What veggies start with the letter G?
Vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients. They also contain antioxidants, which fight against free radicals and prevent diseases such as cancer.
There are many types of vegetables that start with the letter G. Some examples include garlic, ginger, green beans, and green onions.
With so many vegetables to choose from though, some often get overlooked in the kitchen.
To improve your knowledge of vegetables and hopefully give you some inspiration to try something new,
we have compiled a list looking at the characteristics and tastes of vegetables that start with the letter G. Some you may know lots about, while others you may never have heard of.
If you have a love for veggies, make sure you keep reading.
Let’s take a look at the list.
1. Green Onions
We’ll start our list with a familiar vegetable. Also known by the name spring onion or scallions, you may be quite surprised when you
realize that this vegetable is simply a very young onion that has been harvested before the bulb has had any chance to swell.
The green onion has long green leaves that grow from the top. It is this leafy stalk that is most commonly used in the kitchen. Most people use spring onions to add a beautifully sweet, fresh taste to a recipe.
2. Green Beans
You may also know the green bean by the name snap bean, runner bean, or string bean. Originating in Peru, green beans are now grown all over the world, including in the United States.
The long, slender vegetable with green pods can be eaten cooked or raw and provides plenty of nutritional benefits.
High in vitamin K, the green bean has a grassy, earthy taste that goes well with a juicy steak or some melted butter.
3. Ginger
Ginger is a versatile vegetable packed with flavor. Typically used as a flavoring spice, as tea, or in a host of tasty dishes, one of which includes sushi,
the ginger root has a slightly peppery, sweet taste with a rather pungent, spicy aroma. In terms of appearance, the ginger root has a tough and thick branched rhizome and a brown outer layer.
Inside the vegetable is where the yellow spicy flesh is found.
4. Garlic
It’s probably fair to say that we’ve all heard of this strong-smelling vegetable before. Used to enhance the flavors of most dishes, the garlic we eat comes from a plant with long grasslike leaves and bright pink flowers.
The stalk of the plant rises from the flower bulb of the plant. It is this flower bulb used as the food we all love. Interestingly this bulb also has many medicinal purposes that help fight inflammation and reduce cholesterol levels.
When it comes to taste, garlic has a strong spicy flavor when raw, and a more subtle earthy flavor when cooked.
5. Garlic Chives
On the topic of Garlic, it only seems right to include garlic chives on this list too. Across Asian countries, primarily China, the garlic chive is used in cooking.
However, in the US most people tend to use this vegetable for decoration instead. Garlic chives are graceful herbs that produce delicate white flowers.
Sharing a similar strong flavor to that of garlic, this herb is often used to make garlic chive oil and garlic chive butter.
6. Galangal
The next vegetable on our list is the galangal. Galangal is a root vegetable native to Southern Asia. Usually used as a herb to add extra flavor to a dish, the vegetable is most commonly used all over Asia.
In some cultures, the galangal isn’t only used for its pungent taste and aromas. It can also be used for its medicinal properties.
We recommend adding some galangal to a seafood and noodle dish, or to your barbecued meat.
7. Green Peas
Green pea is the common name given to the pea produced by the Pisum Sativum plant. This pea is part of the bean family.
The pea vegetable is hugely popular around the world, with the first green pea variety first being cultivated in 5000 BC. Some Chinese texts even mention the green pea as early as 3600 BC.
These small spherical vegetables can be eaten raw as a snack, or in a wide range of delicious dishes and salads.
8. Gold Potatoes
There are approximately 200 varieties of the famous root vegetable we eat on a daily basis. The gold potato is one of those 200.
Gold potatoes are a very light-colored type of potato that is also light in weight. Full of Vitamin B6 and vitamin C, gold potatoes are considered one of the tastiest potatoes grown.
The sweet taste of the gold potato and the versatility of the vegetable is why they are so popular. They can be baked, boiled, and fried.
9. Gala Radish
The radish has long been used in stews and soup. It is seen as a good alternative to cabbage. Radishes are annual crops grown for their large roots that can be cylindrical, globular, or tapering.
Regarding the taste of the gala radish, it is similar to the asparagus. This is a strong nutty flavor. Compared to other types of radish,
the gala radish has a milder flavor that makes it a more pleasant choice for those who like to eat their radishes raw. As the radish matures its color can change from white to green.
10. Garbanzo Beans
You probably know garbanzo beans by the name chickpeas. Part of the legume family, the garbanzo bean is full of goodness. They are high in protein and fiber, giving a variety of food a lovely mild bean flavor.
The most common use of garbanzo beans is in the making of hummus or cooked in a delicious spicy chili.
Also a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, these beans are a good vegetable choice if you want a good health boost.
11. Garden Rocket
The next vegetable on our list that starts with G is the garden rocket. Generally speaking, the garden rocket is better known by the name arugula.
It is a leafy green vegetable plant that goes well in a fresh salad. Many people use the garden rocket leaves because of the peppery taste and delicate kick it brings to the party.
12. Gem Squash
Okay, so the next vegetable on our list may technically be a fruit. However, in South Africa, the gem squash is very much considered a vegetable.
Baked and boiled like any other veggie, the gem squash is a lot smaller than other squashes. In fact, it is about the size of a softball.
This South African delicacy has a wonderful earthy flavor. When stuffed and baked this vegetable really makes an impact.
13. Gherkins
We all have a friend that complains too much about having gherkins on their burger – if you don’t know yours then maybe it’s you! Gherkins are a variety of small cucumbers.
This vegetable is usually pickled in brine and vinegar before being left to ferment for a long period of time. By the end of the fermenting process, the gherkins have a sweet and savory taste.
Some people like to eat them on their own, while others have them on a burger or in a salad.
14. Golden Samphire
Getting its name from the golden sunflower-like flowers it produces, the golden samphire is a unique vegetable that oddly smells like shoe polish. Despite this, they are totally edible.
The golden samphire plant has narrow fleshy leaves and fairly big flower heads that each have six bright yellow petals that can grow to 15 cm across. It is the young leaves on this plant that can be eaten.
Consumed raw or cooked, these leaves have a distinctive salty taste. Some delicious recipes include using golden samphire as a flavoring with new potatoes, pickling the vegetable, or even when making a superfood smoothie.
15. Good King Henry
The name Good King Henry seems pretty strange for a vegetable, especially when you consider that it’s also called poor man’s asparagus.
Most people think of this plant as nothing more than a weed, but it can be eaten just like you would eat spinach.
Originating in Southern Europe, the Good King Henry plant has a quite bitter taste that many find an acquired taste. Personally, we think this vegetable goes brilliantly in a smoothie or fresh salad.
Final Thoughts
That concludes our list of vegetables that start with the letter G. Are you surprised by just how many there actually are? How many of the vegetables from our list do you recognize?
As you can see from our list, almost every vegetable that starts with G has lots of health benefits that make them well worth adding to your diet.
While some vegetables are a little less common and harder to get hold of, most of the vegetables from this list can be found in your local store.
Now you’ve read our list, why not take a trip to your local store and see which of these vegetables you can find.
Now you have a better knowledge of the vegetables on offer, you have the perfect chance to try something new and experience new flavors.
