When it comes to giant vegetables, pumpkins often get all the attention. However, giant tomatoes can be just as impressive! Some tomato varieties produce fruits that look just like miniature pumpkins.
With thick rounded shapes, deep ribbing, and orange-red skins, these tomato varieties will add a fun fall flair to your garden. Keep reading to learn about 15 tomato varieties that look just like pumpkins!
1. Georgia Streak
One of the most pumpkin-like tomatoes is the heirloom variety Georgia Streak. This beefsteak tomato produces oblate fruits that are deeply ribbed and can weigh up to 2 pounds each.
With bold orange-red skin and golden streaks, these tomatoes look just like tiny pumpkins. The flesh is meaty with few seeds, making Georgia Streak great for sandwiches and slicing. This heat-tolerant variety thrives in hot humid climates.
2. Jaune Flamme
Jaune Flamme is a French heirloom tomato that translates to “yellow flame.” It’s easy to see where this variety gets its name! The fruits are a bright tangerine-orange color with deep ribbing.
Weighing 1-2 pounds each, these tomatoes look just like miniature jack-o-lanterns. With a well-balanced sweet and acidic flavor, Jaune Flamme is excellent for eating fresh or adding color to salads and salsas. This variety grows well in containers.
3. Persimmon
The aptly named Persimmon tomato looks just like its namesake fruit. Oblate in shape with defined ribbing and orange-red skin, these tomatoes resemble mini pumpkins.
Persimmon tomatoes weigh 8-12 ounces on average and have firm flesh with few seeds. Their sweet, fruity flavor shines when eaten fresh or added to relishes. This productive heirloom was introduced in the 1990s.
4. Pineapple
The heavy ribbing and bicolor skin of Pineapple tomatoes give them an unmistakable pumpkin-like appearance.
Weighing up to 2 pounds, these fruits have golden-yellow skin with red streaks that resemble a pineapple’s exterior (hence the name). The flesh is juicy and sweet, perfect for eating sliced or in salads. Pineapple is an old heirloom dating back to the late 1800s. It thrives in hot humid climates.
5. Paul Robeson
Named after the iconic singer and social activist, Paul Robeson tomatoes have a deep burnt-orange color that resembles a miniature pumpkin.
These tomatoes are heavily ribbed and can weigh over a pound each. With a smooth creamy texture and rich smoky flavor, Paul Robeson tomatoes are delicious sliced for sandwiches or burgers. This heirloom variety does well in regions with hot summers.
6. Mexican Midget
Despite its name, Mexican Midget tomatoes produce good-sized fruits averaging 8-12 ounces. These tomatoes are deep orange-red in color with heavy ribbing that gives them a pumpkin-shaped appearance.
Mexican Midget is an early maturing dwarf variety that only reaches 2 feet tall, making it perfect for containers. With a sweet juicy flavor, these small tomatoes pack a tasty punch!
7. Amana Orange
The Amana Orange tomato was introduced by the Amana colonies of Iowa in the 1970s. These large tomatoes have deep ribbing and can weigh over a pound each. Their thick orange skin and oblate shape give them a strong resemblance to small pumpkins.
Amana Orange tomatoes are meaty with few seeds and have an excellent sweet flavor. This variety matures early and does well in northern regions.
8. Kellogg’s Breakfast
Kellogg’s Breakfast tomato was bred by railroad worker D.V. Kellogg in the late 1800s. True to its name, these large tomatoes are great sliced for burgers or sandwiches.
Weighing 1-2 pounds each, the fruits have heavy ribbing and orange-red skin much like a pumpkin. With few seeds and a meaty texture, Kellogg’s Breakfast is one of the tastiest giant tomato varieties for eating fresh.
9. Giant Belgium
Originating from Belgium in the late 1800s, Giant Belgium tomatoes live up to their name. These tomatoes can reach over 5 pounds each! With deep ribbing and golden-orange skin, they resemble mega-sized pumpkins.
Even at smaller sizes, Giant Belgium tomatoes have a lower acidity and sweet flavor perfect for slicing. Their sheer size also makes them great for stuffing or hollowing out as edible bowls.
