If someone were to sit you down and ask you to name a vegetable that starts with the letter X, it will be more of a challenge than you think.
Although there are technically no vegetables that start with the letter X in the English language, we thought that was a boring answer to give you.
So instead, we’ve searched high and low across the world to find a list of vegetables that start with the letter X!
So even though at first glance there aren’t any vegetables that start with the letter X, this simply isn’t true. The only thing to bear in mind is that you will need to be a little creative with your interpretation of vegetables that start with the letter X.
By widening your thinking process a little, you can include a wide variety of vegetables that would have at first been discounted in your investigations. Several of the vegetables that we have mentioned below are popular in Asian cuisine.
Let’s take a closer look at our list of vegetables that start with X! There are even some bonus fruits that start with X down below just to make things a bit more interesting.
1. Xà Lách
First up is the Chinese term Xà Lách, which is used to refer to all types of lettuce. This leafy vegetable is highly versatile and is often used in sandwiches as well as a variety of salad dishes. Xà Lách is often grown as a leafy vegetable but can also be used for its seeds and stems.
Xà Lách can be eaten both cooked and raw. It can be grilled, added to Chinese soup, or a whole range of different dishes. Xà Lách is often used in a range of Chinese cuisine because of its versatility.
Interestingly, Xà Lách is a European native leafy green vegetable that has started to be enjoyed around the world. There are also so many different varieties to consider that you are sure to find the best lettuce leaf for your particular taste buds!
2. Xi Lan Hua
Now chances are that out of all the vegetables on our list that start with the letter X, you will have eaten Xi Lan Hua without even thinking about it.
Xi Lan Hua is the Chinese name for broccoli! This green vegetable is highly versatile and is typically enjoyed cooked. It can be steamed, boiled, sautéed, and many more.
This vegetable is rich in several different nutrients, including iron, fiber, potassium, as well as several key vitamins including vitamins C and K. Xi Lan Hua comes in many different varieties which are used in Chinese cuisine as well as other cuisines around the world.
Xi Lan Hua is a particular favorite when included in stir-fries, as this can help to elevate the flavor and make it a much more interesting vegetable to consume. There’s nothing sadder than a piece of broccoli that has been boiled to within an inch of its life.
Instead, why not try stir-frying your Xi Lan Hua the next time you bring some home from the grocery store? Tenderstem broccoli is the best variety to use for this.
3. Xanthosoma Sagittifolium
The Latin name Xanthosoma sagittifolium is used to describe the arrowleaf elephant ear plant. Both the leaves and tuber of this vegetable are edible and are used in a wide range of cuisines around the world.
Arrowhead elephant ear is eaten in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Suriname, and the Netherlands.
The arrowhead elephant ear leaves and tubers are typically ground down into a paste to combine with other ingredients. In the Netherlands, the tuber is shredded and then baked with other ingredients such as chicken and a range of spices.
You can also just cook the tubers as you would any other root vegetable. They have often even been compared to potatoes in terms of preparation. The tuber is rather starchy and is a fantastic source of energy for poor populations.
The leaves of the plant can also be cooked and prepared in a similar method to spinach.
4. Xerophyte
Now, this is one of the trickier inclusions on our list. Xerophyte is the term used to refer to a particular type of plant that has developed to survive without an abundance of water.
Some examples of xerophytes include types of cacti as well as pineapple.
These vegetables are still edible. One of the tastiest xerophytes that are consumed around the world is the nopales plant. This features long, flat leaves, which can be cut up and enjoyed both cooked and raw.
The leaves of a xerophyte plant such as nopales tend to have a slightly crunchy texture. It can be sautéed, simmered, deep-fried, boiled, or even grilled.
5. Xanthosoma Brasiliense
Xanthosoma brasiliense is the Latin term for Tahitian spinach. This vegetable is harvested for its edible stems and leaves, which are often enjoyed cooked.
In some of the more tropical areas around the globe, Xanthosoma brasiliense is even used as a replacement for celery.
Interestingly, every part of this plant is edible. It is also considered to have a wide range of medicinal benefits and it can even be used similarly to aloe vera for soothing the skin.
Tahitian spinach or Xanthosoma brasiliense can even be eaten raw. However, some of the more popular cooking methods include steaming, stir-frying, boiling, or adding it to soups and stews for some added flavor.
6. Xi Yang Cai
The term Xi Yang Cai is Chinese for what we would call watercress in English. This is a highly delicate vegetable that is generally used as a garnish or added towards the end of the cooking process to maintain as much flavor as possible.
It is considered to be a mild vegetable that is usually added to salad dishes.
Interestingly, Xi Yang Cai is a member of the mustard family. This makes it related to broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and arugula! The whole of Xi Yang Cai is edible, including the flowers.
Xi Yang Cai tends to have a peppery flavor that helps to elevate a dish to the next level. Xi Yang Cai is often used in several classic dishes, such as the Chinese dish of stir fry.
This vegetable is rich in several key vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K. There are also several helpful minerals including calcium, folate, iron, iodine, and potassium. It is a healthy addition to make to your dishes because it is naturally low in sodium.
7. Xanthosoma Caracu
One of the more exotic inclusions on our list, Xanthosoma caracu is the Latin term used to refer to the edible vegetable known as yautia horqueta. Both the tubers and the leaves of Xanthosoma caracu are edible and are most commonly enjoyed cooked.
Xanthosoma caracu is particularly popular in Mexican, Puerto Rican, South American, and Caribbean cuisine. It is native to South America and is most typically harvested in Puerto Rico.
8. Popular Fruits That Start With X
As an added bonus, we thought we’d throw in some fascinating fruits that start with X just to give you a little more healthy stuff to think about.
Xigua
If you were to search for fruits beginning with X on the internet, then xigua would have been one of the first ones that you stumbled across. This is of course the Chinese term for watermelon, and it is highly versatile. Xigua can be very refreshing on a hot summer’s day!
Xarel·lo
Xarel·lo is of course one of the many grape varieties that are harvested from the Catalonia area of Spain. This is one of the lighter-colored grapes that are typically available on the market and is one of the grape varieties that is used to craft the delicious sparkling wine cava that is associated with Spain.
Xiangjiao
Of course, there would be many more Chinese terms for different fruits, just as there are for vegetables that we have highlighted in more detail above! Xiangjiao is the Chinese name for banana. This is of course a highly versatile fruit that contains a whole load of healthy vitamins and minerals.
Summary
So there you have it! Even though at first glance there aren’t any vegetables that start with the letter X in their name, there are a lot more than you think. We hope that you have enjoyed our list of foods that start with the letter X!
Just by being a little more inventive with our interpretation as to what qualifies as starting with the letter X in their name, we have managed to find 7 more vegetables that start with X. After all, English is only one language around the globe, and every language spells their vegetables differently!
Now the next time someone asks you to name a vegetable that starts with X, you can confidently reply with this interesting list! Are there any fascinating vegetables that start with X that you think we’ve missed off our list? How many of the above vegetables have you tried?
Let us know in the comments below!
