✔ Updated · 71 foods, sorted by category
Foods that start with Z include zucchini, ziti, za'atar, zeppole, zabaglione, zuppa Toscana, zucchini bread and Zinfandel grapes.
Z is one of the rarest letters in English, so many real Z foods come from Italian, German, Polish, Chinese and Middle Eastern kitchens. This list rounds up 71 real foods that begin with Z, with no filler, sorted by category. Each entry has a short description, and a quick A-to-Z list at the end is handy for alphabet games.
Foods that start with Z, from everyday favorites to rare finds. The most popular:
Fruits That Start With Z
Grapes, a dried currant, plums and an apple, plus an Australian bush fruit and a creamy tropical favorite.
Zante Currants
Tiny, dark dried grapes with an intense sweet-tart flavor, used in scones, muffins, cookies and fruitcake.
Zinfandel Grapes
Dark red wine grapes widely grown in California, also eaten fresh and known for jammy, berry-like flavor.
Zwetschge
A German oval plum with dark purple skin and firm, sweet yellow flesh, the classic plum for baking.
Zestar Apple
An early-season apple from the University of Minnesota with crisp, juicy flesh and a sweet-tart, brown sugar note.
Zapote
The Mexican name for sapote fruits, most famously mamey sapote, with creamy salmon-colored flesh tasting of sweet potato and almond.
Zig Zag Vine Fruit
A small orange Australian bush fruit from a rainforest vine, with a tangy, slightly peppery flavor.
Vegetables That Start With Z
Summer squash leads the way, plus edible blossoms and a French shallot. I grow zucchini every summer and freeze the August glut.
Zucchini
A tender green summer squash with mild flavor, grilled, sauteed, baked into bread or spiralized into noodles.
Get the recipe →Zucchini Flowers
The golden blossoms of the zucchini plant, often stuffed with ricotta and fried in light batter.
Zucchetta
An Italian climbing squash, also called tromboncino, with long, curved fruits that taste nutty and stay firm when cooked.
Zephyr Squash
A yellow summer squash with a pale green tip, firm texture and a nutty, slightly sweet flavor.
Zebrune Shallot
A French banana shallot with long, copper-pink bulbs and a mild, sweet flavor for dressings and sauces.
Dishes & Meals That Start With Z
Zucchini dishes and a creamy Italian American soup. I make zucchini bread with my garden extras.
Zoodles
Zucchini spiralized into long noodles, served raw or quickly sauteed as a light alternative to pasta.
Zucchini Fritters
Grated zucchini mixed with egg, flour, cheese and herbs, pan-fried into golden patties.
Zucchini Boats
Halved zucchini hollowed out and filled with meat, cheese, rice or vegetables, then baked.
Zuppa Toscana
A creamy Italian American soup of Italian sausage, potatoes, kale and bacon, made famous by Olive Garden.
International Dishes That Start With Z
Stews, soups, dumplings and noodles from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. I love the warm spices in a Moroccan-style zaalouk.
Zongzi
Chinese sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves with fillings like pork, egg yolk or sweet bean paste.
Zhajiangmian
Chinese noodles topped with a rich sauce of ground pork and fermented soybean paste, with fresh cucumber.
Zaru Soba
Chilled Japanese buckwheat noodles served on a bamboo tray with a cold soy-based dipping sauce.
Zosui
A comforting Japanese rice soup made by simmering cooked rice in broth with egg and vegetables.
Zoni
A Japanese New Year soup with toasted mochi rice cakes in broth, varying widely from region to region.
Zereshk Polo
Persian saffron rice studded with tart red barberries, usually served with chicken.
Zaalouk
A Moroccan cooked salad of eggplant and tomatoes with garlic, cumin and paprika, served with bread.
Zeytinyağlı
Turkish vegetable dishes such as green beans or artichokes braised in olive oil and served at room temperature.
Zarzuela
A Catalan seafood stew of fish, shellfish and tomato sauce, named after a lively form of Spanish musical theater.
Zarangollo
A Spanish dish from Murcia of zucchini and onions slowly cooked with eggs into a soft scramble.
Zurek
A Polish sour soup made with fermented rye flour, sausage and hard-boiled egg, often served in a bread bowl.
Zrazy
Polish and Eastern European beef rolls stuffed with bacon, pickles or mushrooms and braised in gravy.
Zharkoye
A hearty Russian dish of meat and potatoes baked in clay pots with onions, carrots and sometimes mushrooms.
