The Best Ways to Ripen Kiwi Fruit

Kiwis are tasty fruit native to China. The small, green and fuzzy fruit arrived in the United States in the early 20th century. Cooks use kiwis in salads, smoothies and desserts. You can find kiwis in grocery stores, but they may not be ready to eat when purchased.

Determining Ripeness

When you buy kiwis from the store or pick them from a vine, they may not be ripe. If the fruit remains firm when slight pressure is applied, it is not ready to eat. Ripe kiwis will yield when slight pressure is applied.

Normal Ripening

An under-ripe kiwi can be ready to eat in a several days. Place the hard kiwi in a brown paper bag, and store in a dry place.

Accelerated Ripening

If you want to hasten the ripening process, place other fruit such as apples, pears or bananas in the bag with the kiwi. These fruit expel the gas ethylene which speeds up ripening. When the kiwi becomes ripe, store it in the refrigerator away from other fruit. You can store a ripe kiwi in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Ripen A Kiwi Once It Has Been Cut?

It happens to everyone: You cut into a kiwi only to discover that it’s not ripe. Outside of the fridge, however, whole kiwis will ripen in as little as a couple of days -- take out ahead only what you'll consume. To speed up the ripening process, place unripe kiwis in a paper bag to trap the ethylene gas.