15 Popular Middle Eastern Fruits to Eat

Date, known as “tamr” in Arabic, is a stone fruit deeply rooted in the history of the Middle East. Dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, it is now widely grown from Iraq and Saudi Arabia to North Africa.

There are numerous varieties of dates, like Omani, Ajwa, Deri, and Medjool. Dates range from yellow and amber to reddish or dark brown as they ripen.

Dates boast a chewy texture and a sweet flavor, often described as caramel-like. Both fresh and dried dates are delicious snacks, and they are also popular food ingredients and garnishes.

Beyond nutrition, dates hold significant cultural symbolism, as they are mentioned a lot in Islamic texts. These fruits are rich in natural sugars, offering a nutritious energy boost that is especially appreciated during Ramadan.

Dates and milk are the traditional Middle Eastern first meal when the sun sets in this holy month. Locals also say eating dates before soup or salad enhances the digestive system after a day of fasting.

Fig is an important fruit in many Middle Eastern countries, especially those with Mediterranean climates like Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iran. It is among the oldest fruits in the region because its cultivation began at least 6,000 or 7,000 years ago.

The hardy and drought-tolerant traits of figs make them a significant crop in West Asia, where they originated. They grow best in temperate climates and are mainly harvested in late summer.

Studded with crunchy edible seeds, juicy figs have a honey taste with a subtle berry note. Dried figs have a delightful concentrated sweetness and chewy texture, making them suitable as a snack.

In Middle Eastern cuisine, figs are incorporated into desserts, jams, and salads. Locals also utilize them as a natural sweetener in various dishes.

Pomegranate is a popular Middle Eastern red fruit with juicy arils (seeds) and a delicious blend of sweetness and tartness. Indigenous to West Asia, particularly Iran, it holds a storied place in the region’s history and mythology.

Pomegranates thrive in Mediterranean climates and are harvested in the fall. With its crown-like top and spherical shape, pomegranates are a symbol of fertility in many Middle Eastern cultures, hence their presence in many local weddings.

There are many pomegranate varieties in the region. For instance, the Red Acco from Israel ripens in the late summer with soft seeds, while the Eversweet and Liffani Sweet from Lebanon boasts soft seeds and a sweet taste.

Pomegranate arils are ideal for consuming raw, garnishing dishes, and making juices. Pomegranate molasses is a common seasoning for marinade and salad dressings in the Middle East.

Grape is a common fruit in the Middle East. The number of grape varieties is enormous, ranging from soft and juicy grapes to crunchy and sour ones, not to mention the diverse color palette that includes red, green, purple, black, and more.

Many Middle Eastern countries with the Mediterranean climate cultivate grapes on a large scale, namely Turkey, Iran, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan. Turkey and Iran are among the world’s biggest grape producers.

Interestingly, the Middle East has a long wine-making tradition that spans thousands of years. Although Islam is the predominant religion in the region, several countries permit the production and consumption of grape wine to varying degrees.

Besides the widespread use in making wine, grapes are enjoyed fresh or dried as raisins, which is a ubiquitous ingredient in local baked goods, rice dishes, and many other platters.

Orange is a beloved citrus fruit in the Middle East since locals dearly love its vibrant color and sweet, juicy taste. Originating in ancient China, it made its way to the region via trade routes in the 10th and 11th centuries.

Oranges thrive in areas with a Mediterranean climate, such as Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Israel. Their season occurs in cooler months, from November to February.

The Jaffa orange, locally termed “Shamouti,” is a variety famous for its uniquely oval shape, deep orange hue, tough skin, and sweet yet subtle flavor. There are two other prominent orange varieties from this region: the Navel and the bitter orange.

People in the Middle East love eating fresh oranges, drinking orange juice, and using the fruit in various dishes, from salads to desserts. In addition, orange blossom water is a must-have flavoring in many sweets and pastries.

Apricot is a Middle Eastern stone fruit with peach-like sweetness and a slight tang, and its pale yellowish-orange color can brighten any day. Its succulent flesh covers a seed under the soft, velvety skin.

Apricots had long been cultivated in Persia before they spread to the rest of the Middle East. Today, they are mainly available in the temperate and Mediterranean zones, and Turkey, Iran, and Algeria are the region’s most significant producers.

Ripe apricots are delicious on their own, but dried apricots, with a concentrated sweetness, are even more flavorful. Both are used in making several dishes and drinks in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Olive is an enormously important fruit in the Middle East. While unsuitable for raw consumption, it is an essential food ingredient and source of cooking oil.

Native to the Mediterranean, olives are mainly present in countries with the Mediterranean climate, namely Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Tunisia.

Raw olives are small, oval-shaped fruits with smooth, dark green or black skin. They are very hard and bitter, but a nice bath in salt or brine mellows them down, and pressing them for olive oil is another way of processing olives.

