✔ Updated · 147 foods, sorted by category
From orange and octopus to oatmeal and olives, the letter O covers foods you eat every day and plenty you may never have tried.
This list rounds up 147 foods that start with O, sorted into ten categories: fruits, vegetables, dishes, desserts, breads and grains, drinks, cheeses, meat and seafood, herbs and condiments, and international foods. Each entry has a short description, and a quick A-to-Z list at the end is handy for alphabet games, quizzes and Scattergories.
Foods that start with O, from everyday favorites to rare finds. The most popular:
Fruits That Start With O
Citrus, berries, apples and other fruits that start with O.
Orange
A sweet, juicy citrus fruit eaten in segments or squeezed for juice, with navel, Valencia and blood oranges the best known.
Olives
The small, oily fruit of the olive tree, cured in brine or oil because they are too bitter to eat raw.
Olallieberry
A large, glossy blackberry cross from California, sweet-tart and juicy, famous in olallieberry pie along the central coast.
Oroblanco
A seedless cross between a pomelo and a grapefruit with thick green-yellow rind and sweet, mild, low-acid flesh.
Ortanique
A Jamaican citrus fruit, a natural cross between an orange and a tangerine, very juicy, sweet and easy to peel.
Orangelo
A natural cross between an orange and a grapefruit from Puerto Rico, sweeter than grapefruit and bright orange inside.
Orangequat
A small hybrid of a mandarin and a kumquat with a sweet edible peel, often made into marmalade.
Owari Satsuma
The most popular satsuma mandarin variety, seedless and easy to peel, harvested in late fall.
Oregon Grape
The tart, dark blue berry of a Pacific Northwest holly-like shrub, too sour raw but good in jelly.
Ohelo Berry
A small red or yellow Hawaiian berry related to cranberries, growing on volcanic slopes and made into jams and pies.
Otaheite Gooseberry
A small, pale yellow, very sour fruit that grows in clusters on the tree trunk, pickled or candied in Asia.
Otaheite Apple
The Caribbean name for the Malay apple, a pear-shaped red fruit with crisp, white, mildly sweet flesh.
Ogeechee Lime
The sour red fruit of the Ogeechee tupelo tree from Georgia and Florida, used for preserves and drinks.
Opuntia
The prickly pear cactus, whose spiny red or green fruits, called tunas, have sweet, melon-like flesh.
Oriental Persimmon
The Asian persimmon, a glossy orange fruit eaten crisp like Fuyu or jelly-soft like Hachiya, sweet as honey.
Ozark Gold Apple
A golden yellow apple bred in Missouri, sweet and aromatic with a honeyed flavor, ripening in late summer.
Opal Apple
A bright yellow, crunchy apple from the Czech Republic, sweet and tangy and naturally slow to brown when sliced.
Orin Apple
A Japanese green-yellow apple with very sweet, juicy flesh and a honey-like aroma, popular in Asia.
Vegetables & Mushrooms That Start With O
Vegetables, roots, greens and mushrooms that begin with O. I start almost every dinner by softening an onion.
Okra
A green seed pod that turns silky when cooked, essential in Southern gumbo and fried okra and called bhindi in India.
Onion
A pungent bulb that turns sweet when cooked, the starting point of countless soups, sauces, stews and stir-fries.
Oxheart Tomato
A large, heart-shaped heirloom tomato with meaty, sweet flesh and few seeds, great sliced for sandwiches.
Oca
A small, colorful Andean tuber with a tangy, lemony flavor when fresh, eaten roasted, boiled or raw like a radish.
Olluco
A waxy, brightly colored Andean tuber with crisp texture and an earthy flavor, cooked in Peruvian stews and salads.
Orach
Also called mountain spinach, a leafy green with red, gold or green leaves, cooked or eaten raw like spinach.
Oakleaf Lettuce
A loose-leaf lettuce with lobed leaves shaped like oak leaves, in green or red, with a tender, mild taste.
Ong Choy
The Cantonese name for water spinach, a leafy green with hollow stems, stir-fried with garlic or fermented bean curd.
Okahijiki
A Japanese succulent green also called land seaweed, with crunchy, salty, needle-like leaves for salads and stir-fries.
