How to Eat Pepino Melon

Co-authored by Abyssinia Campbell and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: October 29, 2022 References

Whether you found a pepino melon at the supermarket or grew one of your own, this versatile fruit is a delicious addition to your kitchen. Pepino melon, also known as pepino dulce or melon pear, is a tropical hand-sized fruit that has a cool, refreshing flavor. If you’re excited to try pepino melon, we’ve got you covered! Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about this tasty fruit so you can enjoy it or incorporate it into your dishes.

Things You Should Know

Cut the melon into quarters. There is no pit, so you can simply cut right through. Scoop the seeds out and peel off the skin before taking a bite.
Enjoy the melon raw. You can eat the melon by itself, wrap it in prosciutto, include it in a fruit salad, or pair it with yogurt.
If you want a more involved recipe, try poaching the melon in sugar, adding it to homemade salsa, or throwing it in a smoothie.
For savory dishes, use unripe pepino melon. It will have a cucumber-like flavor, and you can cook it similarly to squash.

Section 1 of 6:

How do you cut a pepino melon?

1
Slice the melon into quarters. Put your pepino melon on your cutting board and cut lengthwise right through the middle of the fruit with a chef’s knife. Pepino melons don’t have a pit, so you cut through them easily. Then, slice each of the pieces in half again to have smaller slices to enjoy.^{[1]
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2
Peel off the skin. Even though pepino melon skin is edible, it starts to develop a thicker, woody texture and an unappetizing flavor.^{[2]
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Research source} Once you’ve cut the melon, just grab the edge of the skin to tear it off of the fruit easily.^{[3]
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- If the skin doesn’t easily peel off, scoop the fruit out with a spoon or use a knife to cut the skin off.
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3
Scoop the seeds out. Pepino melon seeds are edible and there are only a few in the center of the fruit, but they may have an unpleasant texture. Use a spoon or knife to remove the seeds and throw them away if you don’t want to eat them.^{[4]
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Section 2 of 6:

How do you eat raw pepino melon?

1
Eat fresh pepino by itself to enjoy its flavor. Pepino on its own tastes great and makes a great snack in the middle of the day. Just munch on slices or cubes of pepino melon when you want something cool and refreshing to fill you up.^{[5]
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2
Wrap pepino melon in prosciutto for a sweet and salty bite. Melon and prosciutto is a classic snack for a charcuterie board, and it tastes great with pepino melon. Just use a toothpick or skewer to hold the pepino melon and prosciutto together.^{[6]
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3
Include pepino melon in a salad for hints of sweetness. Toss some cubed pepino melon with some slices of cherry tomatoes, green peppers, and red peppers. Sprinkle on some feta cheese and fresh parsley before adding a pinch of black pepper and a dash of olive oil.^{[7]
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- You can also use pepino as a substitute for honeydew or melon when you make a fruit salad.
4
Enjoy a yogurt parfait with pepino melon for a healthy snack. Scoop some yogurt into a bowl and mix in cubes of pepino melon and any other fruit you like to make your parfait. Sprinkle some granola into the yogurt for some added crunch too.^{[8]
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Section 3 of 6:

Pepino Melon Recipes

1
Poach pepino melon in sugar for a sweet treat. Poaching in sugar enhances the fruit’s natural sweetness. Blanch a full pepino melon in boiling water for 3 minutes. Then, dip the pepino melon in an ice bath for 1 minute. After that, pull the peel off of the fruit and cut it into cubes with your knife. Put the melon pieces in a pot with 1 cup (240 ml) of water, ½ cup (100 g) of sugar, and 1 tsp (1.4 g) of cinnamon for about 5 minutes before serving them.^{[9]
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- Try putting your poached pepino melons on top of ice cream or cake if you want an even sweeter, fruitier flavor.
2
Try a pepino melon and mango smoothie for a refreshing drink. Start by cutting 2 mangos into cubes and adding the pieces to your blender. Scoop the seeds out and cut the pepino melon into cubes as well. Add the pepino melon and ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of milk to your blender. Run the blender until the fruit has a smooth consistency to make your smoothie.^{[10]
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- Drop a couple of ice cubes in your blender to help cool your smoothie down.
3
Make pepino melon salsa for a slightly spicy topping. Whisk together ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of honey, 2 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons (37 ml) of balsamic vinegar, and ½ tsp (1.6 g) of chile flakes in a bowl. Cube 2 or 3 ripe pepino melons, ⅓ cup (50 g) of figs, ½ cup (85 g) of sliced grapes, ½ cup (65 g) of pecans, and 2 sliced scallions in another bowl. Toss the pepino melon mixture in the honey and balsamic, and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper before serving the salsa.
- Pepino melon salsa tastes great paired with any protein, so try it on chicken, whitefish, or pork for a really tasty meal.
4
Cook unripe pepino melon for a stronger cucumber flavor. If you’d rather try pepino melon in savory dishes, you can cook it like squash while the skin is still green and the fruit feels firm.^{[11]
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Research source} Slice the pepino melon into cubes and toss the pieces in some oil, salt, and pepper. Set your oven to 450 °F (232 °C) and bake the pepino melon for about 20 minutes to soften the pieces and make them edible.^{[12]
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Section 4 of 6:

What does pepino melon taste like?

Pepino melon tastes like a mix of cucumber and honeydew. Fresh pepino melon has notes of cucumber, cantaloupe, honeydew, and pear.^{[13]
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Research source} When they’re ripe, they have a texture similar to a plum. Before they ripen, pepino melons are firmer and have a more pronounced cucumber taste.^{[14]
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Section 5 of 6:

How can you tell if a pepino melon is ripe?

Pepino melon turns bright yellow with purple stripes when it’s ripe. When pepino melon is unripe, it has a green or pale white color. Wait until the pepino melon develops yellow skin and forms purple stripes to know that it’s ready to eat.^{[15]
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Research source} You’ll also notice a sweet, fragrant smell similar to cantaloupe as it ripens.^{[16]
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- Ripe pepino melons can bruise easily, so handle them carefully.^{[17]
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Section 6 of 6:

What are the benefits of pepino melons?

Pepino melons are great sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Pepino melons are rich with vitamins A, B, C, and K, as well as minerals like iron, zinc, copper, manganese, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.^{[18]
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