As a ubiquitous presence in grocery stores and gardens alike, zucchini is a beloved vegetable among many. But is it a fruit or a vegetable? In today’s blog post, we provide an answer.
Is Zucchini a Fruit?
The straightforward answer is that zucchini is technically a fruit. Fruits are defined as the mature ovary of a flowering plant, which contains seeds and develops from the flower after pollination. Zucchini checks all these boxes.
Vegetables, on the other hand, are parts of plants that are harvested for consumption and include leaves, stems, and roots. Zucchini does not meet this definition.
So, despite being commonly thought of and consumed as a vegetable, zucchini actually fits the definition of a fruit.
Like other fruits, zucchini comes from the swelling of a flower’s ovary after pollination. Additionally, zucchini seeds are located within the fruit, further cementing its classification as a fruit.
In short, while it may be surprising to hear, from a scientific standpoint, zucchini is indeed a fruit.
Culinary Use vs Botanical Definition
Interestingly, the culinary world has its own set of definitions for fruits and vegetables. In cooking, anything that is sweet and used in desserts is generally considered a fruit, while anything used in savory dishes is a vegetable.
From this perspective, zucchini is almost exclusively used in savory dishes (such as pasta, chicken or skillets) and is therefore classified as a vegetable from a culinary standpoint. However, this classification has more to do with the way zucchini is used in the kitchen than the actual scientific classification of the plant.
For the most part, the way you classify zucchini is irrelevant. The classification is largely based on technicalities and doesn’t have a significant impact on how zucchini is consumed or grown. However, knowing the scientific classification of zucchini can be helpful for understanding its unique traits.
For example, as a fruit, zucchini contains more sugar than many other vegetables. This means that, when cooked, it can caramelize and take on a sweeter flavor profile.
Wrapping It Up
From a scientific standpoint, zucchini is best classified as a fruit due to its origin from a flowering plant.
However, in culinary tradition, zucchini is generally referred to as a vegetable due to its most common uses in savory dishes. In the end, whether you call it a fruit or a vegetable, there’s no denying the delicious and diverse ways that zucchini can be used in cooking.
Chef Gourmet: We Know Good Food
At Chef Gourmet, we use only fresh ingredients to create delicious dishes inspired by culinary traditions from around the world.
We are located in Ontario, California, with deliveries available for the Greater Los Angeles Area. Get in touch by phone (1-888-536-5269), email (info@6v2.b95.mytemp.website.com), or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