Ogonori
A crunchy red seaweed used fresh in Hawaiian poke and Japanese salads, also called limu manauea or sea moss.
Oyster Mushroom
A fan-shaped mushroom with a delicate texture and mild flavor, easy to sear until crispy, in gray, yellow and pink.
Oyster Plant
Another name for salsify, a long, thin root vegetable with a mild flavor said to resemble oysters, peeled and boiled.
Oyster Leaf
A blue-green coastal herb whose leaves taste surprisingly like fresh oysters, a favorite garnish in modern restaurants.
Dishes & Meals That Start With O
Breakfasts, soups, sides and dinners that start with O. Oatmeal is my cold-morning breakfast.
Omelet
Beaten eggs cooked quickly in a pan and folded around fillings like cheese, ham, peppers, onions or mushrooms.
Oatmeal
A warm breakfast porridge of oats cooked with water or milk, topped with fruit, nuts, brown sugar or maple syrup.
Get the recipe →Overnight Oats
Rolled oats soaked overnight in the fridge with milk or yogurt, ready to eat cold with fruit in the morning.
Get the recipe →Old-Fashioned Pancakes
Fluffy, golden pancakes made from scratch with flour, milk, eggs, butter and baking powder, served with syrup.
Get the recipe →Onion Rings
Thick rings of sweet onion dipped in batter or breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crisp, a burger joint classic.
Get the recipe →Onion Soup
French onion soup: deeply caramelized onions in beef broth topped with toasted bread and melted Gruyère.
Get the recipe →Onion Dip
A creamy party dip of sour cream mixed with caramelized or dried onions, served with potato chips.
Get the recipe →Orange Chicken
Crispy battered chicken pieces tossed in a sweet, tangy orange sauce, a Chinese-American takeout favorite.
Get the recipe →Oxtail Stew
Oxtails browned and braised slowly with vegetables and spices until the rich, gelatinous meat falls off the bone.
Osso Buco
A Milanese dish of cross-cut veal shanks braised with white wine, vegetables and broth, topped with gremolata.
Oysters Rockefeller
Oysters on the half shell topped with a rich green sauce of herbs, butter and breadcrumbs, then baked.
Oyster Stew
A simple, creamy soup of oysters gently warmed in milk, cream and butter, an American Christmas Eve tradition.
Oyster Po' Boy
A New Orleans sandwich of crispy cornmeal-fried oysters on French bread, dressed with lettuce, tomato and rémoulade.
Orzo Salad
A light pasta salad of rice-shaped orzo tossed with vegetables, feta, herbs and a lemon vinaigrette.
Open-Faced Sandwich
A single slice of bread topped with meat, fish, cheese or gravy, like Danish smørrebrød or a hot turkey sandwich.
Desserts & Sweets That Start With O
Cookies, cakes, pies and pastries that start with O. Oatmeal cookies are the ones I bake when we’re out of chocolate chips.
Opera Cake
An elegant French cake of almond sponge soaked in coffee syrup, layered with coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache.
Oreo
Two crunchy chocolate wafers with a sweet cream filling, the best-selling cookie in the world, often dunked in milk.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Chewy, comforting cookies made with rolled oats, plump raisins, brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon.
Oatmeal Cream Pie
Two soft oatmeal cookies sandwiched with fluffy, sweet crème filling, a lunchbox snack cake classic.
Oatmeal Pie
A Southern pie similar to pecan pie, with oats in place of pecans in a sweet, gooey, buttery filling.
Old-Fashioned Doughnut
A cake doughnut with a craggy, cracked surface that crisps when fried and holds a sweet glaze.
Orange Chiffon Cake
A tall, airy cake made with oil, whipped egg whites and fresh orange juice and zest, baked in a tube pan.
Orange Rolls
Soft, buttery sweet rolls swirled with orange zest and sugar and topped with tangy orange glaze.
Orange Sherbet
A refreshing frozen dessert of orange juice, sugar and a little milk or cream, lighter than ice cream.
Ozark Pudding
A crusty, gooey baked pudding of apples and nuts from the Ozarks, a favorite of President Harry Truman.
