Eating in China
Generated illustration of tender pumpkin leaves with short stalks.

Pumpkin leaves

Chinese name
南瓜叶
Mandarin pinyin
Nánguā yè

Tender pumpkin leaves eaten as a cooked leafy vegetable, distinct from the pumpkin fruit.

Type
Vegetables

A CLOSER LOOK

How to recognize it

Broad green leaves with palmate veins, shallow lobes and a lightly hairy surface.

In the kitchen

Cleaned and cooked in soups or vegetable dishes; chopped leaves are used in a Wushan caidoufu version.

This entry refers to the leaves. Pumpkin shoots may also include tender stems, tendrils and buds; the parts used vary by dish.

Ask about this ingredient

这道菜里有南瓜叶吗?

Does this dish contain Pumpkin leaves?

EATING IN CHINA · THE APP

Get the app

Discover local dishes, understand their ingredients and flavours, and choose what you’d like to try. Explore vegetarian, vegan and kid-friendly food ideas for your China trip.

Food guides, ingredients and trip planning are free.

See what’s in the app