Is cucumber a vegetable?
The question of whether a cucumber is a vegetable may seem simple, but the answer is more complicated than you might imagine. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) botanically belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, and is closely related to pumpkins, melons and zucchini, among others. Let’s take a closer look at it from both a botanical and a culinary point of view.
Botanical perspective
Botanically speaking, cucumber is a fruit. This is because it develops from the fertilized ovule of a flower and contains seeds. In botany, a fruit is defined as the part of a plant that develops from a flower and contains seeds. According to this definition, tomatoes, peppers and pumpkins are also fruits.
Culinary perspective
However, in a culinary sense, cucumber is classified as a vegetable. This is because it is mainly used in salty dishes such as salads, sandwiches and pickles. Culinary classification is often based on the taste and purpose of the food, not so much on botanical properties.
Summary
In summary, cucumber is botanically a fruit, but culinaryly it is classified as a vegetable. This double classification is not uncommon, and the same applies to many other vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers.
