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27/04/2026
Lychee recipes are your best companions this summer, especially once you get bored with eating fruit after fruit from a bunch. This small fruit has a spiky outer layer inside, which hides the sweet and juicy lychee with a translucent white flesh. Lychee season peaks between May and June across India. So, make the most of it by adding it to drinks, desserts and capitalize on the fruit’s vitamin C, antioxidants, and hydrating natural sugars.
Consumed mostly as a fruit, and for good reason, this summer fruit has an irresistible aroma and juicy, sweet flesh that works great as a summer drink and also for desserts. Botanically classified as Lychee chinensis and belonging to the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), lychee has been cultivated for over 2,000 years, originating in the southern provinces of China.
Today, India is one of the world's leading producers, with Bihar, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, and Punjab known for their prolific lychee orchards, particularly the famed Shahi lychee of Muzaffarpur. Lychee recipes, thus, have had a long-standing place in Indian homes.
If nutrition is to be considered, lychee has myriad impressive benefits. A 100-gram serving of fresh lychee provides approximately 70 mg of Vitamin C, which is around 9% of the daily recommended intake, as compared to eating a whole orange. The fruit also delivers:
Oligonol: Studies show that lychees have this rare low-molecular-weight polyphenol, known for its antioxidant and anti-influenza properties, and its ability to improve blood flow and protect skin from UV rays.
Potassium: supports healthy blood pressure and heart function.
Copper: essential for red blood cell production.
B-complex vitamins: thiamin, niacin, and folate, which help the body metabolise carbohydrates, proteins, and fats efficiently.
Dietary fibre: aids digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness.
Epicatechin and Rutin: flavonoids that may reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.
At just 66 calories per 100 grams, lychee is also a low-calorie fruit with negligible fat, although heavy in carbs and natural sugars, making it a more guilt-free seasonal indulgence than many other fruits.
Now that you know the benefits of lychee, try these lychee recipes below with the fresh translucent, sweet and juicy flesh of the fruit.
Panna cotta in Italian refers to ‘cooked cream’, which is a silky milk-based dessert that has quietly become an international favourite. You can call it a milk pudding, and when paired with lychee, it transforms into a floral and utterly elegant dessert. Instead of adding the lychee puree to the dessert, you can turn it into a compote and add it as a separate layer or as a sauce.
Ingredients: Fresh cream, full-fat milk, fresh lychee, sugar, unflavoured gelatin powder (or agar-agar), cold water, vanilla extract, rose water (optional), for garnish: fresh lychee and dried rose petals
Method:
First, bloom the gelatin in cold water. Then puree the lychee flesh and strain.
Heat cream, milk and sugar until steaming. Off heat, add the gelatin and mix until cohesive. Then add the vanilla extract, rose water, and the lychee puree.
Pour into ramekins and set in the fridge for 4-6 hours. Demold and serve the next day, with garnishes.
Synthetic lychee jellies are quite mainstream, so how about you try homemade jellies this summer? Made with just lychee juice and a setting agent like gelatin or agar agar, this wobbly, refreshing treat can be eaten on its own, added to drinks, tossed into bubble tea, or used as a garnish for desserts like panna cotta or ice cream.
Ingredients: Fresh lychee juice, agar-agar powder (gelatin powder), sugar (optional), fresh lychee pieces, pink food colour (optional)
Method:
Pour lychee juice into a saucepan and sprinkle agar-agar powder over the liquid, and mix well. If the juice is not too sweet, add sugar and mix.
Bring to a boil and keep stirring, and then remove from the heat.
Add fresh lychee pieces into a wide rectangular container or mould and pour this hot liquid over them.
Let it cool, then put it in the fridge for 2 hours until firm. Once set, cut into cubes or use a spoon to scoop.
Lychee juice, in its simplest form, is already a treat. When you blend it with fresh lemon juice and mint, it becomes one of the most extraordinary lychee recipes. Lychee lemonade is the kind of drink that disappears from the jug before you've had a chance to pour the second round, and it only takes 10 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients: Fresh lychee, fresh lemon and lime juice, granulated sugar, chilled water, fresh mint leaves, ice cubes and lime rounds (for serving)
Method:
Add peeled, deseeded lychee, sugar and lemon juice into a mixer grinder. Blend into a smooth, thick puree. Transfer the puree to a large pitcher.
Add chilled water and stir. Taste and adjust sugar or lemon juice as needed. If you don’t want a pulpy drink, you can pass it through a fine-mesh strainer.
Pour into ice-filled glasses. Add mint leaves and lime rounds. Serve immediately.
One of the simplest lychee recipes, sorbet is simply frozen fruit, sugar, and a little liquid, and is much better than mass-produced frozen desserts. Lychee happens to be one of the most naturally suited fruits for sorbet, given its natural sweetness. Its high water content, as well as floral fragrance, freeze into a deeply refreshing, dairy-free dessert that rivals any premium store-bought tub.
Ingredients: Fresh lychee (peeled and deseeded), lychee or simple syrup, fresh lime juice, coconut milk or water, and salt
Method:
Arrange the peeled and deseeded lychees in a single layer on a tray lined with parchment. Freeze for 3-4 hours or overnight.
Transfer frozen lychee to a blender, add lychee or simple syrup, lime juice, coconut milk (or water), and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.
Pour the blended mixture into a freezer-safe container. Smooth the top. Freeze for 1 hour.
Let the sorbet sit at room temperature for 3-5 minutes before scooping. Serve in chilled bowls with fresh lychee halves on top.
One of the easiest lychee recipes on this list, this refreshing beverage is perfect for summer mornings when you want a drink that not only hydrates you but also fills you up. Why go for packed drinks with hidden sugars in them that only use sugar syrups when you can use the actual fruit to make a smoothie?
Ingredients: Banana, lychees (both fruits peeled and frozen), chilled plain yoghurt, chilled milk, chilled orange juice, vanilla extract, and honey.
Method:
Remove the seeds of the litchi, slice the bananas and add all ingredients to a blender.
You can let frozen fruits soften slightly if needed, then blend until smooth.
Check the consistency and sweetness, and add more liquid and sweetener if required. Pour into glasses and serve chilled.
Why stick to just fruitmaxxing when you can use the fruit in delightful desserts and drinks? These were some simple lychee recipes to get you started. You can use more creative ways and add them to mithais and even halwas to surprise your loved ones, especially those who are terribly fond of this juicy summer fruit.
Both are correct—they refer to the same fruit; “litchi” is British usage, while “lychee” is more common in American English.
