Surprise! These Common “Vegetables” Are Actually Fruit
Think you know your veggies from your fruits? You might be in for a berry big surprise! Some (or most) of the produce you toss in your salad or vegetable soup are actually fruits in disguise. That’s right—things like avocados, cucumbers, and even zucchini fit the botanical definition of fruit, though we often use them like veggies in our cooking. Speaking of cooking, some of Ree Drummond's favorite savory dishes, like eggplant rollatini and Caprese salad, are technically fruit recipes!
Even if you didn't know some of your favorite "veggies" were fruit, doesn't mean you have a pea brain! And even if you do, the explanation behind why certain types of produce are considered fruit is super simple—it all has to do with how they develop. Botanically, a fruit is defined as the part of a plant that matures from the flower and contains seeds. So, if a plant part grows from the flower and holds seeds inside, like bell peppers and pumpkins, it’s classified as a fruit! On the other hand, vegetables are other parts of the plant, like roots, stems, or leaves.
Now that you know why some veggies are considered fruit, you probably want to know which belong in your fruit bowl. If you're ready for the (string) beans to be spilled, read on for a list of sneaky vegetables that are fruit! You’ll never look at your produce the same way again.
For more fun fruit and veggie facts, check out this content:
Okra
Starting with a shocker, okra, the Southern fried staple, is actually a fruit! A fruit is the mature ovary of a flower, and in the case of okra, we eat the seed pod that forms from the flower's ovary. This pod, which is often grilled, pickled, or fried, contains the seeds and grows from the plant's bloom, fitting the botanical definition of fruit.
Tomatoes
To-may-to, to-mah-to, fruit, vegetable. There are lots of ambiguities surrounding the juicy, red food! To set the record straight, tomatoes are technically fruit (although their pronunciation is still up in the air). This is because tomatoes meet the botanical requirements for fruit, as they develop from a flower and have seeds inside. Similar to more traditionally recognized fruits like oranges, apples, and peaches, tomatoes have a fleshy texture.
Cucumbers
Although cucumbers are usually tossed in salads and thought of as veggies, they’re technically fruits! The reason comes down to how they grow. The crunchy, green veggie fruit grows from the flower of the cucumber plant and houses seeds inside.
Corn
Corn might seem like a vegetable when you’re eating it on the cob or using it to make Ree's hot corn dip, but it’s actually a fruit! Each kernel on a corn cob is technically a seed, and the whole cob develops from the flower of the corn plant.
Avocados
If its creamy texture, mild flavor, and use as a breakfast ingredient weren't enough to tip you off, avocado is actually a fruit. If you want to get even more technical, the fleshy fruit is technically a berry. Avocados have a multi-layer pericarp that surrounds the tough seed at the center, consisting of the exocarp (the peel), the mesocarp (the flesh), and the endocarp (a thin layer surrounding the seed). On the other hand, drupes, like the peach, have thicker endocarps (the pit) around their seeds.
Pumpkins
This one may not be as unexpected as some of the green "veggies" on this list (like their close relatives, cucumbers), but pumpkins also join the botanically classified fruit club! Like the other fruits on this list, pumpkins have rinds, seeds, and fleshy interiors that lend well to baked goods, like pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.
Zucchini
Another type of squash with a hidden botanical identity is the zucchini! Although we stir-fry, stuff, and even fry them in savory dishes, zucchini is considered a fruit. You may or may not have guessed this due to it growing from a zucchini flower (which is fried and eaten in Italian cuisine). In fact, many types of squash, including acorn and butternut squash, are also considered to be fruits.
Eggplants
For an ingredient that's often cooked in savory sauces, the eggplant more than meets the criteria of a fruit! Eggplants form from the flowering part of the plant and contain numerous seeds inside their flesh. While they belong to the same family as potatoes (the Solanaceae family), potatoes are considered vegetables as they're tubers.
Peppers
Whether you're talking sweet bell peppers or super-spicy poblanos, all peppers are considered fruit—no matter how spicy they are! You can tell by the tiny seeds that grow in the middle and the fact that peppers grow from small white, purple, and yellow flowers.
String Beans
Last but not least are string beans! Although a bean pod may be the last thing to enter a fruit basket, string beans fit the botanical definition of fruit as they contain seeds inside their pods. Just like other fruits, the part that's eaten is the mature ovary of the flower, which holds the seeds. So, even though string beans are commonly cooked with garlic and other savory spices as a holiday side, they're technically a fruit!
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