What to Do with All Those Feijoas? Here’s 6 Feijoa Recipes (Yes, Including a Feijoa Crumble!)

Your neighbours have dropped off a bag and the tree out in the backyard  won’t bloody stop. You’re positively swimming in Feijoas! Here’s how to use up all your feijoas, starting with the classic feijoa crumble, then a few other creative (and yummy) feijoa recipes!

Ah, it’s that time of year again. Feijoas are tumbling off trees across Aotearoa faster than anyone can eat them, and the familiar refrain of “help yourself, for the love of GOD!” is being yelled across every fence. We’ve dived into our recipe cards (yes, we use these still!) and found our versions of the best feijoa recipes, including the one recipe every Kiwi kitchen needs in their back pocket – the OG feijoa crumble – then five more ideas that go well beyond the usual suspects. Cocktail, anyone?

The Classic Feijoa Crumble

Let’s get this one out of the way first because it’s a classic for a reason, and it’s uber nostalgic! Warm, bubbling feijoa under a buttery, golden crumble – there’s no better Kiwi autumn pudding. This version keeps it simple and lets the fruit do the talking.

You’ll need – for the filling

• 6–8 feijoas, peeled and sliced (about 3 cups)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)

You’ll need – for the crumble

• 1 cup plain flour
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 100g cold butter, cut into small cubes
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Heat oven to 180°C (fan bake). Toss the feijoa slices with the sugar, lemon juice and vanilla, if using, and spread into a baking dish (about 20cm).
2. In a bowl, rub the butter into the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt with your fingertips until you have a rough, clumpy mixture – some big pieces are good!
3. Scatter the crumble over the fruit. Don’t press it down; you want it loose so it goes crunchy.
4. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the top is deep golden and the fruit is bubbling at the edges. If it’s browning too fast, chuck some tin foil over the top.
5. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream, cream, or custard – cook’s choice!

Our tip: The oats are the secret to a really crunchy topping. For extra indulgence, toss a handful of chopped macadamias or walnuts into the crumble mix.

Feijoa & Cardamom Shrub

A shrub is an old-fashioned drinking vinegar that’s had a bit of a resurgence since the kombucha era – they’re tangy, sweet, and super- refreshing over ice or splashed into a gin and tonic (you can use them like you’d use an apéritif, like an amaro or bitters). Feijoas take to it beautifully, and the cardamom lifts everything into something almost perfume-like… if autumn could have a signature scent, this would be it! We like it when we’re on a no-booze buzz!

You’ll need

• 2 cups feijoa flesh, roughly scooped
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4–5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

Method

1. Toss the feijoa flesh with the sugar and cardamom pods in a jar. Muddle lightly, seal, and refrigerate for 24–48 hours, stirring once or twice. It’ll dissolve into a syrup.
2. Strain out the solids, pressing gently to extract all the liquid. Discard the pulp (or fold it into some yoghurt for a tasty little dessert).
3. Stir the apple cider vinegar into the syrup. Pour into a clean bottle and refrigerate.
4. To serve, mix roughly 2 tablespoons of shrub with sparkling water and ice (or some London Dry gin if you’re that way inclined!). Adjust to taste — it should be tart, sweet, and super aromatic.

Capsule tip: This keeps in the fridge for a good two months and it’d make an excellent gift in a nice bottle.

Feijoa, Blue Cheese & Walnut Flatbread

If you’ve never tried feijoa in a savoury vibe, this one will might just change your mind. Think of it as the Kiwi answer to a pear-and-gorgonzola pizza – the fruit’s natural tang works with the salty cheese awesomely! We’ve adapted this recipe from the classic pear, blue cheese and walnut combo and the feijoa, in our opinion, really elevates it.

