The Healthiest Way to Make Homemade Guava Paste

I’m going to tell you exactly why I LOVE making homemade guava paste. Not only does it taste delicious, because the flavors are more concentrated from cooking down the fruit, but it makes an extremely versatile base and pairing for all kinds of other recipes and foods that I’ll list throughout this blog. 

Homemade guava paste can be used in all sorts of other recipes. One of the best things about it is that it’s ridiculously easy to make. With a few simple ingredients and a little time in the kitchen, you’ll have a delicious and healthy version that tastes so much better than the sugar-laden, store-bought brands. Plus, you get the satisfaction of learning just how self-reliant you are!

There are a bunch of varieties of guava growing here in San Diego, and any of them can be made into paste, but I love making paste out of the ones that are pink on the inside, if not simply for their vibrant color, but they’re so sweet. They also make a beautiful addition to your holiday charcuterie board.

Gathering Your Ingredients

The first step in making homemade guava paste is gathering your ingredients. Head to your local grocery store, farmer’s market or guava tree during late summer through the fall season—even over the winter in some parts of San Diego. I was lucky enough to have been given a huge bag full of them by my daughter-in-law the other day, and I’ve been a mad woman making them into paste in order to preserve them, ever since. Choose ripe guavas with vibrant colors and a fragrant aroma. You’ll also need lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed), an apple, agave syrup and a cup or so of purified water.

Preparing the Guava Puree

Start by washing and chopping the ends off of the guavas, then cut them in half from end to end. Remove the seeds with a spoon. They should come out pretty easily with pulp around them.

Place the seeds and pulp into a pint glass. Fill the pint glass with water, just above the seeds and pulp. Blend with an immersion blender and then strain out the seeds with a mesh strainer and SAVE THE LIQUID.

In a blender, combine the chopped guava pieces with a cup of the guava liquid that was strained off of the seeds and pulp, an apple and a splash of lemon juice. Blend until smooth and transfer to a medium-sized pot.

Cooking the Guava Paste

Next, cook the guava puree over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. The goal is to reduce the puree to a thicker consistency, similar to that of guava jelly, but this is going to be even more condensed, so that it stores well.

This process may take some time, but the result is worth it for the rich flavor and texture that has a similar quality as cranberry sauce, but with a much more delicate, yet complex taste—if you can imagine that. Actually, it’s a really creative alternative at your holiday dinner for those people who don’t like cranberry sauce, and a perfect addition to leftover turkey sandwiches. 

As the guava puree cooks down, it’ll begin to thicken and darken in color. Keep a close eye on the mixture to prevent burning, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon and incrementally lowering the heat, as needed. You’ll know it’s done when you can drag the wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan, separating the paste, and the line remains for at least a few seconds before the paste falls back together. The paste should have a thick, gelatinous consistency at this point.

Shaping and Storing the Guava Paste

Once the guava paste reaches the desired consistency, pour it into a loaf pan or glass pyrex dish, oiled and/or lined with wax paper or parchment paper, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Allow the guava paste to cool to room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator to set overnight.

The next day, carefully remove the guava paste from the pan and slice it into squares or rectangles using a sharp knife.

The best way to store your homemade guava paste is in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to several weeks, or slice and freeze your guava paste for longer preservation. To do this, make sure you place wax or parchment paper between the slices, in order to prevent them from sticking together. Enjoy it as a spread on toast or crackers, as a cake filling, on bagels and cream cheese or even as a topping for ice cream.

Homemade Guava Paste

This recipe guides you through the process of making homemade guava paste from fresh guavas, using agave syrup for the sweetener and an apple for pectin. It involves preparing a smooth guava puree by cooking and blending the fruit, then simmering it down to a thick, flavorful paste. The paste is shaped, cooled, and stored for use as a spread or accompaniment to various dishes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 0

Equipment

• 1 Cutting board and knife for washing, chopping, and preparing the guavas.
• 1 Spoon for scooping out the guava seeds.
• 1 Sauce pan to cook the chopped guava pieces with water and lemon juice.
• 1 wooden spoon for stirring the guava mixture while cooking.
• 1 Mesh strainer
• 1 Immersion blender, table top blender or potato masher to puree the guava mixture into a smooth consistency.
• 1 mini loaf pan or small glass pyrex dish for shaping and setting the guava paste.
• Wax paper or parchment paper: to line the pan or dish for easy removal of the guava paste.
• 1 Spoon for smoothing the top of the guava paste in the pan.
• small airtight container for storing the guava paste in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound ripe guavas
• 1/2 large apple, chopped (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup agave syrup
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 1-2 cups drinking water
• 1 tablespoon oil for oiling the dish before filling it with guava paste

Instructions

 

• 1. Wash the guavas thoroughly and chop off the ends.
• 2. Cut the guavas in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds using a spoon.
• 3. Put the seeds and the soft pulp that surrounds them into a pint glass, placing the flesh of the fruit with skin aside.
• 4. Fill the pint glass to just above the pulp with drinking water (do not fill more than 2/3 of the way full) and gently blend the contents of the glass with an immersion blender.
• 5. Place a strainer over a sauce pan (or bowl) and pour the thick juice and seed mixture from the pint glass into the strainer.
• 6. Use a wooden spoon to stir the seeds and pulp, so that the juice drips into the sauce pan. This can take a while, so be patient. Tapping the strainer on the sauce pan or bowl, allowing gravity to help pull the thick juice through the strainer can be helpful.
• 7. Combine the chopped guava pieces and chopped apple with the strained guava juice and blend with an immersion blender or countertop blender. You can also use a potato masher. If you do, then heat the fruit first, so it's easier to mash. I don't recommend heating the fruit before putting it in a blender, because the heat will create pressure and could pop the top off and burn you.
• 8. Place the puree in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring in the agave and lemon until well combined.
• 9. Stirring occasionally, allow the puree to bubble and reduce, turning the heat down as needed, as it begins to thicken.
• 10. When the puree becomes thick and syrupy, reduce the heat to low (if you haven't already)and stir continuously, so that it doesn't burn.
• 11. Continue cooking the puree until it is thick enough to leave a line when you drag the spoon across the bottom of the pan. It will look more like a gelatinous mass than liquid at this point.
• 12. Remove pan from the stove and pour the cooked guava paste into a mini loaf pan or small glass dish that is oiled or lined with wax paper or parchment paper, smoothing the top of the paste with a spoon.
• 13. Allow the guava paste to cool to room temperature, then cover and transfer it to the refrigerator to set overnight.
• 14. The next day, carefully remove the guava paste from the pan and slice it into squares or rectangles, using a sharp knife.
• 15. Store the guava paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to several weeks, or freeze for longer preservation.

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Making homemade guava paste is not only a great way to enjoy the flavors of fresh fruit year-round, but also a healthier alternative to store-bought varieties. By using fresh guavas, natural sweeteners, and simple cooking techniques, you can create a delicious treat that your family and friends will fall in love with. The next time you’re in proximity to a bunch of guavas from your local grocery store or guava tree, make yourself some easy, homemade guava paste and you’ll have a delicious base within reach for seasonal sauces, snacks and desserts.