35 Foods That Start With N

If you’re a food lover then I’ve got a question for you. Can you name at least ten foods starting with the letter N? If not, then don’t worry, this post contains 35 foods that start with N including fluids, foods as well as anything edible. At first you might not be familiar with many of the below foods but by the end of this you’ll be able to name all 35.

Foods Beginning With The Letter N

If you’re wondering whats a food that starts with N then this list should help answer that question. We cover sweets, fruits, vegetables and other everyday foods. Some of these are from various cuisines such as Italian, Indian and American.

1. Nuggets

Nuggets, also known as chicken nuggets, are chicken products made using chicken meat that is battered and breaded, then baked or deep-fried.

The nuggets have over the year become a favorite for many people across the world and are found in any popular restaurant. Nuggets are rich in proteins, which means they can help one in losing weight as well as reduce hunger.

2. Nigella Seed

Nigella seeds have, for a long time, confused many people due to the different names that they go by. However, some of the well-known names include black seed and caraway.

The seed originates from family Ranunculaceae, which is native to Southwest and South Asia.

The seeds are associated with multiple health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and helps in regulating blood sugar, thus playing a significant role in every person who takes them.

3. Naan Bread

Naan is an oven-baked leavened flatbread common in the cuisines of Western Asia, the Caribbean, and South Asia. Traditionally the Naan was baked inside a hot clay tandoor oven using wood or charcoal fire.

Apart from having low calories, naan is also a rich supply of protein as well as carbohydrates. It also contains adequate amounts of vitamin B, manganese, and selenium, and together they work as antioxidants.

4. Nonpareil

Nonpareils are decorative confectionery consisting of tinny balls made from starch and sugar. Traditionally they nonpareils were only available in opaque white but are now available in different colors and used as topping in candies and chocolates.

5. Nashi Pear

Nashi pear, also known as the Asian pear, is a species of the pear tree that is native to East Asia. The fruit goes by different names, including apple pear, since they resemble the apple in shape and size.

Rich a high content of magnesium, which is a mineral that helps in fighting fatigue, nashi pear also contains fiber, which helps in protecting cardiovascular health and the bones.

6. Navel Oranges

Navel oranges are seedless in nature because they are genetically identical clones of a tree that was discovered in Brazil. What makes the navel oranges stand out are the unique small holes called navels that resemble the belly button that is situated at the blossom-stem end.

Navel oranges are considered as one of the healthiest fruits that one can eat. Rich in vitamin C, Fiber, and potassium, the fruit helps in protecting one against heart disease, diabetes, and cancer while still boost your memory.

7. Nasi Goreng

Nasi Goreng is a word that stems from the Indonesian and Malay language, which means fried rice. It is a rice dish having both meat as well as vegetable in it.

The good thing about this dish is that you can play around using different ingredients to get a unique taste that is just for you. Rich in vitamin B, nasi goreng is a good source when it comes to minerals selenium, iron, copper, and zinc.

8. Neep (or Turnip)

The neep or the white turnip is a vegetable root commonly found in temperate climatic areas worldwide. With a fleshy taproot, the vegetable has become an essential ingredient among many dishes with both the turnip and its leafy greens being tasty and nutritious. They are also loaded with vitamins, fiber, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and manganese.

9. Nori

Nori is a Japanese name referring to all seaweed species of red algae genus Pyrpia that are edible, which includes P. Tenera and P. Yezoensis.

Having a strong, distinctive flavor, Nori is widely used in Japanese cuisine as a major ingredient to Shushi, wrap rolls, or onigiri with the term referring to dried sheets. Nori nutrients include copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous, potassium, among others.

10. Nasturtium

Nasturtium, also referred to as Tropaeolum or nasturtian, is a genre of roughly eighty species of perennial and annual herbaceous flowering plants. Best known for their extremely bright yellow, red, orange flowers with lushly round leaves that are edible and delicious, the plant can survive even in the winter with altitudes of up to 10,000 feet going up.

Both the petals and leaves of nasturtium are filled with nutrients and contain high levels of vitamin C. The plant has the ability to improve your immune system and tackling coughs and sore throats as soon as possible.

11. Natal Plum

Natal plum, widely known as Carissa macrocarpa, is a shrub originating from South Africa. In South Africa, it goes by the name large num-num, which is Zulu. The fruits are the only edible parts of this plant with the stem and leaves being toxic. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium.

12. Nankhatai

Nankhatai is simply shortbread biscuits that originate from the Indian subcontinent with more popularity in Northern India as well as Pakistan.