10. Big Zac
Big Zac is a modern hybrid tomato bred specifically for its giant size. These tomatoes regularly exceed 2 pounds, with fruits over 5 pounds being common. Big Zac tomatoes have thick orange-red skin with deep ribs running vertically.
Their large size, rounded shape, and ribbed texture give Big Zac tomatoes the look of oversized pumpkins. This variety has a good sweet flavor and does well in hot humid climates.
11. Cherokee Chocolate
An unusual brown-colored heirloom, Cherokee Chocolate tomatoes have a rich reddish-brown skin reminiscent of pumpkin flesh. These tomatoes reach 6-8 ounces on average and have pronounced ribbing.
Cherokee Chocolate tomatoes have a complex earthy flavor with hints of smokiness. Their smaller size makes them perfect for snacking or adding to salsas for a pop of color and flavor.
12. Yellow Brandywine
Brandywine tomatoes are legendary for their superb flavor and large size. The yellow-skinned variant looks particularly pumpkin-like with its wide ribbed form and orange-gold exterior.
Weighing over a pound on average, Yellow Brandywine tomatoes have a smooth creamy texture and complex tropical fruit taste. These heirlooms require staking but are well worth the effort for their appearance and flavor.
13. Hillbilly Potato Leaf
This heirloom variability has the heavily ribbed fruit of a pumpkin combined with fuzzy potato-like foliage. Hillbilly Potato Leaf tomatoes produce smooth-textured orange fruits weighing up to 1 1⁄2 pounds each.
With their rounded oblong shape and orange skin, they resemble miniature pumpkins on the vine. The flavor is excellent, making this variety a winner for both ornamental and eating qualities.
14. Japanese Trifele Black
Don’t let its dark exterior fool you – Japanese Trifele Black Tomatoes have a stunning interior! When sliced open, these purple-black tomatoes reveal a bright orange flesh reminiscent of a jack-o-lantern pumpkin.
The pear-shaped fruits weigh about 8 ounces on average. Japanese Trifele Black tomatoes have a rich sweet flavor with smoky undertones. This heirloom adds spooky beauty and taste to any harvest.
15. Arkansas Traveler
Arkansas Traveler has been a popular tomato variety grown across the southern United States since the late 1800s. It produces abundant yields of 6-8 ounce tomatoes with heavy ribbing.
The pinkish-red skin has undertones of orange, giving these tomatoes a pumpkin-shaped appearance. Arkansas Traveler fruits have a classic tomatoey flavor perfect for eating fresh or canning. It’s heat and drought-tolerant.
Conclusion
For home gardeners looking to add some novelty to their tomato harvests, varieties with pumpkin-shaped fruits are a must! With ingenious breed names like Hillbilly Potato Leaf and Mexican Midget, many of these tomatoes have colorful histories dating back centuries.
While all have outstanding flavors ideal for slicing and sandwiches, their thick ribbed, orange-hued skins give them an autumnal flair perfect for the fall harvest season. So try growing one or more of these 15 varieties that look just like pumpkins!
FAQs
Are pumpkin-shaped tomatoes real pumpkins?
No, despite their similar appearance, pumpkin-shaped tomatoes are not actually pumpkins or related to pumpkin plants. They are tomatoes that have been bred selectively over time to develop a thick ribbed shape and orange/yellow skin color reminiscent of miniature pumpkins. But they are still regular tomato plants and their fruits are completely edible.
Are pumpkin-type tomatoes good for cooking?
Absolutely! Almost all pumpkin-shaped tomato varieties have excellent flavor and meaty, well-textured flesh that makes them ideal for cooking applications. Their thick walls and few seeds make them perfect for slicing onto sandwiches or burgers, dicing into salads, or using in sauces and salsas.
What causes some tomatoes to look like pumpkins?
The genes that control fruit ribbing, skin color, and shape cause some tomatoes to develop a pumpkin-like appearance. Breeders select plants that produce tomatoes with heavier ribbing, orange/yellow skins, and a rounded shape versus smooth, red, oblong conventional tomatoes. Over many generations, varieties emerge that resemble small pumpkins.