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Winter melon

Winter melon is a mild, watery gourd commonly simmered in soups, stews, and braises.

Winter melon — illustrative ingredient image

About Winter melon

Winter melon is the mature fruit of a large gourd, usually sold with a pale green, waxy rind and white, firm, watery flesh surrounding a central seed cavity. Its flavour is mild and lightly vegetal, and it is commonly used in soups, braises, stews, and steamed dishes. The flesh absorbs surrounding broth or sauce during cooking.

Raw winter melon has firm, watery flesh with a mild flavour. Cooking softens it and makes it tender without completely losing its shape. Because it takes on surrounding flavours, its finished taste and texture depend substantially on the broth, sauce, or other ingredients used with it.

Winter melon may be sold whole, in sections, or already peeled and cut. Preparation commonly involves peeling, seeding, and cutting into pieces. Preserved or candied forms exist but are distinct preparations; cooking changes the fresh flesh from firm and watery to softer, more tender, and broth-infused.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where winter melon appears

2 linked foods

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Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for winter melon

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Winter melon

English

Winter melon, cooked

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Winter melon nutrition & diet

Winter melon nutritional value

Waxgourd, (chinese preserving melon), raw

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
13kcal
Protein
0.4g
Carbs
3.0g
Fat
0.2g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use the peeled, seeded edible flesh and distinguish raw from simmered, braised, or preserved preparations. Cooking changes water content and serving weight, while soups may add broth, meat, seafood, tofu, starch thickeners, oil, or seasonings that should be assessed separately.

Compare the right form: Match references to peeled and seeded winter-melon flesh in the same raw or cooked state; preserved, candied, and prepared soup forms need separate references.

Diet considerations

Winter melon is plant-derived. Compatibility changes when prepared with meat, seafood, egg, dairy, animal broth, or cereal-based thickeners, and preserved versions may include sweeteners or other ingredients. The plain gourd and a soup serving have different portion-dependent carbohydrate patterns because the recipe determines the final composition.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Depends on the version
  • Paleo
    Typically compatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Paleo · Typically compatible
The plain form fits the conventional paleo food groups. Added ingredients and individual interpretations can differ.
Low-carb · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Waxgourd, (chinese preserving melon), raw ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .