Lychee Juice: A Guide to this Sweet Chinese Fruit

Lychee juice, made from a delicate and sweet Chinese fruit, is commonly seen throughout China and Vietnam. This delicious tropical juice is refreshing and perfect for any occasion. 

What Is a Lychee? (Litchi)

Lychee (also known as litchi fruit or lichee) is round, red, and has a bumpy exterior. Upon opening the skin, you’ll find an off-white, translucent fruit inside with a large brown seed. Litchee fruit originates from southern China, specifically the Fujian and Guangdong provinces.

There are various ways to enjoy lychee, though it’s commonly eaten fresh. Other options you’ll find in the stores include dried or canned lychees, with the lychee seeds removed. You can also use litchee to create jelly, wine, ice cream, Vietnamese lychee smoothie, and refreshing juice options.  

I love getting creative with lychee juice and turning it into delicious drinks like a lychee martini or a fun watermelon lychee cocktail.

What Does Lychee Fruit Juice (Litchi Juice) Taste Like?

So, what does lychee fruit juice (Litchi Juice) taste like? It’s essential to start with the fruit’s flavor, which changes depending on whether you’re eating it fresh or dried. When eating lychee fresh, it’s very aromatic and has a light flavor. It’s sweet and slightly juicy, with a flavor similar to a white grape. When dried, lychee becomes sweeter and gains an acidic taste. 

Litchi juice has a flavor that combines the taste of fresh and dried lychee. It maintains the light, floral flavor of the fresh fruit. Yet, it’s also acidic, helping to balance out the sweetness. 

Health Benefits of Litchi

Many people consume litchi fruit and drink the juice for its many health benefits. This Chinese fruit contains essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. You’ll find a healthy dose of vitamin C, potassium, and copper each time you eat the fruit or drink lychee juice. 

How to Make Lychee Juice

If you can’t find lychee juice in your nearby store or market, you can make it at home using only a few ingredients. You’ll need to pick up fresh lychee and remove the shells and seeds. It will take about 15 fruits to create about one cup of liquid.

Then, you can blend the fruit with water (room temperature or cold water) and simple syrup. This juice is best if you put it in the fridge and serve it chilled. However, if you don’t mind drinking it warm, you can also drink it immediately.

Litchee Juice Tips

You can leave the simple syrup out of the juice for a less sweet option. I like it a little bit sweeter, so I always include syrup. You can also add lemon juice or mint for a fun, summery drink. 

We avoid using plain sugar to sweeten the litchi juice because it will not mix well with the liquid, so it will separate as soon as you stop stirring. Using syrup will blend better, so you won’t have to worry about a grainy sugar layer at the bottom. 

Blending the litchee fruit with water will create a tasty drink with pulp. If you prefer a smooth consistency, you can run the litchi juice through a cheesecloth or strainer first.  

If you can’t get your hands on fresh lychee, you can also use canned lychees to make homemade lychee juice (litchi juice)

Litchee Alternatives

Unfortunately, the local grocery store may not carry lychee (canned, fresh, dried, etc.). If that’s the case, you can use these alternatives as a tasty snack or create a refreshing juice. 

Longan

Longan is an excellent substitute for lychee because of its similar flavor. It’s sweet, juicy, and has a musky taste, like litchee. This fruit also has a rough outer shell, like litchee. Once you open up a longan fruit, you’ll see it looks similar to lychee. It’s translucent and has a dark brown/black seed in the middle. 

I like using longan as a substitute because it has a similar consistency. Both litchee and longan have a grape-like texture that is a little bit chewy. You can use this alternative in any recipe that you normally use litchee juice or fruit. 

Rambutan

Rambutan fruit has a spiky, red exterior shell that you’ll need to cut off to get to the fruit. Once you cut open the shell, you’ll see the fruit looks similar to lychee. It is a white color and has a seed in the middle. Its flavor is also light and sweet. It tastes similar to a grape and a date combined. 

Just like the lichee, you can make rambutan juice. To create a tasty fruit juice, you’ll blend the fruit (minus the seed and skin) with water and simple syrup. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Lychee Juice Good For?

You can use lychee juice for many purposes, including cocktails, mocktails, smoothies, etc. You can easily create a tasty drink with a squeeze of lime juice or lemon juice, maple syrup, and ice cubes. For a less sweet drink, you can include chilled water. It all depends on your taste preferences.  

Can Litchi Be Stored in the Fridge?

Yes, you can store litchi fruit in the fridge. It’s best in a more humid environment, so wrapping the fruit in plastic will help it stay good for longer. You can keep lychee fruit in the fridge for about a week. 

You can keep lychee juice in the fridge too. It will be good for about three days in the refrigerator, but it needs to be in an airtight container. If we have extra lychee juice, we will freeze it. Litchi juice can stay in the freezer for up to two months. 

Is Lychee a Nut or a Fruit?

While it may look like a nut before it’s peeled, lychees are fruits. This fruit has been eaten in China for around 2,000 years. It’s even considered a delicacy for many, though it’s found worldwide (even in the U.S.!). 

What Type of Fruit Is Lychee?

Lychee fruit comes from the soapberry family, like maples, horse chestnuts, and ackees. It’s also the same family, which contains rambutan and longan. This tropical fruit typically grows on lychee trees in a subtropical environment, like southeast Asia. 

Lychee Juice Conclusion

Give this sweet, delicious juice a try! You’ll love using it as a base for summery cocktails and drinks. You’ll find lychee juice pairs with many ingredients with its flowery, musky flavor. I hope you have fun creating your own lychee juice-inspired drinks!