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Overview

Jugo de Naranjilla

Naranjilla Juice, Jugo de Lulo, Lulo Juice

This jugo de naranjilla recipe blends the green pulp of fresh naranjilla with cold water and a little sugar into 4 tall, icy glasses. One serving is about 317 g, a full glass of pale green, frothy juice that tastes of pineapple and lime. It is the drink Ecuador reaches for on a hot afternoon — tart, fragrant and cooling.

Naranjilla, Solanum quitoense, is a small round fruit of the Andean highlands, called lulo in Colombia and naranjilla — little orange — in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Panama. Its juice is green and its flavour is often described as pineapple and lime together, and it is the most common use of the fruit: market stalls and home kitchens across Ecuador blend the scooped pulp with water and sugar and serve it over ice. The same fruit gives the hot spiced naranjillazo, a winter variation of canelazo, but the cold jugo is the everyday drink. It is not the same drink as jugo de tomate de arbol, the other great Ecuadorian fruit juice: that one is made from the egg-shaped red tree tomato, Solanum betaceum, which tastes of passion fruit, kiwi and tomato and must be peeled before blending, while naranjilla is scooped and strained.

Pairs well with: Bolon de verde, empanadas or anything fried and salty.

Provenance

Ecuador flag Ecuador

Ecuadorian Everyday Juice

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

15m

15m prep • 0m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

75 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 317 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (No-Cook Drink)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Ideal Light Bite

Quick Prep (<30m) Occasions: Hot afternoons, breakfasts, snacks, barbecues, picnics Cost: Low — about $0.70–1.00 per glass at home
Tags: Sweet Sour Vegetarian Vegan Gluten-free Dairy-free
A tall glass of pale green frothy naranjilla juice on a wooden table.

Ecuadorian Everyday Juice

Photo: Caldobasico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $0.70–1.00 per glass at home (USD)

The juice is strained smooth, with the small hard seeds removed — that is the Ecuadorian way, and it is what makes a jugo de naranjilla different from the pulpy, unstrained lulada of Colombia.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 15m
P

Prep Stage: Scoop and Chill

15 Mins • No Cooking

Cut the naranjilla and scoop out the pulp, chill the water, and put the glasses in the fridge so the juice stays ice-cold. The whole drink comes together in one blender jug, so have everything measured before you start.

Maestro Tip: Taste a spoonful of pulp first — very ripe fruit needs less sugar, and sharp fruit needs the full 50 g.

  1. 1

    Halve the naranjilla and scoop the pulp

    5 Mins Room temperature, about 24°C (75°F)

    Wash the 6 naranjilla, cut each one in half and scoop all the green pulp, juice and seeds into a bowl with a spoon. You should have about 400 g of pulp. Pick out any pieces of peel — the peel is bitter and must not go into the blender.

    A heavy fruit with deep-orange skin is ripe and full of juice — pale, light fruit is usually under-ripe and very sour.

    Done when: About 400 g of pale green pulp with small seeds, smelling of pineapple and lime.

  2. 2

    Blend briefly with water and sugar

    3 Mins Cold, about 4°C (39°F)

    Tip the pulp into a blender with the 600 ml of cold water and the 50 g of sugar. Blend on low for just 20–30 seconds, in short pulses, until the sugar dissolves and the pulp loosens — do not blend hard or long, or the seeds will break and turn the juice bitter.

    Pulse, never run the blender flat out: the seeds should stay whole so the strainer can catch them.

    Done when: A thick, pale green juice with whole seeds and a little foam on top.

  3. 3

    Strain out the seeds

    3 Mins Cold, about 4°C (39°F)

    Pour the juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug, pressing gently with a spoon to push the liquid through. Discard the seeds left in the sieve. If you used frozen seedless pulp, skip this step.

    Do not press hard — forcing the seeds through the sieve makes the juice gritty.

    Done when: A smooth, pale green juice with no seeds, light foam on top.

  4. 4

    Taste and add the lime

    2 Mins Cold, about 4°C (39°F)

    Stir in the 15 ml of lime juice and taste a spoonful. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of sugar if the fruit is very sharp, or a splash more water if you like it thinner. Stir well so the sugar dissolves completely.

    Chill the juice for 10 minutes before serving if your kitchen is warm — it should be served ice-cold.

    Done when: Sweet-tart and fragrant, pale green and smooth.

  5. 5

    Serve over ice with mint

    2 Mins Ice-cold, about 4°C (39°F)

    Fill 4 tall glasses with the 200 g of ice cubes, pour the juice over the ice, and lay a mint sprig on each glass. Serve at once, with a spoon or a wide straw so the last of the pulp can be enjoyed too.

    Stir each glass before drinking — the pulp settles to the bottom in a minute.

    Done when: Four full, pale green glasses, ice-cold, with mint on top.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the juice the moment it is poured, ice-cold and smooth, with a mint sprig on each glass. Stir before drinking, as the fine pulp settles quickly.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

75

kcal / serving

Protein

1g

Complete AA

Carbs

19g

Complex

Fats

0g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 317 g)
Energy75 kcal
Protein1 g
Carbohydrates19 g
Fat0 g
Fibre1.2 g
Sugar16.3 g
Sodium4 mg
Per 100g
Energy24 kcal
Protein0.2 g
Carbohydrates5.9 g
Fat0.1 g
Fibre0.4 g
Sugar5.1 g
Sodium1 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: A source of vitamin C and vitamin K from the naranjilla, with potassium, calcium and magnesium in smaller amounts.

