Want to expand your produce vocabulary? Check out this list of fruits that start with K.
Whether you’re a fruit-lover trying to find your new fav snack or a wordsmith attempting to expand your cranial encyclopedia, this guide will help you out.
You may already be familiar with some fruits that start with K, like kiwi or Key lime, but we hope you learn a few new ones, like the kakadu plum or kaki persimmon.
Make sure you read until the end to discover the world’s ugliest fruit. So, without further ado, check out these fruits that start with K!
Fruits that Start with the Letter K
1. Kiwi
Let’s start with a fruit that everybody knows.
The classic kiwi is an edible fruit that hails from the Actinidia plant. It grows into the size of an egg and has thin fuzzy brown skin that you can eat.
Cutting the fruit open will showcase striking green flesh with rows of black edible seeds shaped like a star. It has a soft texture with a unique sweet and sour flavor.
This fruit dates back to the 12th century in eastern China, where it was mostly used for medicinal purposes. Over time, this fuzzy fruit made its way around the globe and is now commonly found in most American grocery stores.
The kiwi contains a high percentage of vitamins C, K, and E, making it a tasty snack full of nutrition.
2. Kabosu
The kabosu is a citrus fruit closely related to yuzu, a sweet lemon popular in Asian countries.
Unlike yuzu, kabosu has dark green skin and orange-tinted flesh. The flavor is rich in sourness, with the same sharpness as lemon.
Since the taste is too mouth-puckering to handle on its own, kabosu is sought after for its acidic juice.
You’ll find kabosu juice as an alternative to vinegar in Japanese dishes, especially sashimi, hot pot, and grilled fish. It imparts a lovely, floral acidity to savory recipes.
3. Kaffir Lime
The kaffir lime looks like it came from outer space, with wrinkled green skin that looks otherworldly.
Aside from its unique appearance, the kaffir lime doesn’t have much else going for it. This variety is the least juicy of all the limes, and the flavor tastes pretty lackluster.
There is one department where this plant shines. Kaffir lime leaves carry an intense citrus fragrance, so you’ll often find this plant used in essential oils, perfumes, shampoos, and other scented products.
4. Kumquat
You’ve probably heard of the kumquat, but have you ever tasted one?
Unlike most citrus varieties, you can eat this fruit whole, peel and all. The skin is slightly sweet and chewy, and the juicy flesh is tart.
The kumquat is also known as the Chinese mandarin, and while it resembles the latter in appearance, the minuscule size sets it apart. It’s not much larger than a grape, which makes it perfect for snacking by the handful.
This bize-sized fruit originated in China, but now you’ll find them grown in warmer areas of the United States like Florida and California.
5. Kahikatea Berries
Kahikatea berries stem from a species called the “dinosaur tree” since this variety has been kicking around since the Jurassic period.
Indigenous to New Zealand, the kahikatea species was once the dominant tree in swampy forests. It evolved to have a sturdy straight trunk and extended roots to provide stability in muddy waters.
This pre-historic tree produces delicious orange-red berries, but there’s a catch. You’ll only find these berries growing in the very high branches that are 50 meters off the ground, so only expert tree climbers can harvest these out-of-reach berries.
6. Kakadu Plum
Did you know the kakadu plum contains more vitamin C than any other fruit?
This native Australian fruit contains over 3000% of your daily recommended vitamin C intake per serving.
This superfood was used in traditional medicine to treat viruses for a good reason. If you’re looking for a way to power through cold and flu season, consider stocking up on these healthy plums.
The only downside is this fruit has a tart, bitter flavor and fibrous texture. It’s also hard to find, but you can find powdered supplements that feature this healthy fruit.
7. Korean Pear
The Korean pear, also known as the “bae pear”, resembles the anjou variety with a few key differences.
It has a crisper outer skin and a crunchier texture than the pear you’re probably used to. It’s also round like an apple and has a sweeter taste.
These pears are often packaged in soft trays like eggs because the skin can easily bruise. Korean pears are a traditional gift in Asian countries and are well-received because of their sweet, candy-like flavor.
8. Kapok
This fruit looks like cotton candy, but unfortunately, this is one of the only fruits that start with k on this list that’s not edible.
