Is a pickle a fruit? - The complete guide

Determining if a pickle is a fruit is a multi-layered matter. To get to the heart of the matter, we have to analyze whether a pickle is the same as a cucumber, and then decide whether a cucumber is even a fruit or something else entirely.

We have looked at the question from all angles so you don’t have to keep wondering.

So what is the verdict: cucumber is a fruit?

Yes, gherkins are fruits, but in addition, gherkins are technically also vegetables. Gherkins are made from cucumbers, which grow from a flower and contain seeds but no pits. Botanically speaking, they are a vegetable, a fruit and a berry at the same time.

It’s worth noting that there’s a significant difference between the culinary view of fruits and vegetables compared to the botanical definition, not to mention the debate over whether or not gherkins are cucumbers in the first place.

Stay with us as we take an in-depth look at these factors and many more in the following article.

Most of us think of vegetables as plant foods served with dinner in a salad or cooked and often covered in butter or another tasty sauce.

The fruit, on the other hand, is picked from a tree or shrub and is more likely to be eaten raw or served with sugar in a dessert, treat, or possibly breakfast.

They are common distinctions between fruits and vegetables, but they are far from scientifically exact . Both fruits and vegetables come from plants, but it may surprise you what is technically a fruit and not a vegetable.

What is a fruit?

In the field of botany, or plant science, a fruit is the seed-bearing part of a flowering plant. Not all fruits are edible.

In common culinary terms, fruit is often associated with edible items that have seeds, but we think of them primarily as sweet, like apples and peaches, or tart, like citrus. They are often eaten raw, or at least can be enjoyed that way.

Botanically, many edible items that we would consider vegetables or grains are actually fruits. Bean pods contain seeds and grow on a flowering plant, so they are also fruits.

Wheat grains also contain seeds and grow on flowering plants. The same goes for tomatoes, corn, and cucumbers.

What makes a fruit a fruit depends on how scientific you want to be with your definition.

What is a vegetable?

Vegetables, according to botany, are the part of any plant that can be consumed by humans. Technically, this includes the leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and even the fruits. 

Botanically, a fruit is a vegetable.

To keep things simple, in the culinary world, plant parts that receive their own names, such as fruits, but also include nuts, flowers, and grains, are generally no longer classified as vegetables.

However, to return an element of confusion, in the culinary world as well, savory fruits like tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumbers are called vegetables.

Similarly, flowers, such as broccoli and cauliflower, and seeds, such as legumes, are also called vegetables.

So while you wouldn’t call a beetroot or a carrot a fruit, for example, you can call any fruit a vegetable and still be technically correct.

Is cucumber a fruit?

Cucumbers are botanically a fruit. They grow into a flowering plant and have seeds inside.

However, from a culinary point of view, they are usually considered a vegetable. Cucumbers are more of a salty fruit and are eaten more like a vegetable.

However, they are rarely cooked, and when grown well, they have a lovely sweetness, so there is still room for discussion about the fruit, even in culinary circles.

As you already know, all fruits are technically also vegetables, so it would be 100% correct to call a cucumber a fruit or a vegetable, and it would be true from a botanical point of view and could even be argued from a culinary point of view.

Is the cucumber a berry?

Another classification that we have not talked about yet is that of berries.

In botany, a berry is a type of fleshy fruit that does not have a stone. They are produced from a single flower on a flowering plant, and that plant has only one ovary.

By this definition, stone fruits such as peaches are not berries, but neither are raspberries or strawberries, because they are produced from flowers with multiple ovaries.

Instead, bananas, grapes, and cucumbers are considered berries. 

It is very rare that this definition is used outside the realm of botanical research.

In a culinary sense, a berry is any fleshy fruit that does not have a stone. This includes the ever-popular strawberry, but also tomatoes, eggplant, and cucumbers.

Therefore, yes, a cucumber is also a berry.

How are pickles made?

To get to the bottom of whether or not a gherkin is a fruit, we have to decide if anything changes botanically when the fruit is pickled. The answer is no, a fruit is a fruit, regardless of how it is prepared.

Pickling is a form of food preservation that uses vinegar and brine in a jar or other airtight container to ferment food and protect it from bacterial growth and spoilage.

It can be used to preserve any edible food, although fruits and vegetables are the most popular items to be pickled today, with cucumbers and cabbage being the most commonly pickled foods.

Is a cucumber a gherkin?

In North America, if you ask for a gherkin, you will most likely be offered a small pickled cucumber. In other parts of the world, they may offer you any variety of pickled fruits or vegetables, or even eggs, fish, or meat.

Cucumbers can certainly be pickles, but not all pickles are cucumbers. We have devoted an entire article to answering the question, Cucumbers vs. Pickles - What’s the difference?

Conclusion - Is a cucumber a fruit?

Now that you understand that a cucumber is technically a fruit, a vegetable, and even a berry , and that pickling a fruit doesn’t change its classification, we can safely say that pickles are fruits.

However, not all pickled foods are fruits in the first place. Yes, cucumbers may be the most commonly pickled food, and those are fruits, but a pickled herring is certainly not a fruit.

Pickles can also be vegetables or even non-veg foods.

The language and definition of edible foods is very varied, and what it means depends on whether you are a cook or a botanist, and whether you are in the US or the UK.

Related questions:

Do pickles count as a serving of vegetables?

Most countries in the world have a recommended number of servings of fruit and vegetables for the average person. In the US, Americans are encouraged to eat 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Do pickles count as a serving of vegetables? Technically, yes, if you eat pickled fruits or vegetables they are still servings of fruits or vegetables.

However, you shouldn’t consider a couple of sweet pickles on your fast food burger as a helping of vegetables that will keep your body healthy.

As an occasional part of an otherwise healthy diet, pickled fruits and vegetables can count toward your recommended servings of vegetables.

Are the pickles vegan?

Pickles, like pickled cucumbers, are absolutely vegan. They are simply cucumbers that have been pickled in brine or vinegar, and both are vegan.

Some pickles are fermented, and you may see the term “lacto-fermented.” This does not mean that milk (lactose) is used in the process. Lacto refers to the fact that the sugars in food are broken down into lactic acid.

Depending on where you are in the world, pickles can refer to any food that has been pickled. Some cultures frequently pickle shellfish or other animal products, such as pork, beef, and eggs.

In those cases, no, the pickled food is not vegan.

Pickle vs. pickled?

In the UK and some other countries, gherkin refers to a small pickled cucumber. In North America, the same small pickled cucumber would simply be called a gherkin.