Natural form

Whole winter melon showing its large size, pale green skin, and powdery white wax coating.

Establishes the distinctive waxy exterior, matte pale-green color, and impressive oblong scale that identify this gourd at market.

Produce

Winter Melon

Large mild gourd with translucent flesh, used in Chinese soups and braises.

Winter melon is a big, pale-green gourd whose mild, slightly sweet flesh turns translucent when cooked. It is a staple of Chinese cuisine, simmered in clear soups, braised with pork, or candied as a sweet. Despite its name it is harvested in summer but keeps for months thanks to its waxy skin.

Winter melon (Benincasa hispida) is a large gourd native to Southeast Asia and now grown throughout China, India, and Japan. Despite its name, it is not a true melon; its flavor is essentially neutral and faintly sweet, making it a vehicle for surrounding flavors rather than a destination ingredient. The fruit can weigh from 5 to over 30 lb, with market specimens usually between 3–10 lb. The pale green to whitish skin is covered in fine hairs, and the flesh is thick and white when raw, turning translucent and slightly jelly‑like when cooked slowly.

The defining characteristic of winter melon is its exceptional storage life. Mature fruits develop a natural waxy bloom that acts as a protective coating, allowing whole melons to be kept at cool room temperature for weeks or refrigerated for two to three months—historically a valuable source of fresh produce through winter in northern China. The entire fruit is edible when young; mature specimens must be peeled of both the outer skin and the waxy layer before cooking.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Chinese Winter Melon (Dong Gua)

Most common variety; large, round to oblong with thick white flesh and prominent wax coating when mature

Indian Winter Melon / Ash Gourd (Petha / Kumbalanga)

Slightly smaller and more angular; dusty gray surface appearance; the workhorse of South Asian preparations

Fuzzy Melon (Mao Gua)

Smaller relative covered in soft hairs; similar flavor and cooking behavior but more delicate; used in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking

Dwarf / Compact Varieties

Bred for smaller gardens and container growing; produce a single fruit per vine in the 2–5 lb range

Common uses

Slow-simmered Chinese winter soup (dong gua tang) with pork ribs or ham, sometimes for several hoursBraised winter melon in stock with ginger, scallions, and Chinese ham — chunks develop translucency and absorb the braising liquidStuffed and baked — hollowed gourd filled with seasoned ground pork, seafood, or mushroomsCandied winter melon (tanghua) — boiled repeatedly in sugar syrup, a traditional Chinese dessertSweet soups (tong sui) — combined with lotus seeds, longan, or dried persimmonsIndian curries and stews — kumbalanga in coconut milk, pachadi with yogurtVietnamese clear soups (canh) — with shrimp and tomato for a light, refreshing brothSteamed — cubed and steamed, finished with oyster sauce or a drizzle of sesame oilHot pot — sliced and added near the end of cooking so the flesh absorbs the broth without disintegratingPickled winter melon — as a condiment, side dish, or textural element in larger meals

Tips & pitfalls

Use a large chef's knife or cleaver to score the skin before cutting — the outer rind is very hard and a small knife will slip dangerously
Always remove the seeds and the fibrous central cavity completely; the flesh nearest the cavity tends to be watery and should be trimmed away
Do not overcook large pieces — beyond 30–40 minutes of steady simmering, the flesh breaks down into mush; stop when the pieces are firm‑tender with a slight translucency
For soups, add melon pieces in the last 20–30 minutes of cooking to maintain some structural integrity
Scrub off the wax coating before cooking if you like, but leave it intact during storage — it is the natural preservative that gives winter melon its name
When selecting, choose firm, heavy melons with unblemished skin; slight surface give is acceptable as the dense flesh compresses very slightly
For stir‑frying or high‑heat methods, parboil or blanch the pieces first to drive off excess water, then proceed with searing or stir‑frying
Work on a stable surface and place a damp towel under your cutting board — the gourd's size and the hardness of the rind make slipping a genuine hazard
Northern Chinese braises classically add rock sugar for a cleaner, more nuanced sweetness than white sugar; it is worth incorporating into non‑traditional preparations too

Nutrition

34kcal

Energy

142 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 9%Carbs 87%Fat 5%

Protein

0.8g

2% DV

Carbs

8.2g

3% DV

Fat

0.2g

0% DV

Fiber

0.9g

3% DV

Sugars

7.9g

of which

Sodium

16mg

1% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin C41% DV

Vitamin A19% DV

Potassium6% DV

Niacin (B3)5% DV

Folate5% DV

Vitamin B64% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · approx. Melons, cantaloupe, raw

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

No matched grocery products for Winter Melon yet.

Good to know

Scientific Name: Benincasa hispida
Origin: Southeast Asia; widely cultivated in China, India, and Japan
Season: Harvested late summer through fall; stores well into winter, hence the name
Typical Market Weight: 3–10 lbs; can grow to 30+ lbs
Flavor: Mildly sweet, essentially neutral; takes on surrounding flavors readily
Texture (cooked): Tender with slight firmness at center; flesh turns translucent and slightly jelly-like with slow cooking
Yield: Approx. 75–80% edible after peeling and seeding
Storage (whole, unwashed): Room temperature for weeks; refrigerated for 2–3 months
Storage (cut, covered): Refrigerated for 5–7 days
Edible when young: Yes, skin and all; mature fruit requires peeling of skin and wax coating
Nutritional note: High water content, low calorie; contains vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, and dietary fiber

Substitutes

Butternut Squash — Closest texture and neutral flavor; substitute 1:1; note that butternut cooks slightly faster than winter melon
Kabocha Squash — Similar sweetness and creamy‑tender texture when cooked; good 1:1 substitute in most preparations
Zucchini — Milder flavor and lower density; acceptable in soups and braises but will cook much faster; reduce time significantly
Bottle Gourd (Lauki / Doodhi) — Comparable neutral flavor and cooking behavior; the most direct Indian culinary substitute in curries and stews

Pairs with

Pork (ribs, belly, ham)Chinese Ham (Jinhua or Xi Ham)Dried Shrimp Ginger Coconut MilkCurry Leaves and Mustard SeedsLotus Seeds (Lianzi)Longan Rock Sugar

Also called

Wax Gourd · Ash Gourd · 冬瓜