Still, this fluffy fruit has many uses and is widely used for stuffing pillows, mattresses, and other upholstery. The seeds are also processed to obtain oil for soap-making.
9. Key Lime
Many of us associate Key limes with the Florida Keys, but this citrus variety is actually native to tropical Southeast Asia.
The name hails from its association with the southern Florida region, where it’s used to create the local staple, Key lime pie.
This miniature variety is smaller and seedier than the common lime, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in flavor.
Key limes have a higher acidity and stronger aroma than their citrusy counterparts, making them highly sought after in cooking, baking, and bartending.
10. Karkalla
Karkalla is a unique fruit that also goes by the rather unflattering name “pig face.” After one glance at this unsightly fruit, you’ll understand why.
The fruit grows upwards into reddish-orange stems with a similar appearance to aloe vera. When eaten, karkalla has a succulent, juicy texture with a briny, salty flavor.
Karkalla grows year-round in Australia and is a culinary favorite in salads, stir-fries, and seafood dishes.
11. Kaki Persimmon
The kaki persimmon is an ancient fruit variety that has been growing in China for over 2000 years, making it one of the oldest cultivated plants on record.
They look similar to underripe tomatoes, but the flavor will remind you of an apricot with honey-like flavors to treat your taste buds.
Be sure to only eat ripe persimmons since they taste bitter and rancid when underdeveloped.
12. Karonda
It’s easy to confuse karonda with cranberries, but the fruit we’re talking about is part of the same species as currants.
This berry originated in India, where locals have been using it in chutneys, pickles, and curries for centuries. This reddish-white fruit often has a tart flavor that adds a nice acidity to savory dishes.
This small fruit packs a big punch of nutrition, with ample antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties in each serving. It’s also a rich source of iron and benefits liver health.
13. Kepel
Kepel fruits look like the lovechild of a potato and a kiwi, but the texture is likened more to an avocado. The inside is creamy and smooth and it has a subtle tropical flavor that tastes like coconut-infused papaya.
Kepel fruit’s texture is leathery and slightly rough, with a color that transitions from green to brown when mature.
These fruits are native to Southeast Asia, where they’re grown year-round. The kepel is prized for its high vitamin C and vitamin A content which helps strengthen the immune system and protect against vision loss.
14. Keule
The keule is an oddly-shaped fruit with greenish-yellow skin. It grows to the size of a small egg and contains a hard pit in the center. The pulp is described as sweet and pleasant but not very succulent.
This fruit has been known to cause headaches when consumed in excess. That’s why you’ll mostly find it used as a flavoring agent for sauces and jellies in Chilean cooking.
15. Kundang
If you love mangos, you’ll adore the kundang fruit. Native to Malaysia, this plum-sized fruit has a succulent texture and sugary flavor that tastes sweet, citrusy, and tropical.
Unlike the mango, you can eat the skin of this fruit. Just watch out for the purple pit, which is hard as a rock.
The only downside of this fruit is that it’s extremely rare, so you might have difficulty finding it, but the crave-worthy flavor makes it worth the wait.
16. Kutjera
Kutjera is also known as the Australian desert raisin, and after one glimpse of the tanned, wrinkled skin, you’ll understand why.
It resembles the raisins you probably snacked on growing up, but the flavor is unlike anything you’ve probably ever tasted.
Kutjera is robust and pungent with strong notes of tamarillo and caramel that pack a mean punch of sweetness. You can eat these berries raw, but you’ll most likely find the powdered form used in cooking.
This berry is hidden in bush plants scattered throughout dry areas. Indigenous groups in the Australian mainland have used this unique raisin as a food source for millennia.
17. Kwai Muk
Last but not least, let’s talk about the ugliest addition to this list of fruits that start with K. The kwai muk has a unique appearance, to say the least, with a stringy pink interior surrounded by mushy green skin.
On a good day, this fruit resembles a tiny jackfruit, but most often you’ll look at it and think, “yuck”.
Don’t be off-put by the appearance, because the flavor tastes creamy and sherbert-like with a sour aftertaste. It’s not juicy and it almost has the same texture as a mushroom, but it’s still worth a try.