Oliebollen
Dutch deep-fried dough balls studded with raisins and dusted with powdered sugar, eaten on New Year's Eve.
Ontbijtkoek
A Dutch spiced rye breakfast cake flavored with cinnamon, cloves and ginger, sliced and spread with butter.
Orehnjača
A Croatian and Slovenian sweet yeast roll filled with ground walnuts, honey and sugar, baked for Christmas and Easter.
Omani Halwa
A dense, sticky Omani sweet of sugar, ghee, starch, rosewater, saffron and nuts, served with coffee to guests.
Oblea
Two thin, crisp wafers sandwiched with cajeta or arequipe caramel, a popular street sweet in Colombia and Mexico.
Obbattu
A South Indian sweet flatbread stuffed with jaggery and lentil filling, cooked with ghee for festivals like Ugadi.
Oshiruko
A warm Japanese dessert soup of sweet red bean paste with toasted mochi, eaten in winter.
Osmanthus Cake
A clear, jiggly Chinese jelly cake flavored with fragrant osmanthus flowers and goji berries, served chilled.
Breads, Grains & Pasta That Start With O
Grains, breads, crackers and pasta that begin with O.
Oats
A hearty whole grain sold as rolled, steel-cut or instant oats, cooked into porridge or baked into cookies and granola.
Oat Bran
The fiber-rich outer layer of the oat groat, cooked as a creamy hot cereal or added to muffins.
Oatcake
A flat, crisp cracker or griddle cake made from oatmeal, a staple in Scotland eaten with cheese.
Oatmeal Bread
A soft, slightly sweet sandwich loaf made with rolled oats and often honey or molasses, great for toast.
Olive Bread
A rustic loaf studded with chopped green or black olives, often made with olive oil and herbs.
Oyster Crackers
Small, round, salted crackers floated on clam chowder and other soups or tossed with ranch seasoning as a snack.
Onion Bagel
A chewy bagel topped with toasted dried onion flakes, a deli favorite with cream cheese or lox.
Orzo
Small, rice-shaped pasta used in soups, pilafs and pasta salads, and called kritharaki in Greece.
Orecchiette
Small, ear-shaped pasta from Puglia, classically served with broccoli rabe, sausage, garlic and chili.
Occhi di Lupo
Large, short tube pasta whose name means wolf's eyes, good for baked dishes and chunky sauces.
Drinks That Start With O
Juices, teas, cocktails and wines that start with O.
Orange Juice
Juice squeezed from oranges, a breakfast staple served fresh, from concentrate, with or without pulp.
Oat Milk
A creamy plant-based milk made from oats and water, popular in coffee drinks because it steams and froths well.
Ovaltine
A malted milk drink powder from Switzerland, sold since 1904, stirred into hot or cold milk in chocolate or malt flavors.
Oolong
A partially oxidized Chinese tea between green and black tea, with floral, fruity or roasted flavors.
Orange Pekoe
A grade of whole-leaf black tea rather than a flavor, often used in the name of everyday black tea blends.
Old Fashioned
A classic whiskey cocktail of bourbon or rye stirred with sugar, bitters and an orange peel over ice.
Get the recipe →Orange Crush
A cocktail from Ocean City, Maryland, of fresh-squeezed orange juice, orange vodka, triple sec and lemon-lime soda.
Orange Julius
A frothy, creamy blended drink of orange juice, milk, sugar, vanilla and ice, a mall favorite since the 1920s.
Get the recipe →Ouzo
A clear, anise-flavored Greek spirit that turns milky white when mixed with water or ice, served with meze.
Orujo
A strong Spanish spirit distilled from grape pomace in Galicia, used to make the flaming drink queimada.
Oloroso
A rich, nutty, dark style of sherry from Jerez, Spain, aged for years in contact with air.
Orange Wine
White wine made like red wine, with the grape skins left in contact with the juice, giving an amber color.
Orvieto
A crisp, dry or slightly sweet white wine from the hill town of Orvieto in Umbria, Italy.
Oatmeal Stout
A dark, smooth English beer brewed with oats for a silky body and notes of coffee and chocolate.
Cheeses & Dairy That Start With O
Cheeses that start with O, from Mexico to Poland.