They are simply prepared using sugar, butter, ghee, and flour with many nankhati variations depending on the recipe being used. Nankhatai is another one of those foods that begin with n that you likely weren’t aware of.

13. Nutmeg Melon

The aromatic and green cantaloupe with a netted skin and a nutmeg shape is a tasty tried and true fruit. It is considered as the oldest variety of cantaloupe that is grown and widely distributed in America.

Rich in water and electrolytes, the fruit has become a popular product in most grocery stores since it also plays a vital role in reducing blood pressure.

14. Nougat

Nougat is a combination of confections made by honey or sugar, whipped eggs roasted nuts with the exception of adding chopped candied fruits.

The consistency of the nougat is chewy and used in different chocolates and candy bars.

With a variety of recipes on how best to make the nougat, including the Italian nougat recipe, the choice highly depends on how you want the outcome to be.

15. Noodles

Noodles are food types made from unleavened dough. The dough is rolled flat and cut, extruded, or stretched into long strings.

You can choose to refrigerate the noodles for short term storage or dry and store for future use. The noodles are also simple to prepare since boiling them is all that is required. They’re a critical part of this wagamama yaki udon dish.

16. Nectarine

Mainly confused with peach, a nectarine scientific name Prunus Persia is a stone fruit related to almond, apricot, cherry, and plum that also comes from the genus Prunus.

The nectarine tree resembles a peach tree and grows in areas that experience cool winter seasons. It comes in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, white, and red.

Both the nectarines and peaches can be clingstone whereby the pit remains stuck to the flesh or freestone in which the pit-falls off easily.

They are usually available during the winter, thus making them a better addition to refreshing drinks or deserts. They are also rich in fiber and a good source for vitamin A, C, and potassium, therefore offering health benefits such as improved metabolism.

17. Negus

Negus refers to a warm drink made from port or wine, the main ingredients being water, lemon, or orange species and sugar. Invented in the 18th century by Francis Negus, the drink has gained major popularity with different recipes coming up, all highlighting how to make an excellent Negus.

18. Nesselrode

Nesselrode is a mixture of different candied fruits, maraschino, and nuts and is mainly used in puddings, ice cream, and pies.

According to history, this unique ice pudding was first made by De Cuisine Careme a French chef in the year 1814 for an emissary known as Count Karl Von Nesselrode. It then became a sought after ice pudding in the nineteenth century and was mainly appreciated by the rich English people.

19. Nipa

Nipa is a rhizomatous leaved palm plant mostly found on the tidal rivers of Southern Asia as well as Austria.

The plant has long fronds that are mainly applied in thatching activities partitioning and as food. The sugary sap found in the inflorescence stalk is a good source of treacle, vinegar, amorphous sugar and alcohol20.

20. Nachos

Nachos simply refer to a tex-mex dish originating from Northern Mexico consisting of heated totopos or tortilla chips covered by a piece of melted cheese.

It is always served as an appetizer or snack. Some of the commonly known more elaborate versions of nachos consist of other ingredients making them substantial enough to be served as a main dish. Nachos are also rich in protein and fiber.

Therefore they come with different health benefits. You can also find out how to reheat nachos the next day.

21. Nutella

Nutella being the name of the company responsible for making and selling the chocolates, refers to a chocolate-hazelnut that is spread. Having an Italian origin, it is prevalent among people who cannot get enough of chocolates.

It has now become an international sensation due to its delicious taste with every day bringing a new and better way of enjoying the wonderful spread.

A better and healthy way of eating Nutella is to eat it with fruits or use whole wheat bread. Or if you love pancakes, this is one of the best toppings to add.

22. Naartjie Fruit

This is a citrus fruit that is commonly found in Asia, particularly China and Japan. Although native to these countries it is also found in Spain and the USA. It has become popular due to its sweet taste.

23. Nance Fruit

Nance fruit is another n food that and fruit that most are not familiar with, however the nance fruit is more popular than you think. Stemming from the the nance fruit tree, you will find these native to the South America region, predominantly Cuba, Mexico, Colombia Bolivia and Haiti.

You can eat this fruit cooked or also fresh and as is. In these regions, you will also find this used to make fruit juice or ice-cream. It’s also reported as being used for medication puposes due to the many vitamins and nutrients it contains.

24. New York Cheesecake

Whenever we visit times square, we always stop for a coffee and a small (ok, a large) slice of New York Cheesecake. Unlike regular cheesecake, this doesn’t have a buttery biscuit base. It is, in fact, baked. As a result, the cake puffs up and is surprisingly light.

As to what kind of new York cheesecake you make? Well, that’s up to you. You can have it plain old vanilla or pimp it up a little with the inclusion of chocolate, banana, or whatever filling you so prefer. Our favorite has to be lemon. It goes wonderfully with coffee.

