How to Cut a Kiwi

Five simple steps to a perfectly sliced or cubed kiwi.

cut, sliced kiwi fruit

Need to cut up a few kiwi for your next fruit salad, but not sure where to start? Luckily, this little fuzzy fruit is relatively easy to trim and slice. The first step is to decide whether you want to leave the skin on or take it off.

Unlike many other fruits, the skin on kiwi is edible. If you keep it on, give it a good hearty scrub while rinsing to soften up and remove some of the fuzz. If you choose to remove it, consider saving it for your next smoothie (it’s packed with fiber and other nutrients!) or add it to your compost pile. 

Ready to cut that kiwi? Here is what you’ll need and how to do it.

Kiwi: Choose kiwi that are firm, but give slightly when gently pressed. Avoid fruit with wrinkles, soft, mushy spots or dents. 

Water: Like any food you plan on cutting, you’ll need to give your kiwi a good rinse under cool, running water to clean it.

A sharp knife: A small paring knife works best for this task. 

Cutting board: A heavy board that’s dedicated for fruits and vegetables is ideal. 

How to Cut a Kiwi

Step 1: Wash the kiwi under cool, running water. Pat dry with a clean towel or paper towels. 

Step 2: Place a damp paper towel on your work surface then cover with your cutting board. This creates a stable surface for cutting.

towel underneath a cutting board

Step 3: Place kiwi on cutting board. Use a paring knife to trim off (about 1/2-inch) from both ends.

slicing ends of kiwi

Step 4: Stand kiwi upright on the cutting board. Start at the top, with the edge of your knife between the fruit and skin, and cut down towards the board. Follow the curve of the fruit to remove the skin. Repeat around the rest of the fruit until all peel is removed.

removing kiwi fruit peel
slicing kiwi fruit
slicing kiwi fruit

Step 5: Cut into slices, half moons or cubes and enjoy.

slicing peeled kiwi fruit

Spoon Method

Follow steps 1 and 2 above then place kiwi on the cutting board and slice in half through the middle.

cutting kiwi fruit in half

Insert a small spoon (I like using a grapefruit spoon for this task) into the cut end of one of the halves, between the skin and the fruit. Twist the kiwi and loosen fruit from the peel as you go. Be careful not to pierce through the skin. Once all the way around, remove the fruit and enjoy.

spoon method kiwi
spoon method kiwi

Related:

Was this page helpful?