It has probably happened to all of us. The season is ending, your pumpkin vines are dying, and your fruits have not yet turned orange. Are they ripe or not? Can you eat green pumpkins? Unripe pumpkin eating is likely not as tasty as ripe fruits, but will it harm you? Answers to these questions and more follow.
Can You eat Green Pumpkins?
Nothing says fall like squash and pumpkins. Unfortunately, the colder weather and lack of sunshine can mean much of our produce didn't ripen properly. It doesn't have to go to waste though. Consider the fried green tomato, a thing of such delicate flavor as to make your mouth sing. Are green pumpkins edible? Well, they won't kill you, but the flavor may lack sweetness.
Green pumpkins happen. All pumpkins start out green and gradually ripen to orange. Once they are ripe the vine dies, and the fruit is ready. With cooler temperatures and less sunlight, it is unlikely the pumpkins will ripen. You can try putting them in a sunny, warm area like a greenhouse or solarium. You can also just leave them in place, provided there aren't any hard freezes.
Turn them frequently to expose the rind to any sun. With a little luck the fruits will mature more, although they may not turn all the way orange. They are still edible and can be used in a variety of recipes.
Tips on Eating Green Pumpkins
To be sure they are usable, cut one open. If the flesh is orange, it will be almost as nice as a ripe fruit. Even green flesh can be used in soups and stews-- just make sure to spice it up. Flavors like Indian and Szechuan can go a long way to embellishing the green fruit.
Eating green pumpkins in pie is not recommended, as there aren't enough sugars built up in the fruit. Plus, your pumpkin pie will be a sickly color. Roasting the flesh will help bring out sugars a little bit and enhance the flavor.
Actual Green Pumpkins
Still wondering if green pumpkins are edible? Cast your mind back to spring. What variety of pumpkin did you plant? There are pumpkin varieties that are supposed to be green. Jarrahdale is a bluish green pumpkin with a shape like Cinderella's coach. Other varieties are Goblin, Turk's Turban, Italian Stripe, Black and Silver, and Shamrock pumpkin.
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Several squash varieties also look like pumpkins but are naturally green. Hubbard, acorn, and kabocha come to mind. If you are sure it is a variety that is supposed to turn orange, you can try adding smaller fruit to a bag of apples. The ethylene gas released may help the fruit ripen.
FAQs
Tips on Eating Green Pumpkins
Will green pumpkins continue to ripen after picking? ›
Ripening out of the patch- As previously mentioned, green and partially orange pumpkins will ripen up with sunlight, warmth, and time. Just follow these steps: Remove the pumpkins from the patch and wash off the dirt. Place your pumpkins on a warm, sunny deck or patio.
Can you eat the green part of pumpkin? ›
The correct answer is that ALL parts of the pumpkin are edible (although you wouldn't want to eat the dried stem – yuck!). Pumpkins are in the squash family, called “Cucurbits,” and all parts of all squash are edible – leaves, vines, fruit, seeds, skin and roots!
Can you carve an unripe pumpkin? ›
But… if yours is still green – you can't eat unripe Pumpkins but you can carve them. Who can tell if the Pumpkin is green or orange when it's dark?
Why is one of my pumpkins green? ›
Warm, sunny (or well-lit) exposures may be triggering the formation of chlorophyll, so try storing it in a cool, darker location (as it is recommended root vegetables are) if you aren't already.
How do you know when a green pumpkin is ready to pick? ›
A pumpkin is ripe when the skin and stem are hard, and it sounds hollow when you thump it. And, of course, the pumpkin is ripe when it is orange on the vine. However, you can make the pumpkin turn orange if it hasn't already done so within the next couple of weeks.
Can you eat unripe pumpkin? ›
Green pumpkins are edible, but they will lack the sweetness of a fully ripe pumpkin, so we don't recommend making green pumpkin pie. Roasting will sweeten them a little, while using them in heavily spiced soups or stews will help to enhance their flavour.
Are there any pumpkins you can't eat? ›
You can eat any variety of pumpkin. Varieties vary wildly in taste. Explore, enjoy and revel in the fact that a pumpkin is not just for Halloween. Whilst you can eat any variety of pumpkin or squash, if it tastes very bitter, stop eating.
Can you eat a green bumpy pumpkin? ›
Are the bumpy pumpkins edible? While unsightly, mosaic afflicted pumpkins can still be eaten, although they may be of lesser quality than unaffected fruit. Insects munching on tender young pumpkin shells can also scar the surface resulting in bumps.
What are the benefits of green pumpkin? ›
Green Pumpkin also acts as an Antidiarrheal agent and provides relief from constipation. The pulp of Ash Gourd is a rich source of vitamin B and C and is also an excellent remedy for tapeworms. With the help of Ash Gourd, one can also get relief from symptoms of morphine withdrawal.
If it's green, even better—that means your pumpkin is super fresh. The shape of the pumpkin is unimportant, but it should be free of blemishes and soft spots. Technically, any type of pumpkin, gourd or squash can be carved, but you want to select ones that are easy for you and your kids to handle.
What happens if you cut a pumpkin too early? ›
Because of the time and effort pumpkins need, you'll want to know when to pick pumpkins so they're perfectly ripe. If you pick them too soon, they won't last; pick them too late, and they'll be soft and mushy.
What happens if you pick a green pumpkin? ›
If the pumpkin is a variety that grows green and changes colour as it ripens, it will typically not mature further after harvesting. If it was 'almost' mature, it may be possible to ripen it by exposing it to the sun and turning it every few days but there is no guarantee.
How long does it take for a green pumpkin to turn orange? ›
It can take several weeks for a green pumpkin to ripen, so don't worry if it seems to be taking a long time. An added bonus of allowing your gourd to spend this time in the sun is that you're also curing it, which we talk more about in our guide to harvesting these homegrown fruits.
What are green pumpkins called? ›
Green Pumpkins. acorn. pepo. Turbinata variety. Also called Pepper Squash.
Will an unripe pumpkin ripen off the vine? ›
If the pumpkin is a variety that grows green and changes colour as it ripens, it will typically not mature further after harvesting. If it was 'almost' mature, it may be possible to ripen it by exposing it to the sun and turning it every few days but there is no guarantee.
Will green pumpkins turn orange if you cut them off the vine? ›
If I pick a pumpkin like these before they turn orange, will they still turn orange after being picked off vine or no? TIA! Yes. Place them in the sun and keep them rotated, and keep from freezing.
What happens if you pick a pumpkin too early? ›
If you pick them too soon, they won't last; pick them too late, and they'll be soft and mushy. But before you can learn the best time to pick pumpkins, you need to know what types of pumpkins you can grow in your garden.
How long does it take for a picked green pumpkin to turn orange? ›
It can take several weeks for a green pumpkin to ripen, so don't worry if it seems to be taking a long time. An added bonus of allowing your gourd to spend this time in the sun is that you're also curing it, which we talk more about in our guide to harvesting these homegrown fruits.