Real Fruit, Nothing Added

The drink is fresh naranjilla, water and a little sugar — no concentrates, no colourings and no preservatives.

Vitamin C in Every Glass

Naranjilla is a source of vitamin C, which the body uses to support the immune system and to help absorb iron from food.

Light and Hydrating

One glass is mostly water and fruit, at about 75 kcal, so it cools and hydrates on a hot day without the heaviness of a milky drink.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Bolon de Verde

A hot, salty green-plantain bolon with cheese against a cold, tart glass of naranjilla is the Ecuadorian coastal balance — rich and salty against sharp and cold.

Empanadas de Viento

The juice's acidity cuts through fried empanada pastry and rich cheese filling, cleaning the palate between bites.

Tropical Fruit Salad

Mango, papaya and banana with a glass of naranjilla doubles the tropical fruit without doubling the heaviness — the juice acts as a light, tart dressing for the fruit.

Full Menus

Lunch Menu

Serve the juice over plenty of ice next to encebollado or seco de pollo — its sharpness stands up to rich, salty food and keeps everyone drinking water-based refreshment.

Complete menu

A tall glass of jugo de naranjilla over ice with a bolon de verde and a small fruit salad makes a light Ecuadorian breakfast or afternoon snack.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Watch the Sugar If You Manage Blood Sugar

One glass carries about 19 g of carbohydrate and 16 g of sugar, so it raises blood sugar noticeably — use half the sugar, or drink a small glass with food rather than a large one alone. This is general information, not medical advice — ask a clinician about your own targets.

Sharp Acidity and Small Seeds

Naranjilla is quite acidic, so the juice can bother people with reflux or a sensitive stomach, and the small seeds are best strained out for young children. This is general information, not medical advice — ask a clinician if you are unsure.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsOne full glass with a meal is refreshing; a second glass is fine on a hot day, but the sugar adds up.
  • ChildrenChildren love the sweet-tart taste — serve a small glass with food, and always strain the juice so no seeds remain.
  • ElderlyThe juice is light, hydrating and easy to swallow; serve it in a small glass, well strained.
  • Pregnant womenNaranjilla is safe in food amounts, but the juice is sweet, so keep to one small glass with a meal. Ask a clinician about your own diet.
  • Breastfeeding womenThe juice hydrates well and gives vitamin C, but it is sweet, so one glass with a meal is a better choice than large glasses through the day. Ask a clinician about your own diet.
  • AthletesA glass after training replaces fluid and gives quick carbohydrate, but it has almost no protein or salt, so pair it with food and water for real recovery.
  • Weight gainAt about 75 kcal a glass, the juice is a light way to add energy, and it is mostly fruit and water rather than fat.
  • Weight lossOne glass carries about 16 g of sugar, so it is a treat rather than a free drink for weight loss — a half glass, or the juice with half the sugar, is the lighter choice.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesEach glass carries about 19 g of carbohydrate and 16 g of sugar, so it raises blood sugar fast — count it, use less sugar, and drink it with food. Ask a clinician about your own targets.
  • High blood pressureOne glass carries only about 4 mg of sodium, which is very low, but the sugar is the thing to watch for blood pressure. Ask a clinician about your own limits.
  • Kidney diseaseThe juice is low in sodium and modest in potassium for a fruit drink, but the sugar matters more than the minerals here. Ask a clinician about your own limits.
  • GoutNaranjilla is low in purines, so the juice itself is not a gout concern — the sugar is the part to keep an eye on. Ask a clinician about your own diet.
  • Stomach issuesThe juice is quite acidic and can sting a sensitive stomach or trigger reflux, especially on an empty stomach — drink it with food and in a small glass. Ask a clinician if you are unsure.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseThe juice is low in fat and free of saturated fat, which fits a heart-friendly pattern, but the added sugar should stay modest. Ask a clinician about your own diet.
  • Fatty liverThe juice is sweet and low in fibre once strained, so for a fatty liver the unsweetened version in a small glass is the better choice. Ask a clinician about your own diet.
  • Food allergiesNaranjilla allergy is uncommon but possible, and it belongs to the nightshade family, so people sensitive to that family should try a small amount first. Ask a clinician if you are unsure.
  • Special therapeutic dietsThe juice is high in natural and added sugar, so it does not fit a low-sugar therapeutic diet except as a small, counted portion. Ask a clinician about your own plan.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Pour the juice into a clean, covered jug and keep it in the fridge; stir before serving, as the pulp settles.
In the fridge
Up to 24 hours in the fridge in a covered jug; the flavour fades after a day.
In the freezer
Freeze the juice without ice for up to 1 month in a sealed container, leaving room for it to expand.
How to reheat
Do not heat — this is a cold drink; thaw frozen juice in the fridge and serve over fresh ice.
Freezing recommended
Yes — freeze it in ice-cube trays for quick single glasses later.
Signs it has spoiled
A fizzy taste, a sour smell beyond the fruit's normal tartness, or visible mould mean the juice has turned — throw it away.

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