Pepino Melon: What it is & How to Use It
In specialty produce, there’s some varieties that are more well known than others. Take varieties like dragon fruit or lychee, for example. They’ve found their way into mainstream media, leveraging trends and public sentiment, to become more common household names. However, there’s still plenty of varieties that are lingering on the sidelines. Take pepino melon: it’s a specialty variety that isn’t the most well-known. That can be intimidating to some, but really, pepino melon has a simple flavor profile and uses that are pretty common.
What is Pepino Melon?
Despite their name, pepino melons aren’t actually melons. They are nightshades, making them related to tomatoes and peppers, that are oval, small, and grow on evergreen shrubs. Pepino melons have a smooth, velvety skin that is pale in color with pinkish-purple stripes when underripe. Inside, the flesh can range from a pale yellow to a vivid yellow-orange.
Pepino melons are native to the Andes mountains in South America and was central to the pre-Hispanic Incan diet. Today, primary commercial production for the US market stems from Ecuador, although the fruit has become pretty prominent in both New Zealand and Chile. Pepino melon is available year-round out of Ecuador.
When are Pepino Melons Ripe?
Pepino melons are ripe when the skin becomes golden-yellow with deeper purple stripes. However, pepino melons can be eaten at any stage. They continue to ripen post-harvest and only become softer and sweeter with time. To speed up the ripening process, place pepino melons in a paper bag, similar to how one would with avocados.
What do Pepino Melons Taste Like?
The flavor of pepino melon is mildly sweet with notes of banana and cucumber. As the fruit ripens, it will become sweeter.
The flesh is smooth yet lightly grainy in texture, similar to a pear.
How to Store Pepino Melon
Store pepino melon between 40-54°F with a relative humidity of 90-95%. When unripe, pepino is sensitive to ethylene but once ripe, the gas will have little affect on the fruit.
When merchandising pepino melon, do not display in or near the cold case. Signs of chilling injury will show once the fruit becomes ripe.
How to Use Pepino Melon
Pepino melon can be eaten when fully ripe and sweet, or when firm and underripe. Regardless of the stage, the entire fruit is edible – skin, flesh, seeds and all. However, the seeds are often removed and discarded, despite being edible. Additionally, pepino melon can be eaten with or without the skin, although it’s often removed due to being bitter in flavor.
When underripe, pepino melons can be used in similar ways as a cucumber. For example, it can be sliced into salads or salsas at this stage.
Once pepino melon ripens, it can be used similar to a honeydew or cantaloupe. At this stage, pepino can be incorporated into smoothies, fruit salads, served with prosciutto, and more.
To get pepino melon ready to eat, make sure to wash the fruit thoroughly before use. Afterwards, simply cut the fruit in half and then scoop, dice, or slice the flesh from the skin (or with the skin, if desired).
