Grapefruit
One of the easiest ways to tell grapefruit apart from other citrus fruits is by its striking interior hues. Whether a soft blush or a deep ruby red, grapefruits bring something bold and colorful to the fruit bowl. Unlike classic oranges with their uniform orange flesh, grapefruit varieties—especially the pink, red, and pale yellow ones—stand out for their segmented, juicy interiors and slightly translucent pulp.
But grapefruit isn’t alone in this vivid, citrusy beauty. If you’ve ever sliced open a fruit and wondered whether it was a grapefruit in disguise, you’re not alone. Here are some fruits that look surprisingly similar to grapefruit, especially on the inside:
1. Pomelo
Often mistaken for an oversized grapefruit, the pomelo is actually grapefruit’s ancestor. With its thick, spongy rind and pale yellow or pinkish flesh, pomelo segments resemble those of white or pink grapefruit. Some varieties, like Chandler, even come with a rosy hue. The flesh is just as juicy and pulpy, though generally sweeter and less bitter than grapefruit.
2. Orangelo
As the name suggests, this is a hybrid between an orange and a grapefruit. Orangelos are often grapefruit-sized, with a reddish-pink interior that mirrors the classic pink grapefruit. The segments are easy to peel apart, and the juice sacs are plump and glistening—just like their grapefruit cousin.
3. Cara Cara Orange
At first glance, it may look like a standard orange, but cut it open and you’ll find beautiful pink to salmon-colored flesh. The segments have that familiar citrus pattern—just like grapefruit—but with a more delicate color. Its low acidity and subtle sweetness may fool the tongue, but visually, it’s a stunning grapefruit doppelgänger.
4. Blood Orange
The deep crimson flesh of a blood orange is perhaps one of the most dramatic in the citrus world. When sliced, its segmented structure looks almost identical to grapefruit, particularly red grapefruit. Some blood oranges have a dark blush on the rind, mimicking the pink-tinged skin of ruby red grapefruit.
5.Pink Lemon
These variegated lemons often have a rosy-pink interior that’s surprisingly similar to the blush of a pink grapefruit. Though smaller in size and tangier in taste, the segment layout and internal color make them a believable lookalike in citrus salad bowls.
6. Blood Lime
While not a lookalike in terms of size or shape, the blood lime earns its place on this list thanks to its striking crimson-red flesh, which closely mirrors the interior of a red grapefruit. This citrus hybrid—born from a cross between an Australian red finger lime and an Ellendale mandarin—typically has a deep maroon skin and a small, oval shape, much like a finger lime. It may not share the grapefruit’s round, hefty profile, but its vivid, jewel-toned interior gives it a visual kinship to the more colorful grapefruit varieties. Think of it as grapefruit’s smaller, exotic cousin—unexpected, vibrant, and full of citrus intrigue.
Other Notables:
Besides the signature pink and red varieties, don’t forget that white grapefruits—the original ones—have a more subtle, pale interior. When it comes to fruits that resemble white grapefruit, many fall into the category of orange lookalikes—which we’ve already covered extensively in a separate guide: 25 Fruits That Look Like Oranges.
How Grapefruit Stands Apart from the Citrus Crowd
Though grapefruit shares a family resemblance with many of its citrus cousins—especially the colorful lookalikes we’ve just explored—it marches to the beat of its own drum in several ways.
For starters, grapefruits tend to be on the heftier side. Compared to the more compact sweet orange, a typical grapefruit is larger, heavier, and wrapped in a pale yellow peel that sometimes blushes pink, depending on the variety. Inside, its flesh spans a wide spectrum—from soft white to rosy pink to deep ruby red—whereas sweet oranges generally stick to their namesake shade.
But it’s the flavor that really sets grapefruit apart. While sweet oranges deliver a dependable, tangy-sweet bite, grapefruit leans into boldness. It’s famously tart—sometimes bracingly so—and certain varieties even carry a pleasant bitterness that some people crave and others shy away from. White grapefruit was once the most tart and widely consumed, but over time, the sweeter, milder red varieties (like the beloved Ruby Red) have taken center stage—so much so that traditional white grapefruit is now something of a rarity on store shelves.