You’ll need

• 2 store-bought flatbreads, naan or sourdough slices
• 3–4 feijoas, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• 80g blue cheese (a creamy NZ blue is best), crumbled
• A handful of walnuts, roughly chopped
• A good drizzle of honey
• Fresh thyme leaves
• Olive oil, flaky salt

Method

1. Heat your oven to 220°C (fan bake). Place the flatbreads on a lined baking tray and brush lightly with olive oil.
2. Arrange the feijoa slices over the bread, then scatter with blue cheese and walnuts.
3. Bake for 8–10 minutes until the edges are golden and the cheese is melty and bubbling.
4. Finish with a drizzle of honey, a scattering of thyme leaves, and a pinch of flaky salt. Slice and serve immediately.

Capsule tip: This is a stunner on a Friday night cheese board, or a Sunday long lunch. Pair it with a crisp NZ Sauvignon Blanc.

Roasted Feijoa & Vanilla Butter

Fruit butters are thicker and smoother than jam, and far more forgiving to make – no stuffing  around with thermometers and sugar temps! (Who can be bothered!) Roasting the feijoas first concentrates their flavour into something almost caramel-like.

You’ll need

• 1kg feijoa flesh (about 1.5kg whole feijoas)
• ¾ cup sugar (brown or white — brown gives a deeper, toffee-ish result)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla paste)
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Heat oven to 190°C. Spread the feijoa flesh on a lined roasting tray and roast for 25–30 minutes until soft and lightly caramelised at the edges.
2. Transfer the roasted fruit to a saucepan. Add the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Cook over a medium-low heat, stirring often, for 20–25 minutes until thick and jammy.
3. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth (or leave it a bit chunky if you prefer).
4. Spoon into clean jars while hot. It’ll keep in the fridge for 3–4 weeks.

Capsule tip: Incredible on hot buttered toast, swirled through porridge, or dolloped onto pancakes. It would also make a gorgeous layer in a sponge cake.

Feijoa Mojito

We couldn’t help ourselves! The feijoa’s natural tropical-meets-guava flavour was practically MADE for a mojito. Muddling the flesh straight into the glass gives you all that yummy sweetness without needing a syrup, although we’ve included a quick one if you want to batch these for a group because we’re not wasting precious friend time making individual ones!

You’ll need – per drink

• 2 feijoas, flesh scooped out
• 6–8 fresh mint leaves
• ½ lime, cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon sugar (or 30ml simple syrup)
• 60ml white rum
• Soda water, to top
• Ice

Method

1. Add the feijoa flesh, lime wedges, mint leaves, and sugar to a sturdy glass. Muddle firmly — you want the feijoa broken down and the mint bruised, not pulverised.
2. Add the rum and stir to dissolve the sugar.
3. Fill the glass with ice, top with soda water, and stir gently to combine.
4. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a thin slice of feijoa if you’re feeling *fancy*.

Capsule tip: To batch for a party, blend 10 feijoas with 150ml simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, dissolved) and strain. Mix the strained feijoa syrup with rum at a 1:1 ratio in a jug, then let guests pour over ice and top with soda and mint.

Spiced Feijoa Chutney

Traditionally, if you’re not making a crumble, you’re turning your hand to a good feijoa chutney! This one is a slow-cooked version that’s sweet, spiced, and tangy – the kind of thing that turns a plain cheese sandwich into something worth talking about, kind of like a seasonal piccalilli. We love the layers of spices in this – it gives the chutney a great depth of flavour, but don’t stress if you’re out of something!

You’ll need

• 1kg feijoa flesh, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 apple, peeled and grated
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ cup sultanas or raisins
• Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

Method

1. Combine everything in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 1–1.5 hours. Stir occasionally – more frequently towards the end as it thickens. You’re after a rich, glossy, jam-like consistency. For the love of God, keep an eye on it at this point as it can catch on the bottom (RIP my pot).
3. Spoon into warm sterilised jars and seal. The flavour improves after a week or two in the cupboard. Once opened, keep in the fridge.

Capsule tip: This chutney is unbelievable alongside roast pork or a strong cheddar. Also try it spooned over a block of cream cheese as an instant, fancy starter – like a Kiwi sweet chilli Philly!