Oaxaca Cheese
A mild, stringy Mexican cheese wound into balls like yarn, perfect for melting in quesadillas.
Oxford Blue
A creamy, mild English blue cheese with a soft texture and a hint of chocolate in its flavor.
Ossau-Iraty
A firm, nutty sheep's milk cheese from the French Basque Country, traditionally served with black cherry jam.
Olivet Cendré
A soft French cow's milk cheese from the Loire Valley, ripened under a coating of wood ash.
Oscypek
A smoked sheep's milk cheese from the Polish Tatra Mountains, pressed into decorative molds and often grilled.
Orgu Peyniri
A Turkish braided string cheese, mild and salty, pulled apart into strands and served at breakfast.
Ogleshield
A washed-rind English cow's milk cheese from Somerset that melts beautifully, often used like raclette.
Old Winchester
A hard English cheese aged for about 18 months, with a sweet, nutty flavor similar to aged Gouda.
Meat & Seafood That Start With O
Shellfish, fish and meats beginning with O.
Octopus
An eight-armed sea creature with firm, tender meat when cooked right, grilled in Greece, served as tako in Japan or in salads.
Oysters
Shellfish with briny, delicate meat, eaten raw on the half shell with lemon and mignonette or fried, grilled and baked.
Oxtail
The bony, gelatin-rich tail of cattle, slow-braised in Jamaican oxtail stew, Korean soups and rich British soups.
Ox Tongue
Beef tongue simmered until tender, sliced for sandwiches and tacos de lengua or pickled in Jewish delis.
Ox Cheek
Beef cheek meat, a tough, well-worked muscle that becomes meltingly tender after a long, slow braise in red wine.
Offal
The edible organ meats of an animal, such as liver, kidneys, heart and tripe, used in many traditional dishes.
Ostrich
Lean, deep red meat from the world's largest bird, tasting more like beef than poultry, cooked as steaks or burgers.
Olive Loaf
A bologna-style lunch meat studded with green pimento-stuffed olives, sliced for sandwiches.
Oxford Sausage
A traditional English sausage of pork and veal seasoned with lemon zest, sage and nutmeg, made without casings.
Orange Roughy
A deep-sea fish with mild, delicate, flaky white fillets, slow-growing and long-lived, best eaten from well-managed fisheries.
Opah
Also called moonfish, a large round Hawaiian fish with several cuts of rich, colorful meat, grilled or served raw.
Opakapaka
Hawaiian pink snapper with delicate, clear pink flesh and mild flavor, steamed, baked or served as sashimi.
Ono
The Hawaiian name for wahoo, a fast fish with firm, white flesh and a mild flavor, great grilled or in poke.
Ocean Perch
A small redfish from cold Atlantic and Pacific waters with mild, flaky white fillets for frying and baking.
Oscietra Caviar
Prized caviar from the Russian sturgeon, with medium-sized golden to brown eggs and a nutty, buttery flavor.
Herbs, Spices & Condiments That Start With O
Seasonings, oils, sauces and syrups that start with O.
Oregano
A pungent, earthy Mediterranean herb used fresh or dried on pizza, in tomato sauces, Greek salads and grilled meats.
Onion Powder
Finely ground dried onion that adds savory flavor to rubs, dips, burgers and seasoning blends without moisture.
Old Bay Seasoning
A Maryland spice blend with celery salt, paprika and black pepper, shaken onto crabs, shrimp and fries since 1939.
Olive Oil
Oil pressed from olives, with extra virgin olive oil the highest grade, used for cooking, dressings and dipping bread.
Oyster Sauce
A thick, savory-sweet brown sauce made from oyster extracts, sugar and soy, used in stir-fries and on Chinese greens.
Okonomi Sauce
A thick, sweet and tangy Japanese sauce like a fruity Worcestershire, brushed on okonomiyaki and takoyaki.
Orange Marmalade
A bittersweet preserve of oranges and their shredded peel, spread on toast and used to glaze ham and duck.
Orange Blossom Water
A fragrant water distilled from bitter orange flowers, used in Middle Eastern desserts, French pastries and drinks.
Orgeat
A sweet almond syrup flavored with orange flower water, an essential ingredient in the mai tai.
