Walk into any grocery store in October and you’ll find them piled high in the produce section. We Roast them. We carve them into snaggle-toothed monsters. We bury them under mounds of brown sugar and cinnamon for Thanksgiving. But if you stop a random person in the aisle and ask: are pumpkins a vegetable or fruit?—you’re going to get a lot of confident, yet totally wrong, answers.
Most people lean toward vegetable. It makes sense, right? They aren't sweet like an apple or a strawberry. They grow on the ground, they’re savory when roasted with rosemary, and they feel "hearty" in a way that fruit usually doesn't. But nature doesn't care about our culinary categories. Science has a very specific set of rules for what qualifies as a fruit, and by those rules, the humble pumpkin is firmly in the fruit camp.
It’s a berry. Seriously.
Why the Botanists Say It’s a Fruit
To understand why we get so confused, we have to look at the difference between botanical classification and culinary usage. Botanists—the people who actually study plant biology—look at the "part" of the plant they’re holding. If it develops from the flower of a plant and contains seeds, it is a fruit.
Pumpkins check both boxes perfectly.
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When you look at a pumpkin vine in mid-summer, you’ll see those giant, vibrant yellow flowers. These aren't just for show. Bees flit between the male and female blossoms, and once the female flower is pollinated, the base of that flower begins to swell. That swelling is the ovary of the plant. As it grows, it hardens and matures into the orange orb we recognize. Because that orange flesh grew from a flower and is literally a protective vessel for the seeds inside, it is a fruit. Specifically, it falls into a category called a "pepo." This is a type of berry with a hard outer rind.
The Seed Test
If you’re ever in doubt about a "vegetable," just cut it open. Does it have seeds? If the answer is yes, you’re looking at a fruit. This is why tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and even zucchini are all technically fruits. A true vegetable, in the strictest scientific sense, is any other edible part of the plant—the roots (carrots), the stems (celery), the leaves (spinach), or the buds (broccoli).
We’ve been living a lie.
The Culinary "Vegetable" Loophole
So, if science says it’s a fruit, why does every chef on the Food Network treat it like a vegetable?
Cooking is about flavor profiles and texture, not reproductive biology. In the kitchen, we define "vegetables" as the savory, less-sugary parts of plants that we eat as a main course or side dish. Since pumpkins have a relatively low sugar content compared to something like a peach or a grape, they don't fit the vibe of a "fruit" on a plate. You wouldn't slice up a raw pumpkin and put it in a fruit salad. Well, you could, but your guests would probably never come back for dinner.
The USDA and most nutritional guidelines actually group pumpkins with vegetables because of how we consume them. They provide the vitamins and minerals (like Vitamin A and fiber) that we associate with veggie-heavy diets. This isn't just a modern quirk, either. For centuries, humans have used pumpkins as a winter staple because their thick skins allow them to be stored for months without spoiling.
The Surprising History of the Pumpkin
Pumpkins are native to North America. They’ve been around for a long time. Archeologists have found pumpkin-related seeds in Mexico that date back over 7,000 years. Indigenous peoples cultivated them long before corn or beans became staples. They didn't just eat the "fruit" part; they dried the flesh into mats, wove them into rugs, and roasted the seeds for protein.
When European settlers arrived, they were baffled by this giant "melon." They’d never seen anything like it. Eventually, they started filling the hollowed-out shells with milk, honey, and spices and baking them in hot ashes. This was the precursor to the pumpkin pie we eat today, though it was a lot more rustic and probably had a bit more grit in it.
The word "pumpkin" itself comes from the Greek word pepon, which literally means "large melon." The French changed it to pompon, the English turned that into pompion, and eventually, American colonists settled on pumpkin.
Nutrients: Why Science and Cooking Both Love Them
Whether you call it a fruit or a vegetable, the health profile is staggering. One cup of cooked pumpkin contains more than 200% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin A. It’s also loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin, which are compounds that protect your eyes.
Basically, eating pumpkin is like wearing sunglasses for your retinas.
