How to Eat a Nectarine

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 23, 2023

Nectarines are delicious eaten as they are and can also make superb additions to fruit salads and other dishes. You can slice a nectarine into small sections before eating it. You can also eat a nectarine without slicing it. Make sure your nectarine is ripe before eating it and avoid refrigerating nectarines that have not yet ripened.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Slicing a Nectarine to Eat

1
Wash your nectarine. You should always wash a nectarine, or any other fruit, prior to eating it. Run your nectarine under tap water, and turn it around in your hands until the full surface has been rinsed. If there is there is any dirt or debris on your nectarine, make sure to wipe that off while you wash it.^{[1]
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- You should also wash your hands prior to washing a nectarine.
2
Make an incision around the pit. To cut a nectarine into neat slices to eat, you will want to make a series of incisions. Do not attempt to separate the nectarine. Just slice into it gently with a knife, leaving the fruit intact. You will separate the sections when you get done cutting your nectarine. To start, cut the nectarine in half around the pit.^{[2]
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- Start your incision slicing the nectarine on the end where the stem is located. Move your knife inward until you feel it hit the pit.
- Allowing the pit to guide your knife, bend your knife around the nectarine. Make an incision circling the full nectarine that cuts around the pit.
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3
Cut several small sections in the nectarine. Hold your nectarine so the pit is facing upwards. On either side of the nectarine, make three small cuts.^{[3]
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- Make the first cut about half an inch from the line wrapping around the center of the tangerine.
- Proceed to cut the sides of the tangerine into three even sections of about half an inch each.
4
Slice the nectarine in half the other way. Now that the nectarine has been cut into sections, you can make another line slicing the nectarine in half. Again, cut into the nectarine until you feel the pit. Then, use the pit to guide your knife around the nectarine.^{[4]
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5
Twist the nectarine and separate the sections. Once all the cuts are made, use both hands to grasp the nectarine. One hand should the end with the stem. The other should hold the bottom of the nectarine.^{[5]
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- Twist the nectarine in your hands. It should begin to come apart.
- Pick apart the sections of the nectarine. You should be left with a nice pile of evenly sized pieces of nectarine.
6
Enjoy your nectarine. You can now eat your nectarine. You can eat the slices on your own using your fingers. However, you can also add them to many dishes.^{[6]
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- Throw the slices into a bowl of plain yogurt and eat it as a snack.
- Use the slices in a fruit salad.
- Use the slices, as well as other fruits and vegetables, to make a healthy smoothie.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Eating a Nectarine without Slicing It

1
Wash your nectarine. You want to wash your nectarine prior to eating it. Run your nectarine under cold water, turning it to make sure to wash the full surface. Wipe off any dirt or debris stuck on the nectarine.^{[7]
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- You should also wash your own hands before washing a nectarine.
2
Let the nectarine come to room temperature. Nectarines taste best, and are easiest to eat, at room temperature. If you were storing your nectarine in the fridge, place it on the kitchen counter. Wait until the nectarine is at room temperature to eat it.^{[8]
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3
Peel the nectarine, if you want. There is no harm in eating your nectarine with the skin still on. However, some people dislike the taste or texture of nectarine skin. If you would prefer to peel the nectarine first, doing so is simple.^{[9]
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- Place the nectarine in a pot of boiling water. Leave it there for a minute.
- Remove the nectarine from the water. Place it in ice water.
- Once the nectarine is cool, you can easily remove the skin. It should slip off.
4
Eat the nectarine. After the nectarine is peeled, you can eat the nectarine. You can eat it the way you would eat an apple or another round fruit.
- Remember a nectarine has a pit. Do not bite too far into the center of the nectarine or you'll end up hitting the pit.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Avoiding Pitfalls

1
Do not cut a nectarine until you're ready to eat it. Nectarines lose their color quickly. You should not slice a nectarine until right before you eat it to keep the color intact.^{[10]
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- If you're serving nectarines in a fruit salad, and want to preserve the color, you can dip nectarine slices in a cup of water with a tablespoon of lemon juice. You can also toss slices in lemon juice.
2
Make sure the nectarine is ripe. Ripe nectarines will be spongy to the touch. They will also give off a lot of aroma. Underripe nectarines will not give off much scent and be very hard.^{[11]
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- If a nectarine has gone bad, it will be very soft and may be bruised slightly. While a ripe nectarine is soft, it should not be mushy.
3
Do not store a nectarine until it softens. Nectarines in the store are often underripe. It's okay to buy an underripe nectarine, as it will ripen in a few days. However, do not put underripe nectarines in the fridge. If you put a nectarine in the fridge while it is still hard, it will never ripen.^{[12]
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- A nectarine that is underripe will be hard to the touch. You will need to leave a nectarine that is hard out until it softens.