Zakuski
An assortment of Russian appetizers such as pickles, smoked fish, cured meats and salads served with vodka.
Zelnik
A Balkan flaky phyllo pie filled with cabbage, leeks, spinach or cheese.
Zwiebelkuchen
A German onion tart with bacon and caraway, traditionally served in fall with new wine.
Zwiebelrostbraten
An Austrian and Swabian dish of seared steak topped with crispy fried onions and a rich gravy.
Desserts & Sweets That Start With Z
Italian classics, German Christmas cookies and sweets from Turkey, India, Hungary, Russia and Switzerland.
Zabaglione
A light Italian custard of egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine whisked over heat until foamy.
Zeppole
Italian fried dough puffs dusted with powdered sugar, or filled with custard for Saint Joseph's Day.
Zuccotto
A dome-shaped Florentine dessert of sponge cake soaked in liqueur and filled with cream, nuts and chocolate.
Zuppa Inglese
An Italian trifle-like dessert of liqueur-soaked sponge cake layered with custard and chocolate cream.
Zaleti
Venetian cornmeal cookies studded with raisins soaked in grappa, often flavored with lemon zest.
Zimtsterne
German star-shaped Christmas cookies made with ground almonds and cinnamon, topped with meringue glaze.
Zwetschgenkuchen
A German sheet cake topped with rows of halved plums, often with a crumble topping and whipped cream.
Zwetschgenknödel
Austrian dumplings of potato or curd dough wrapped around whole plums, rolled in buttered breadcrumbs and sugar.
Zuger Kirschtorte
A Swiss layered cake from Zug with almond meringue, kirsch-soaked sponge and buttercream.
Zserbó
A Hungarian layered pastry slice with apricot jam and ground walnuts, topped with chocolate glaze.
Zefir
A soft Russian confection similar to marshmallow, made from fruit puree, sugar and whipped egg whites.
Zerde
A Turkish saffron rice pudding, golden yellow and often served at weddings and religious holidays.
Zarda
A South Asian sweet rice dish cooked with sugar, saffron, cardamom, nuts and raisins.
Zalabia
North African and Middle Eastern fried batter swirls soaked in syrup, a favorite during Ramadan.
Zebra Cake
A cake of alternating vanilla and chocolate batter that bakes into striking zebra-like stripes when sliced.
Zagnut
An American candy bar of crunchy peanut butter brittle coated in toasted coconut, first sold in 1930.
Snacks & Breads That Start With Z
Sweet quick bread, braided loaves, twice-baked rusks and two fast-food favorites.
Zucchini Bread
A moist, lightly spiced quick bread made with grated zucchini, often with walnuts or chocolate chips.
Zopf
A soft, braided Swiss and German bread made with butter and milk, traditionally eaten on Sunday mornings.
Zwieback
A crisp, sweetened bread sliced and baked twice, popular as a teething biscuit and light snack.
Zapiekanka
A Polish street food of a halved baguette topped with mushrooms and cheese, toasted and drizzled with ketchup.
Zinger Burger
KFC's spicy fried chicken fillet sandwich with lettuce and mayo, hugely popular outside the United States.
Get the recipe →Drinks That Start With Z
Wine grapes, tiki and vodka classics and a West African hibiscus drink.
Zinfandel
A bold red wine with jammy blackberry and pepper notes, closely linked to California, also made as sweet pink White Zinfandel.
Zweigelt
Austria's most widely planted red grape, making juicy, cherry-scented wines that are easy to drink.
Zombie
A potent tiki cocktail of several rums, lime, falernum and spices, created by Donn Beach in the 1930s.
Zubrowka
A Polish vodka flavored with bison grass, often mixed with apple juice in a drink called a szarlotka.
Zivania
A clear, strong Cypriot spirit distilled from grape pomace and local wine.
Zobo
A Nigerian drink of dried hibiscus flowers steeped with ginger, pineapple and spices, served chilled.
Zima
A clear, lightly citrus-flavored malt beverage from Coors, a 1990s craze since discontinued in the US.
Meat, Fish & Cheese That Start With Z
An Italian holiday sausage, a German cold cut, a European fish and a Spanish sheep cheese.
Zampone
An Italian sausage of seasoned ground pork stuffed into a pig's trotter, served with lentils at New Year.
Zungenwurst
A German blood sausage studded with pieces of cooked tongue, sliced and served cold.
