Tomatoes
Tomatoes have a distinctive round or slightly oblong shape, smooth or slightly ribbed skin, and a shiny appearance when ripe. Here are some fruits that resemble tomatoes in appearance (but may differ in taste and botanical family):
1. Tamarillo
Tamarillos are oval-shaped, smooth, and covered in glossy red to orange skin. As you can see from the picture, they look a lot like small plum tomatoes. When you cut one open, you’ll find a juicy, seed-filled interior that closely resembles a tomato’s. Their tangy flavor also brings them even closer to tomato flavors, which we know is a mix of sweet, sour, and savory (umami) notes.
2. Persimmon
Persimmons, especially the round Fuyu variety, can easily be mistaken for large orange tomatoes. Their smooth skin and gently segmented interior add to the tomato-like look, though their flavor is much sweeter and far more delicate.
3. Naranjilla/Lulo
Naranjilla is another fruit that can easily be mistaken for a tomato, especially from a distance. It has a round, orange skin similar to a small tomato, and inside you’ll find soft, juicy green pulp filled with seeds—much like a tomato’s interior. Its flavor, however, is quite different: it has a bright, citrusy taste.
4. Kangaroo Apple
This small, round fruit turns orange or red when ripe and looks a lot like cherry or grape tomatoes. However, it’s mildly toxic when unripe, unlike true tomatoes. So, it resembles tomatoes only in terms of size and color.
5. Litchi Tomato
Despite its name, this fruit isn’t a tomato at all—it simply belongs to the nightshade family. As you can see in the picture above, it closely resembles a cherry tomato in both shape and color. It grows inside spiny husks and has red, juicy flesh that could be confused with a tomato when peeled.
6. Pitanga
This ribbed, deep red fruit is about the size of a cherry tomato. Its glossy skin, deep red color when ripe, and pronounced ridges make it resemble ribbed tomato varieties like Mortgage Lifter or German Johnson. The ridges also give it a slight pumpkin-like appearance.
7. Jerusalem Cherry
Often grown ornamentally, these small round fruits look like mini tomatoes, especially with their glossy orange or red skin. Though visually convincing, they are toxic and not edible.
8. Tomatillo
Encased in a papery husk, tomatillos resemble green tomatoes once you peel out the husk. Their smooth skin, juicy flesh, and seedy interior are nearly identical to a tomato’s interior. However, their flavor is more tart and herbal.
9. Ground Cherry (Cape Gooseberry / Physalis)
Ground cherries are wrapped in papery husks, much like tomatillos. While they’re still covered, you might not notice any resemblance to tomatoes. But once you remove the husk, you’re left with a golden-orange fruit whose round shape closely matches that of a cherry tomato (as shown in the picture above). And when you cut them open, their juicy, seed-filled flesh looks even more tomato-like.
10. Red Gooseberry
Another fruit to add to this list is the Red Gooseberry. They don’t resemble tomatoes as closely as some of the fruits mentioned above, mainly because their small size gives them away. But if you look closely, their round, smooth, reddish skin and the way they grow in clusters make them look like cherry tomatoes. Their soft, seedy interior further adds to the resemblance, though their flavor is tangy and distinctly berry-like.