Olives and olive oil are staple ingredients in many Middle Eastern dishes, including salads, meze platters, and stews. Both are mentioned numerous times in the Quran.

The Souri olive variety is the most commonly cultivated. It is well known in Lebanon, Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Jordan.

Lemon is among the most beloved citrus fruits in the Middle East. It originated in modern-day India and the neighboring areas and was introduced to Arab cuisines in ancient times via Persia.

Lemons thrive in the region’s subtropical climates in Turkey and Iran, among many others. Some Middle Eastern countries, like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are significant lemon importers.

In the Middle East, lemons sport a pointed end and have a thin, aromatic skin covering their juicy, acidic flesh. Locals use their juice and zest in various dishes, especially salads and dips.

In addition, lemonade is among the most popular beverages in the region.

Watermelon is a berry fruit with a long history in the Middle East. Indigenous to Africa, it was grown in Egypt at least 4000 years ago before spreading to other parts of the world.

Since watermelons love warm climates, they are a common sight in many Middle Eastern countries, especially in the summer. Their hard green rind is a sight for sore eyes, and their juicy, sweet red flesh interspersed with black seeds is a delight for thirsty mouths.

With up to 92% water content, watermelons are ideal for juicing and serving fresh. A pairing of watermelon slices and cheese is a delicious savory-sweet combination for the first course.

Mulberry is a popular Middle Eastern fruit with an oblong shape, tender texture, and a mellowly sweet flavor. It grows in clusters and is perfect for eating fresh, juicing, and making desserts.

Mulberries come in three main varieties: white, red, and black mulberries. The last one originated in West Asia and the broader Middle East.

Interestingly, black mulberries are often considered the best variety. Turkey and Iran are major suppliers of mulberries for Europe.

Tamarind is a tropical fruit deeply integrated into Middle Eastern cuisine and culture. Though endemic to Africa, it was brought to the region thousands of years ago through trade, initially arriving in Egypt.

Each tamarind is encased in a brown, brittle, pod-like shell with a sticky, fibrous pulp inside. This pulp boasts a sour and slightly sweet taste that is highly valued in both savory dishes and sweet beverages across the Middle East.

In particular, tamarind pulp is perfect for marinade and meat-based stews since its acidity helps tenderize the meat and infuses the other ingredients with a tasty mix of sweetness and tanginess.

Guava is a tropical fruit that has found a special place in the Middle East. It hails from the Americas and is a relatively recent addition to the region’s fruit offerings, yet locals are already madly in love with this fruit and its related products, such as guava juices and fruit salads.

Guavas offer an inviting flavor of sweetness and tropical tartness, whether eaten raw or used in fresh juice, jams, preserves, marmalades, and candies. Their crisp flesh, hidden under green, slightly bumpy skin, is another pleasure to please.

Initially green, guavas often ripen into colors of yellow and almost maroon. While its aroma is like a lemon, the pale pink or white flesh and juice are mildly sweet.

Plum is a drupe that has been a part of Middle Eastern agriculture for millennia. Its season typically stretches from late spring through early autumn, producing fruits with various colors, from yellow and green to deep purple.

However, the Janerik variety, also known as the sour green plum or Persian green plum, is the most well-known name. This fruit is pickled when it is still unripe so that its firm and crunchy flesh boasts a deliciously tart flavor.

The Blue Damson plum is another famous variety in the Middle East, with smaller, oblong-shaped fruits cloaked in deep purple to black skin. Its spicy, tart, amber-like flavor is quite unique!

Both fresh plums and prunes (dried plums) have many applications in regional cooking traditions.

Muskmelon is a type of fragrant melon widely enjoyed in the Middle East for its sweet and refreshing taste. It was first cultivated in what is now Iran and eventually became popular throughout the region.

When sliced open, a muskmelon often gives off a musky aroma, which wafts away from the creamy orange flesh beneath the smooth, wrinkled, or ribbed rind. This flavor profile makes it an ingredient for Middle Eastern summer salads, desserts, and beverages.

Today, the Ananas variety is a Middle Eastern favorite, partly because of its impressive weight, which can reach anywhere between 6.6 and 8.8 pounds! But what makes it really stand out is its creamy white flesh with a sweet flavor and a tropical, pineapple-like aroma.

Quince is a pome fruit that has long been grown in the Middle East, especially in countries along the Mediterranean coast. Its main producers in the region include Turkey, Iran, Morocco, and Algeria.

An immature quince is green and has dense gray-white fine hair, whereas a ripe one offers a bright golden-yellow shade with an aromatic scent. The hard texture and the tart, astringent taste make quinces hard to eat in their raw firms.

Therefore, people always cook quinces or turn them into marmalade, jam, paste, or alcoholic beverages. In the Middle East, locals traditionally prepare them with meat to make hearty stews.

I have just gone through the most well-known fruits in the Middle East. What do you think they have in common? Read on to discover the answer!