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Because it’s 90% water, it’s also surprisingly low in calories. You can eat a massive portion of roasted pumpkin and still take in fewer calories than you would from a handful of almonds. The seeds (pepitas) are a different story—they’re dense with fats and minerals like magnesium and zinc. If you’re throwing the seeds away when you carve your Jack-o'-lantern, you’re tossing out the most nutrient-dense part of the whole fruit.
Common Myths About the Pumpkin
1. All Pumpkins are Orange
False. You can find pumpkins that are white, blue, green, or even striped. The "Jarrahdale" pumpkin from Australia is a stunning dusty blue, and it’s actually one of the best for eating because the flesh is creamy and not stringy.
2. Canned Pumpkin is Just Pumpkin
This is a big one. If you buy a can of "100% Pure Pumpkin" at the store, you’re often eating a blend of various winter squashes, like butternut or Hubbard squash. The FDA is actually pretty chill about this. They allow companies to label these squashes as "pumpkin" because they are all part of the same Cucurbita genus and the flavor is virtually identical once it’s pureed.
3. Pumpkins are a Type of Gourd
Not quite. While they are in the same family (Cucurbitaceae), there’s a distinction. Usually, we call the decorative, hard-shelled, non-edible versions "gourds" and the fleshy, edible ones "squash" or "pumpkins." All pumpkins are squash, but not all squash are pumpkins.
The "Real" Giant Pumpkins
If you want to see the extreme end of the "is it a fruit" debate, look at the competitive growers. These folks spend all year trying to grow pumpkins that weigh as much as a small car. The current world record, set by Travis Gienger in 2023, was a staggering 2,749 pounds.
Imagine a fruit the size of a hippopotamus.
Growing these giants requires a ridiculous amount of work. The vines can grow six inches in a single day. At the peak of the growing season, the fruit itself might put on 50 pounds in 24 hours. You can almost hear it expanding. These aren't great for eating—they’re mostly water and have a weird, spongy texture—but they prove that the pumpkin is one of the most biologically aggressive fruits on the planet.
How to Use Pumpkin Like a Pro
If you want to move beyond the "fruit vs vegetable" debate and actually use this information, start by picking the right one. Don't cook with the giant carving pumpkins you buy at a roadside stand. Those are bred for thin walls and stability, not flavor. They’re watery and bland.
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Instead, look for "Sugar Pumpkins" or "Pie Pumpkins." They’re small, heavy for their size, and have a much higher sugar content and a finer grain.
Roasting for Maximum Flavor
Skip the boiling. Boiling pumpkin makes it soggy and dilutes the flavor. Instead, cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast it face down at 400°F (about 200°C) until the skin is blistered and the flesh is tender. The natural sugars will caramelize, giving you a much richer base for soups or pies.
Don't Ignore the Seeds
Clean the pulp off the seeds, pat them dry, and toss them with olive oil and salt. Roast them at 325°F (about 160°C) for about 15-20 minutes. They’re a perfect snack, but they also add a great crunch to salads or oatmeal.
Making Sense of the Confusion
The debate over are pumpkins a vegetable or fruit really just highlights how language evolves. We use words differently depending on whether we’re in a lab or a kitchen. If you’re a scientist, it’s a fruit. If you’re a chef, it’s a vegetable.
Both are technically correct in their own contexts.
The beauty of the pumpkin is that it bridges these worlds. It has the biological complexity of a fruit and the culinary versatility of a vegetable. It’s a staple of human history and a powerhouse of nutrition.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Grocery Trip:
- Check the Label: If you’re buying canned puree, look for "Libby’s" if you want the classic taste, but realize it’s often a specific strain of Dickinson squash, not the orange pumpkin you see on porches.
- Go Heirloom: Try a "Fairytale" or "Cinderella" pumpkin for roasting. The flavor is leagues beyond the standard field pumpkin.
- Eat the Seeds: They contain high levels of tryptophan, which helps your body produce serotonin. It’s literally a "happy" snack.
- Store Properly: A whole, unblemished pumpkin can last 2-3 months in a cool, dark place. Once you cut it, it only lasts about a week in the fridge.
Next time someone asks you if a pumpkin is a fruit, you can give them the long answer. Or just tell them it’s a giant orange berry and watch their head spin. Either way, you’re right.