25. Nut Bread

Nut bread is one of those recipes that we turn to when we want to bake but don’t have the will to spend hours in the kitchen.

It is filling sweet and really easy to make. With only six ingredients, you could have a fresh loaf of nut bread whipped up in less than an hour. We like to serve a slice with a large dollop of ice cream while it is still warm. It also makes for a decent breakfast on the go! You can use any nuts you have around. We combine a few different types to give a nice mix of taste and texture.

26. Neapolitan Ice Cream

All that talk of nut bread has put us in the mood for some ice cream. Which shall we go for? Chocolate? Vanilla? Strawberry? The obvious answer is yes… To all three!

Neapolitan ice cream means that you don’t have to pick a flavor and can really indulge. Our favorite is actually the cheap kind that comes in bars. A big square slice goes well with practically any dessert or can be eaten on its own too.

27. Nut Brownies

Don’t get us wrong, brownies are supremely delicious, but sometimes you just want a little bit more texture. The answer? Include a few nuts when you make the batter.

This way, everyone gets a few crispy and crunchy bits without the usual fight for who gets the corner pieces. We find that walnuts give the best texture, but you can use whatever nuts you have on hand. Flaked almonds also work well, and they create a really nice visual effect if toasted and sprinkled over the top before you bake your brownies.

28. Napoleon Cake

Short and mighty? While you might think that this dish is French, it actually has Russian origins. It does take a little bit of time to make but believe us. It is well worth it.

It’s actually a layered cake, made of little ‘plates’ of pastry. Each layer sandwiches a buttercream filling. The entire exterior of the cake is dusted with crumbs made from the scraps of baked pastry.

This is really eye-catching and will have your guests marveling at your creativity. 

29. Nettles

Never considered nettles as a food beginning with N? Think again. There are all sorts of dishes that use nettles. Nettle tea is a really good detoxifier.

Next time you are out for a walk, grab a few handfuls (be sure to wear gloves). Nettles can be cooked in exactly the same way as spinach and are full of healthy anti-oxidants. 

30. Napa Cabbage

While you might think this comes from California, it is, in fact, used in Chinese cooking. Napa cabbage often gets mistaken for Romaine lettuce as they look very similar.

If you ever see a recipe calling for ‘Chinese’ cabbage, it actually means napa cabbage. You can use it in oriental dishes or as you would with regular old savoy green cabbage. 

31. Nigiri

If you are a sushi lover, then you are going to adore this. Nigiri is a cube of sticky and spiced sushi rice topped with a thin sliver of fish. Nigiri loosely translates as ‘two fingers’. While we think this relates to how the dish looks, we like to imagine it also relates to how we eat our sushi once we fail with the chopsticks!

32. Nutmeg

This is one of those autumnal spices that we just can’t do without. Nutmeg works well to add depth to practically any dish.

While we normally grate a clove of nutmeg over our rice pudding, it can also be used with savory dishes such as stews to add body and flavor.

You can buy it pre powdered, but we prefer to buy the dried nuts and then use a fine grater to make our own. This one also happens to be divine over a few evening cocktails.

33. Nuts

Thought nuts was a little too obvious? This was our easiest choice when talking about foods beginning with N!

There are too many nuts to mention, but check our store cupboard, and you’ll always find almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts.

They can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Chicken satay and beef massaman curry in particular. It isn’t often an ingredient that works well for both breakfast and dinner! 

34. Nargesi

Never had nargesi before? Don’t worry, not many people have, which is why you’ll be the star of your next dinner party. Nargesi is an Iranian-inspired dish.

It consists of fried naan bread, topped with a tasty blend of vegetables, grilled meat, and a few herbs and spices. Once your meat is grilled, it will take less than 5 minutes to prepare.

Be sure to serve with heaps of Greek yogurt and dips like hummus. 

35. Natto

Along with Nigiri, here’s another one from a Japanese kitchen. Natto is a dish made from fermented soya beans.

These beans turn glutinous as they ferment and are traditionally served as a breakfast dish in Japan. They leave long strings, similar to melted cheese.

They won’t be for everyone, but they are well worth a try if you can find them. 

Conclusion

These are simply some of the well-known foods beginning with N. With limitations on naming them all due to factors such as language and country barriers, there are 100s of foods starting with N, but no one can find them all. This will get you started in being able to name foods that begin with the letter N.

If you have any other examples please send them over to us. If you enjoyed this post you’ll also like our other versions such as this post on foods that start with u and this one on foods beginning with x.