Get the recipe →Orange Zest
The colorful, oily outer peel of an orange, finely grated to add bright citrus aroma to baking, sauces and cocktails.
Olive Salad
A chopped, briny relish of olives, pickled vegetables, garlic and olive oil, the key topping on a New Orleans muffuletta.
International Foods That Start With O
Global dishes that start with O, from Japan to Trinidad.
Okonomiyaki
A savory Japanese pancake of cabbage, batter and pork or seafood, topped with sweet sauce, mayo and bonito flakes.
Onigiri
Japanese rice balls shaped into triangles, filled with salmon, tuna mayo or pickled plum and wrapped in nori.
Oyakodon
A Japanese rice bowl of chicken and egg simmered in sweet dashi and soy; the name means parent and child.
Omurice
A Japanese omelet wrapped around ketchup-flavored fried rice, topped with more ketchup or demi-glace sauce.
Ochazuke
A simple Japanese comfort dish of cooked rice with hot green tea or dashi poured over, topped with salmon or pickles.
Oden
A Japanese winter hot pot of fish cakes, boiled eggs, daikon and konjac simmered in a light soy-dashi broth.
Okowa
Japanese steamed glutinous rice cooked with vegetables, chestnuts or red beans, served at celebrations.
Ohitashi
A Japanese side dish of blanched greens like spinach soaked in a light dashi and soy broth, topped with bonito.
Osuimono
A clear Japanese soup of delicate dashi broth with a few pieces of seafood, tofu or vegetables.
Oshinko
Japanese pickled vegetables, such as yellow daikon, cucumber and eggplant, served with rice and in sushi rolls.
Ojingeo Bokkeum
A spicy Korean stir-fry of squid with vegetables in a sweet and fiery gochujang sauce, served over rice.
Oi Sobagi
Korean stuffed cucumber kimchi, with crisp cucumbers slit and filled with chives, radish and chili flakes.
Oyster Omelet
A Taiwanese and Hokkien street food of small oysters and eggs fried in a chewy starch batter with sweet chili sauce.
Opor Ayam
An Indonesian dish of chicken braised in a mild, creamy coconut milk sauce with spices, served at Eid.
Otak-Otak
A Malaysian and Indonesian fish cake of spiced fish paste wrapped in banana leaves and grilled.
Ondeh-Ondeh
Chewy green pandan rice cake balls filled with palm sugar syrup that bursts when bitten, rolled in coconut.
Onion Bhaji
Crispy Indian fritters of sliced onion in spiced chickpea flour batter, deep-fried and served with chutney.
Okroshka
A cold Russian summer soup of chopped vegetables, boiled eggs and meat in kvass or kefir, topped with dill.
Olivier Salad
A Russian potato salad with peas, carrots, pickles, eggs and ham or chicken in mayonnaise, served at New Year.
Oeufs en Meurette
A Burgundy dish of eggs poached in a rich red wine sauce with bacon, mushrooms and onions, served on toast.
Oysters Kilpatrick
An Australian favorite of oysters grilled in the shell with bacon and Worcestershire sauce.
Oil Down
The national dish of Grenada, a one-pot stew of breadfruit, salted meat, dumplings and vegetables cooked in coconut milk.
Ogbono Soup
A Nigerian soup thickened with ground wild mango seeds, which give it a silky, stretchy texture, eaten with fufu.
Ofada Stew
A spicy Nigerian stew of green and red peppers, palm oil and assorted meats, served with local ofada rice.
Ogi
A smooth, sour West African porridge of fermented corn, millet or sorghum, eaten for breakfast with bean cakes.
Did You Know?
- The fruit came first: orange was used in English as the name of the fruit long before it became a color word in the early 1500s.
- Osso buco means "bone with a hole" in Italian, after the marrow-filled cross-cut veal shank at the heart of this Milanese dish.
- Oysters Rockefeller were created in 1899 at Antoine's restaurant in New Orleans and named after John D. Rockefeller for their richness.
- The Oreo cookie was first sold in 1912 by Nabisco at its bakery in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City.
