While you may not have heard of the cucamelon, they're rapidly becoming one of the most popular fruits on Instagram simply because they look like a watermelon that's been zapped by a shrink ray Honey, I Shrunk the Kids style. But these little fruits are so much more than cute.
Also known as a mouse melon, the Mexican sour gherkin, or by its Spanish name, sandiita (little watermelon), a cucamelon is the fruit of the Melothria scabra vine and is about the size of a grape. But despite the name, they're not actually a hybrid of watermelons and cucumbers. They do have a semi-hard rind with markings like a watermelon, but the entire thing is edible so you can pop them in your mouth for a burst of cucumber flavor with a sour twist (think a cucumber and lime mashup). They're packed with nutrients making them both fun to look at and functional. And while they're native to Central America, they can easily be grown in most parts of the U.S.
What Makes Cucamelons a Superfood?
Cucamelons are small but pack a healthful punch. They are full of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and fiber, and are also low in calories. The nutrients they provide can help lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
How Can I Eat Them?
Cucamelons can be eaten raw right off the vine or used in more creative ways. With their sour flavor, cucamelons can be great additions to salsas, salads and cocktails. To use in salsas, we recommend adding them to our Chunky Tomato Salsa, swapping out standard cucumbers for cucamelons in a cucumber-based salsa, or using them in a delicious fruity-meets-spicy pineapple or mango-based salsa.
They can be pickled (they're technically a part of the gherkin family), and will be even crisper after pickling. Try them in our Easy Half-Sour Pickles recipe or modify our Best Ever Dill Pickles recipe by using cucamelons instead of regular cucumbers.
If you want to drink your cucamelons, try them out in our Cucumber-Watermelon Sangria, our White Cucumber Sangria, or our refreshing Pepino Punch.
So How Do I Grow Cucamelons?
Since cucamelons hail from Central America, they prefer climates with similar conditions. They require full sun and hot weather and don't do well at temperatures under 50 degrees Fahrenheit. But you can still grow them yourself even if your conditions aren't ideal. If you live in an area with hot days and cool nights, plant your cucamelons in containers rather than a garden bed. You can pull the container inside at night, then bring them out into natural sun during the day. The vines also thrive in greenhouse conditions.
But despite their need for warmer temps, cucamelons aren't high maintenance plants to grow. They are relatively drought- and pest-resistant and are hardier than most varieties of cucumbers, making this a truly anyone-can-grow-it type of fruit.
If you're growing outdoors, start the seeds around the same time you would start cucumbers (April or May). Like many fruits and veggies, they like rich, well-drained soil. If you do start them in a container, you can transplant into the ground after the danger of overnight frost has passed. Water the plant well once a week, and increase to twice a week in extremely hot weather. Wherever they are planted, give this vining plant a trellis or stake to climb.
Cucamelon seeds can be hard to come by, but you can easily find them online through retailers like Amazon and Park Seed. Once you have a fruit-bearing plant of your own, save some seeds for planting later by picking one of the ripe fruits, allowing it to sit for a week or two, then cutting it open and plucking out the tiny seeds. Lay them out to dry and then keep them in an envelope or plastic container for future planting.
These adorable little fruits are slow growers so be patient; it will typically take three to four weeks for a plant to appear when starting from seeds. Once your vine beings to flower, the fruit will appear shortly thereafter. Wait to pick them until the fruits are about the size of a grape and firm to the touch. To avoid damaging the vine and keep it producing fruits for months to come, try snipping off the petite fruits with a pair of scissors. With care, you should have a decent harvest of fruits off a single plant by the time the vine goes dormant in October or November. Give them a try today!
You may have seen these adorable little cucamelon ‘berries’ on your social feeds and in my posts and wondered what they are. This post is all about these cucamelon berries, what they are, how the cucamelon berries taste, how to use them, and more!
What is a Cucamelon?
Cucamelon (aka melothria scabra) is a small, natural (non-GMO) fruit, the size of a grape, native to Mexico, referred to by many names, including mouse melon (Sandia de ratón), little watermelon (sandita), Mexican sour gherkin, and Mexican sour cucumber are all names used to describe this fruit.
Unsurprisingly, the ‘cucamelon’ looks exactly like a miniature version of watermelon on the outside, with cucumber-like insides. However, they are actually neither. Instead, they are part of the cucumber family, but a different species (Melothria scabra).
Growing cucamelons is also fairly simple. Not only is the plant often ignored by pests, but it also grows well in areas of drought, hot weather, and cooler climates (as long as there’s still sunshine). In general, it is very easy to grow – taking just a few months and not much space.
Their Health Benefits
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of research surrounding the health benefits of this grape-sized fruit. However, I’ve come across various sources that claim cucamelon can help reduce the risk of stroke, contains heart-healthy properties, and even anti-cancerous properties. They are also said to have a high antioxidant content, Vitamin C, E, K, Potassium, and fiber.
In fact, several sources consider them a type of superfood.
What Does Cucamelon Taste Like?
In terms of flavor, cucamelons are refreshing and slightly tangy – likely owing to their ‘sour cucumber’ moniker. Many describe them (and I agree) as the flavor of cucumber soaked in lime juice.
Personally, I don’t find them overly sour or, at least, not enough to consider them ‘sour cucumbers.’ However, I find the flavor crisp, fresh, and slightly sour.
Where To Find Them
This really depends on where you live. Though they aren’t available in many mainstream supermarkets, I have found them at farmers’ markets and the occasional independent store. You can also buy the seeds or grow-your-own kits and grow the cucamelon plants easily at home.
How To Store
I prefer to store cucamelons in the fridge, alongside cucumber. However, the cucamelons can also be stored at room temperature for a long time.
You’ll notice when they’re past their best as they begin to shrivel and lose their crunch. Though, at this point, they can still be used for flavored water and within alcoholic drinks.
How To Use
There are several main cucamelon recipes and ways to eat cucamelons. Here are some of my top picks and suggestions.
- Pickled whole – following the same method used in this pickle recipe.
- Within salads – wonderful for their refreshing, crisp quality, these are a great addition to tons of salads. Like this Healthy Taco Salad Recipe (Mexican Salad), Vegan Kale, Butternut Squash + Quinoa Salad, or Healthy Summer Kale Strawberry Salad.
- Within salsa – like this Quick & Simple Watermelon Salsa.
- Add to cocktails in place of an olive – or to decorate other drinks like this Simple Colour-Changing Magic Lemonade.
- Add to flavored water recipes – like these various Flavored Water Recipes.
- Serve as part of a platter – alongside various crudites and dips. I.e., Hummus 6 ways, Smoky Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush), Gluten-free Muhammara Dip (Roasted Red Pepper Dip).
- Eaten as a snack – if you like their slightly sour flavor, then feel free to eat them as-is.
Other Ways I’ve Used Them
Easy Rainbow Vegan Falafels 5-ways
These easy, delicious, rainbow vegan falafels 5 ways are perfect, served along-side a mezze platter of various mezze, pitta, vegan tahini dip and a selection of your favourite rainbow veggies.
Check out this recipe
Simple Rainbow Goat Cheese Rolls
Beautiful, simple rainbow goat cheese rolls with a mixture of vegetables and edible flower toppings. Perfect to impress as an appetizer, as part of a party spread, a cheese board and a vegetarian BBQ recipe!
Check out this recipe
If you want me to write a post all about growing cucamelon seeds at home, then let me know in the comments. As usual, if you have any questions, ask them below too!