How to Cut a Kiwi with Step-by-Step Instructions

If you’re not already familiar with kiwi fruit, it can seem a bit intimidating. After all, these brown, fuzzy balls sure do look a bit strange, but they’re super tasty! Once you learn how to peel, cut, and eat kiwi fruit, it’s sure to become one of your favorites.

The following guide will tell you how to peel a kiwi, how to cut a kiwi, and more. Let’s get started!

What part of a kiwi is edible?

If you’re wondering what parts of a kiwi fruit are edible, you might be glad to learn that you can eat the whole thing! The inside of a kiwi is made up of green, juicy fruit, tiny black seeds, and a white inner area. There’s no need to core the fruit or remove the seeds; instead, you can just pop it in your mouth and enjoy.

Can you really eat kiwi skin?

While you might worry about whether it's okay to eat a kiwi’s brown, fuzzy skin, it’s actually perfectly safe. Not only that, but the skin is packed with fiber, vitamin E, vitamin C, and folate.

If you want to try eating a kiwi whole, start by choosing one that's as ripe as possible. You’ll know you have a ripe kiwi if it gives a little when you gently squeeze it. Next, wash your kiwi thoroughly. If you scrub it, you can remove some of the “fuzz” on the skin, giving it a smoother texture. Just be gentle or you’ll bruise the fruit inside. Finally, cut off the hard ends of the kiwi and you can eat it just like you would an apple.

How to peel a kiwi

Not quite ready to start eating your kiwi with the skin on? No worries! It’s easy to peel a kiwi fruit using either a peeler, a spoon, or a knife. Here’s a closer look at each method.

1. Use a peeler

If you have a Y-shaped vegetable peeler handy, this is a great way to peel your kiwi. Start by placing the kiwi on a cutting board and slicing off the hard end. Hold the kiwi upright and run the peeler downward along the sides to remove the skin. Once all the sides of the kiwi have been peeled, use your knife to cut off the hard bottom end and you’re good to go!

2. Peel kiwi with a spoon

Don’t have a peeler handy? That’s okay! You can safely and easily peel a kiwi with a spoon. Start by using a knife to cut both hard ends off. Then, insert your spoon near the edge of the kiwi, between the skin and the fruit. Gently move it around the edge of the kiwi until you’ve made a complete circle.

In most cases, once this is complete, the kiwi fruit will fall right out. If you have a larger kiwi, you may need to flip it over and complete the process again from the other end. Then, simply slide the fruit out of the skin.

3. Peel kiwi with a knife

You can also peel a kiwi with a knife, although with this method, you may end up peeling off more of the fruit along with the skin. Start by cutting both ends off the kiwi, then stand it upright on your cutting board. Use the knife to slice off pieces of the skin in a downward motion, rotating the kiwi as you remove the skin.

How to cut a kiwi

Now that you’ve got the skin removed, it’s time to dive into the question everyone has on their minds, “How do you cut a kiwi?” Here are two of the most popular methods.

1. Basic knife method

If you want to know how to slice kiwi or you’re planning to dice it up into smaller pieces, then the basic knife method is likely your best option. Once you’ve peeled the kiwi, hold it sideways on the cutting board and use the knife to slice it into round pieces.

If you prefer, you can also make wedges by first cutting the kiwi in half lengthwise. Then, put one half on the cutting board flat-side down and cut it into 3 to 4 wedge-shaped pieces. Repeat for the other half.

To dice kiwi, follow the steps for making wedges, then turn the fruit the other way and cut across the wedges to create small diced pieces.

2. Star cut

Want to get really fancy? A star cut looks beautiful and is easy to do. For this method, you’ll want to use an un-peeled kiwi.

Start by putting your kiwi on the cutting board on its long side. Insert the point of a small knife into the skin, at about the mid-point of the fruit. Make diagonal slices into a “v” shape and continue around the entire fruit. When you’re done, you’ll be able to gently pull the halves apart and separate them. This looks really pretty and is a fun way to experiment with eating a kiwi with the skin on.

Enjoy experimenting with kiwi fruit

Now that you know how to cut a kiwi, you can enjoy experimenting with this delicious fruit. While it’s tasty on its own, it’s also excellent in a fruit salad or as part of fruit kebabs, added to your morning smoothie, or layered into a yogurt parfait.

You can also use it in recipes like kiwi-mango salsa, or use it as a garnish when serving dishes like grilled chicken. No matter what you decide to make with your kiwi, the expert shoppers at Instacart can make it easy. Simply head over to Instacart, create your shopping list, and they’ll take care of the rest. Try it out today!