Quick List: All 147 Foods That Start With O
Handy for alphabet games, quizzes and Scattergories. The full list, A to Z:
Oakleaf Lettuce, Oat Bran, Oat Milk, Oatcake, Oatmeal, Oatmeal Bread, Oatmeal Cream Pie, Oatmeal Pie, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Oatmeal Stout, Oats, Oaxaca Cheese, Obbattu, Oblea, Oca, Occhi di Lupo, Ocean Perch, Ochazuke, Octopus, Oden, Oeufs en Meurette, Ofada Stew, Offal, Ogbono Soup, Ogeechee Lime, Ogi, Ogleshield, Ogonori, Ohelo Berry, Ohitashi, Oi Sobagi, Oil Down, Ojingeo Bokkeum, Okahijiki, Okonomi Sauce, Okonomiyaki, Okowa, Okra, Okroshka, Olallieberry, Old Bay Seasoning, Old Fashioned, Old Winchester, Old-Fashioned Doughnut, Old-Fashioned Pancakes, Oliebollen, Olive Bread, Olive Loaf, Olive Oil, Olive Salad, Olives, Olivet Cendré, Olivier Salad, Olluco, Oloroso, Omani Halwa, Omelet, Omurice, Ondeh-Ondeh, Ong Choy, Onigiri, Onion, Onion Bagel, Onion Bhaji, Onion Dip, Onion Powder, Onion Rings, Onion Soup, Ono, Ontbijtkoek, Oolong, Opah, Opakapaka, Opal Apple, Open-Faced Sandwich, Opera Cake, Opor Ayam, Opuntia, Orach, Orange, Orange Blossom Water, Orange Chicken, Orange Chiffon Cake, Orange Crush, Orange Juice, Orange Julius, Orange Marmalade, Orange Pekoe, Orange Rolls, Orange Roughy, Orange Sherbet, Orange Wine, Orange Zest, Orangelo, Orangequat, Orecchiette, Oregano, Oregon Grape, Orehnjača, Oreo, Orgeat, Orgu Peyniri, Oriental Persimmon, Orin Apple, Oroblanco, Ortanique, Orujo, Orvieto, Orzo, Orzo Salad, Oscietra Caviar, Oscypek, Oshinko, Oshiruko, Osmanthus Cake, Ossau-Iraty, Osso Buco, Ostrich, Osuimono, Otaheite Apple, Otaheite Gooseberry, Otak-Otak, Ouzo, Ovaltine, Overnight Oats, Owari Satsuma, Ox Cheek, Ox Tongue, Oxford Blue, Oxford Sausage, Oxheart Tomato, Oxtail, Oxtail Stew, Oyakodon, Oyster Crackers, Oyster Leaf, Oyster Mushroom, Oyster Omelet, Oyster Plant, Oyster Po' Boy, Oyster Sauce, Oyster Stew, Oysters, Oysters Kilpatrick, Oysters Rockefeller, Ozark Gold Apple, Ozark Pudding
Frequently Asked Questions
What fruit starts with O?
Oranges and olives are the best-known fruits that start with O. Others include olallieberries, oroblancos, ortaniques, orangelos, Owari satsumas, Oregon grapes, ohelo berries, opuntia prickly pears and Oriental persimmons, plus Opal and Orin apples.
What vegetable starts with O?
Onions and okra are the most common vegetables that start with O. Oxheart tomatoes, oca, olluco, orach, oakleaf lettuce, ong choy, oyster mushrooms and oyster plant, also called salsify, begin with O too.
What's a breakfast food that starts with O?
Oatmeal and omelets are the top breakfast foods that start with O. Overnight oats, old-fashioned pancakes, orange juice, oat milk lattes, orange rolls, old-fashioned doughnuts, oatcakes and onion bagels are other morning choices.
What's a dessert that starts with O?
Oreos and oatmeal raisin cookies are favorite sweets that start with O. Opera cake, orange chiffon cake, oatmeal cream pies, orange sherbet, Ozark pudding, Dutch oliebollen and Japanese oshiruko are more ideas.
What are some unusual foods that start with O?
Unusual foods that start with O include oca, a lemony Andean tuber; oyster leaf, an herb that tastes like oysters; oil down, Grenada's national dish; okroshka, a cold Russian soup; and ogbono soup from Nigeria.
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