Zander
A European freshwater fish, also called pikeperch, with firm, lean, mild white flesh.
Zamorano
A firm Spanish sheep's milk cheese from Zamora with a nutty, buttery flavor, similar to manchego.
Pantry, Spices & Condiments That Start With Z
Spice blends, hot sauce, pickles, pasta and a Romanian spread.
Za'atar
A Middle Eastern blend of dried wild thyme, toasted sesame seeds, sumac and salt, mixed with olive oil for bread.
Zest
The thin, colorful outer layer of citrus peel, grated into baked goods, sauces and drinks for bright flavor.
Zhug
A fiery Yemeni hot sauce of fresh cilantro, green chilies, garlic and spices, popular in Israel.
Zha Cai
A Sichuan pickled mustard stem, salty and crunchy, used in soups, stir-fries and with congee.
Zereshk
Dried barberries, small and very tart red berries used in Persian rice dishes and stews.
Zacuscă
A Romanian roasted vegetable spread of eggplant, red peppers and onions, eaten on bread.
Ziti
Medium tube-shaped pasta, the classic choice for baked ziti with tomato sauce, ricotta and mozzarella.
Get the recipe →Did You Know?
- Zante currants are not true currants but tiny dried Black Corinth grapes, named after the Greek island of Zakynthos, once called Zante.
- Za'atar is the name of both a wild thyme-like herb and the popular spice blend that mixes it with toasted sesame seeds, sumac and salt.
- Botanically, zucchini is a fruit: it is the immature fruit of a summer squash plant, and its golden blossoms are edible too.
- Zongzi are eaten during China's Dragon Boat Festival, a tradition linked in legend to the ancient poet Qu Yuan.
Quick List: All 71 Foods That Start With Z
Handy for alphabet games, quizzes and Scattergories. The full list, A to Z:
Za'atar, Zaalouk, Zabaglione, Zacuscă, Zagnut, Zakuski, Zalabia, Zaleti, Zamorano, Zampone, Zander, Zante Currants, Zapiekanka, Zapote, Zarangollo, Zarda, Zaru Soba, Zarzuela, Zebra Cake, Zebrune Shallot, Zefir, Zelnik, Zephyr Squash, Zeppole, Zerde, Zereshk, Zereshk Polo, Zest, Zestar Apple, Zeytinyağlı, Zha Cai, Zhajiangmian, Zharkoye, Zhug, Zig Zag Vine Fruit, Zima, Zimtsterne, Zinfandel, Zinfandel Grapes, Zinger Burger, Ziti, Zivania, Zobo, Zombie, Zongzi, Zoni, Zoodles, Zopf, Zosui, Zrazy, Zserbó, Zubrowka, Zucchetta, Zucchini, Zucchini Boats, Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Flowers, Zucchini Fritters, Zuccotto, Zuger Kirschtorte, Zungenwurst, Zuppa Inglese, Zuppa Toscana, Zurek, Zweigelt, Zwetschge, Zwetschgenknödel, Zwetschgenkuchen, Zwieback, Zwiebelkuchen, Zwiebelrostbraten
Frequently Asked Questions
What fruit starts with Z?
Zante currants, which are tiny dried grapes, and Zinfandel grapes are the best-known fruits that start with Z. Others include the German Zwetschge plum, the Zestar apple, zapote (sapote) and the Australian zig zag vine fruit.
What vegetable starts with Z?
Zucchini is by far the most common vegetable that starts with Z, and its edible blossoms, zucchini flowers, count too. Others include zucchetta (tromboncino squash), Zephyr squash and the French Zebrune shallot.
What is a popular food that starts with Z?
Popular foods that start with Z include zucchini, ziti, zucchini bread, zeppole, zuppa Toscana, zoodles and za'atar. Zabaglione is a classic Italian dessert, and zongzi are a favorite in China during the Dragon Boat Festival.
What dessert starts with Z?
Desserts that start with Z include zabaglione, zeppole, zuccotto, zuppa inglese, zebra cake, Zimtsterne cookies and Zwetschgenkuchen, plus international sweets like Turkish zerde, South Asian zarda, Russian zefir and Hungarian zserbó.
What drink starts with Z?
Zinfandel is the best-known drink that starts with Z. Others include the Zombie tiki cocktail, Zubrowka bison grass vodka, Austrian Zweigelt red wine, Cypriot zivania and zobo, a Nigerian hibiscus drink.
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