Turns out, vegetables can be deceiving! A lot of "vegetables" that you know and love are actually undercover fruits if you can believe it or not. On a botanical level, if the food grows from a flower and contains seeds, they're considered fruits! So let's test your knowledge today and see how many times you get surprised. Here are 20 "vegetables" that are actually fruits.
1. Tomatoes
Due to how often we see and eat them, tomatoes are usually the most commonly mistaken "vegetable". That's right, your beloved tomatoes are actually fruits, even if you treat them like veggies! They grow from the flowering part of the tomato plant, which is already a characteristic of a fruit, but the biggest giveaway is that it has seeds.
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2. Bell Peppers
It doesn't matter if they're red, green, yellow, or orange - all bell peppers are actually fruits! Just like tomatoes, they grow from the blossom of their plant and you've probably noticed they've got seeds. That makes them fruits alright.
3. Cucumbers
Here's one you probably never knew about. Cucumbers are technically fruits! That's right, you've been dipping fruit in ranch all this time. Growing from flowers and containing seeds, they check off two boxes that classify them as fruits.
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4. Zucchini
Given how often they're confused for cucumbers, it only makes sense that zucchinis are also technically fruits, right? Although they're typically cooked as vegetables, the fact that they grow from the zucchini flower makes them a fruit.
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5. Pumpkins
As a type of squash, pumpkins are certified fruits. Although these massive (sometimes used as decorative pieces) objects seem too large to be fruits, they still contain seeds and grow from the flower part of the plant.
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6. Avocados
Everyone's favourite trendy veggie is actually, yes, a fruit. Avocados are typically used in savory dishes, but that doesn't make them a vegetable! You're likely familiar with that massive pit in the middle (the one you usually sigh about), and that alone makes it categorized as a single-seeded berry.
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7. Olives
Despite having a bitter, rather briny taste, olives are small fruits that grow on trees. It's their taste profile that usually confuses people! How could a fruit possibly taste like that?
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8. Eggplants
Eggplant, aubergine, whatever you call it doesn't change the fact that it's actually a fruit and not a vegetable. Once again growing from the flowering part of the plant and containing seeds, these fruits are staples in many savory dishes across the globe.
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9. Peas
We're definitely going to get you with this one - did you know peas are not actually vegetables? They're technically fruits thanks to the fact that they grow from the pea flower and contain seeds inside a pod. Turns out your pea soup is technically a fruit soup!
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10. Corn
Although corn is typically categorized as a grain, for many botanists, they'd call it a fruit. Why? That's because technically each kernel on the cob is considered a seed. Not to mention, corn is developed from a flower.
That's two for two.
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11. Okra
Down in the South, Okra is a staple fruit (yes, fruit)! that is often featured in many iconic stews or simply fried as a delicious appetizer. If you've eaten it before, you probably know it contains tons of little seeds, but what you didn't know is that it grows from the flower of the okra plant.
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12. String Beans
On a botanical level, string beans are considered fruits because they grow from the flower of the bean plant and have seeds inside their pods. It's probably weird to think of them as fruits, but by definition, that's what they are!
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13. Jalapeños
You likely ever only think about jalapeños in terms of how spicy they are, but these chili peppers are technically fruits too. Spicy fruit? That's real apparently! Growing from a flower and containing those dangerous seeds you always watch out for, jalapeños definitely check out as fruits.
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14. Chayote
You may not be familiar with chayote, but just know that they're considered a member of the squash family. They're another fruit that's typically prepared and cooked as a vegetable, but given that it grows from the blossoming flower of its plant and contains one massive seed inside, it's technically a fruit.
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15. Bitter Melon
Typically prepared in Asian cuisine, this notable (and typically disliked) fruit already gave it away in its name. Even though it's usually cooked in savory sauces and with other vegetables, it's undeniably a fruit given that it checks off two for two like the others on this list.
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16. Squash Blossoms
If you didn't know, squash itself is technically a fruit. So while yes, it makes sense that squash blossoms are also fruits (which they are), it's a more unique item that you probably haven't thought much about. Typically eaten stuffed or fried, their appearance definitely makes them one of the more strange-looking fruits out there.
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17. Plantains
Given how closely they resemble bananas, you're probably surprised plantains are on this list! But because of how they are typically cooked in other cuisines, it is important that we note plantains are indeed fruits. Containing both seeds and growing from the flowering part of its plant, it is botanically considered a fruit.
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18. Breadfruit
You're probably telling yourself, "It literally says fruit in its name"!, but for many tropical countries around the world, the breadfruit is typically prepared as a vegetable. It may even look more like a fruit, but it's said to taste more like a potato. But that's where taste can sometimes be deceiving, because breadfruit is in fact, a fruit!
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19. Capers
Those capers you top your smoked salmon bagels with? Yeah, they're technically fruits! While some people might call them seeds, capers are actually unripe flower buds!
20. Cayenne Peppers
Let's add another hot pepper onto this list. Cayenne peppers are commonly used in various forms for cooking, whether it be dried, powdered, or fresh. But just like jalapenos and everything else on this list, growing from the flower of their plant and containing seeds makes it undeniably a fruit.
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