    If you need more breakfast ideas, then check out my farro breakfast bowl for another healthy bowl recipe or my strawberry kefir smoothie bowl for more sweet, tropical flavors!

    papayas sliced in half facing upwards and topped with yogurt and fruit

    Breakfast Papaya Bowl

    Papaya Bowls are an easy, healthy tropical breakfast recipe. Slice, scoop & top your papaya with yogurt, chia seeds, granola & fruit.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Author: Monica Nedeff
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric
     

    • 1 ripe papaya halved lengthwise with seeds removed
    • 2 cups yogurt
    • ½ cup granola
    • 2 teaspoons chia seeds
    • additional toppings (Ideas: fresh fruit, flaxseed, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, honey)

    Instructions

    • Slice the papaya in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon.
    • Fill the center of each papaya half with 1 cup yogurt, ¼ cup granola, 1 teaspoon chia seeds, additional fruit or other toppings - enjoy!

    Notes

    1. This recipe is best to be made the morning of eating instead of meal prepping.
    2. Seeds are discarded in this recipe. However, the papaya seeds are edible if you want to eat them.
    3. The skin of the papaya will turn shades of yellow, red and orange when it's ripe. When gentle pressure is applied, the skin should give a little once ripe and ready for eating. 
    4. If you have a smaller papaya, like the ones in these pictures, you may need to carve out the center of the papaya to make enough room for yogurt or use less yogurt.
    5. For yogurt, you can use a single-serving container or scoop it out of a larger container.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 693mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1454IU | Vitamin C: 93mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 2mg

    (Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)

    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: healthy, tropical
    Tried this recipe? I love seeing your creations!Mention @monicanedeff.rdn or tag #monicanedeff so I can share them with the community!

    If you ever make a recipe, tag me on Instagram @monicanedeff.rdn I love seeing your creations and sharing them with the community! Please comment and give this recipe a star rating if you’ve made it as it greatly helps support this blog and my small biz, thank you!

    • protein milkshake in glasses
      Protein Milkshake
    • Shredded chicken sandwich on a plate
      Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
    • arugula pizza on a pizza pan
      Arugula Pizza
    « Kefir Overnight Oats with Frozen Fruit
    Lemon Cucumber Mint Ginger Water »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! I'm Monica - a registered dietitian nutritionist, solo female traveler and recipe developer helping you eat healthy on the go while empowering you to nourish your body, mind and soul!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • chocolate sea salt granola on a baking sheet
      Chocolate Sea Salt Granola
    • Hand holding a turkey burger with tzatziki dripping down the bun
      Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers With Tzatziki
    • ground turkey sweet potato skillet
      Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet with Brussels Sprouts & Apples
    • lemon lavender cookies stacked
      Glazed Lemon Lavender Cookies

    Summer Favorites

    • lemon pasta chicken on a plate
      Lemon Chicken Pasta
    • balsamic roasted brussels sprouts garnished with basil leaves
      Balsamic Marinated Brussels Sprouts with Basil
    • cup of lemon sherbet
      Lemon Sherbet
    • zesty quinoa salad with mint leaves
      Zesty Quinoa Salad with Mint

    Need Help Cooking?

    grocery bag of healthy food

    Grab my Grocery List + Cooking Tips + Meal Prep Guide for free to put the joy back into cooking and ease into preparing nourishing meals.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Mission

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and freebies

    Contact

    Email

    Copyright © 2022 Monica Nedeff | All Rights Reserved