Ackee

Blighia sapida, better known as ackee, might not be as iconic as a pineapple or as sweet as a papaya, but it’s a bold and essential part of Caribbean culture. When it comes to flavor and heritage, the ackee fruit has a story worth savoring.

Ackee is a culinary star in Jamaica, where it’s famously paired with salted cod in the national dish ackee and saltfish. But this creamy yellow fruit comes with a twist—it must be fully ripe and properly prepared before eating, or it can be toxic. In the world of tropical fruits, ackee is in a class of its own.

The ackee tree belongs to the Sapindaceae family, making it a cousin to lychee, rambutan, and longan.

Here’s the fun part—ackee looks like a flower when ripe. It opens naturally on the tree, revealing three glossy black seeds surrounded by soft, buttery yellow arils. Only the arils are edible, and only after boiling!

Ackee was brought to the Caribbean from West Africa in the 18th century and has been embraced ever since. In fact, it’s such a cultural icon that Jamaica declared it the national fruit.

Outside the Caribbean, ackee is usually sold canned (and already cooked), but in Jamaica, fresh ackee is picked with care and cooked to perfection. Despite its reputation, ackee is totally safe when handled correctly—and absolutely delicious.