✔ Updated · 31 white foods, grouped by type
White foods are easy to overlook next to bright berries and greens, but the list is longer than most people expect.
Common white foods include cauliflower, white mushrooms, garlic, white onions, potatoes, parsnips, daikon radish, jicama and white asparagus; fruits with white flesh like bananas, coconut, lychees and Asian pears; white rice, pasta, bread and grits; cannellini beans, chickpeas, tofu, cod and scallops; milk, yogurt and mozzarella; and cashews, sesame seeds and white chocolate.
- Most common: cauliflower, potatoes, onions, garlic and white rice.
- Naturally white vs. refined: white rice, pasta and bread are pale because milling removes the bran.
- Cream-colored: parsnips, chickpeas and cashews are off-white rather than pure white.
These 31 foods that are white are grouped by type, from vegetables and fruits with white flesh to grains, beans, seafood, dairy and sweets, with how each one tastes and how to use it. It's handy for a color-themed party, a kids' food challenge or an all-white menu.
White Vegetables
Most white vegetables (my favorites are cauliflower and parsnips) are roots, bulbs and fungi that grow underground or out of the light, so they never build up green chlorophyll.
1. Cauliflower
The best-known white vegetable: a mild, nutty head of florets to roast, mash, rice or turn into a creamy soup.
2. White Button Mushrooms
Mild, earthy mushrooms that brown beautifully in butter; slice them raw into salads or simmer them in sauces and stews.
Get the recipe →3. Garlic
Papery white bulbs that turn sweet and mellow when roasted, and sharp and pungent when minced raw into dressings and sauces.
4. White Onions
Crisp, sharp onions with white skin and flesh, popular in Mexican cooking, salsas, tacos and quick pickles.
5. Potatoes
Russets and white potatoes have pale, starchy flesh for fluffy mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, fries and soups.
Get the recipe →6. Parsnips
Cream-colored roots related to carrots, with a sweet, nutty flavor that deepens when roasted or pureed.
7. Daikon Radish
A long white radish with a mild, peppery crunch, used raw in salads, pickled, or simmered in soups and stews.
8. Jicama
A crunchy root with tan skin and juicy white flesh that tastes like a cross between an apple and a water chestnut.
9. White Asparagus
Asparagus grown under soil so it stays white; tender and slightly sweet, peeled and served with butter or hollandaise.
White Fruits
Few fruits are white outside, but several have white or cream-colored flesh. I love a ripe lychee.
10. Bananas
Creamy white flesh under the yellow peel, eaten fresh, blended into smoothies or baked into banana bread.
Get the recipe →
11. Coconut
Firm white meat and coconut milk add richness to curries, baked goods, pies and tropical drinks.
Get the recipe →12. Lychees
Small fruits with a bumpy red shell and translucent white, floral, juicy flesh around a single brown seed.
13. Asian Pears
Round, crisp pears with pale white flesh that stay crunchy like an apple; great sliced into salads and slaws.
14. White Peaches
Peaches with pale, sweet, low-acid flesh and a floral aroma, at their best eaten ripe in summer.
White Grains and Starches
Refined grains are white because the bran and germ are removed during milling. I keep both white and brown rice in my pantry.
15. White Rice
Polished rice with the bran removed; long-grain, jasmine and sushi rice are pantry staples for countless dishes.
Get the recipe →16. Pasta
Dried pasta made from semolina or refined wheat flour, cooking up pale and tender for every shape and sauce.
17. White Bread
Soft sandwich bread made from refined wheat flour, with a tender white crumb for toast, sandwiches and stuffing.
18. Grits
Coarsely ground white corn simmered into a creamy Southern porridge, served with butter, cheese or shrimp.
19. Rice Noodles
Thin or wide noodles made from rice flour that turn white and silky when soaked, used in pho and stir-fries.
White Beans, Tofu and Seafood
Many protein foods are naturally pale, from beans to mild white fish.
20. Cannellini Beans
Large white kidney beans with a creamy texture, classic in Italian soups, white bean dips and chicken chili.
21. Chickpeas
Cream-colored legumes also called garbanzo beans, blended into hummus or roasted until crunchy.
22. Tofu
Pressed soybean curd that is white and neutral in flavor, soaking up marinades in stir-fries, soups and scrambles.
23. Cod
A mild, flaky white fish for fish and chips, baking and fish tacos; cook it to 145°F until opaque.
24. Scallops
Sweet, tender shellfish with ivory meat that sears to a golden crust in about 2 minutes per side.
White Dairy and Eggs
Dairy foods look white because their fat globules and proteins scatter light.
25. Milk
The classic white drink, and the base for sauces, puddings, baking and creamy soups.
26. Greek Yogurt
Thick, tangy strained yogurt for breakfast bowls, dips like tzatziki, marinades and baking.
27. Fresh Mozzarella
Soft, milky white cheese for caprese salad, pizza and baked pasta; it melts into long strings.
28. Egg Whites
The clear part of the egg that turns white when cooked or whipped into meringue and fluffy omelets.
White Nuts, Seeds and Sweets
29. Cashews
Cream-colored, buttery nuts eaten as a snack, tossed into stir-fries or blended into dairy-free cream sauces.
30. White Sesame Seeds
Hulled sesame seeds with a nutty flavor, toasted for bagels, buns, stir-fries and ground into tahini.
31. White Chocolate
Made from cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids, with a sweet vanilla flavor for cookies, mochas and desserts.
Get the recipe →Why Are Some Foods White?
Most plant colors come from pigments: chlorophyll for green, carotenoids for orange and yellow, and anthocyanins for red, purple and blue. White and cream-colored vegetables such as cauliflower, onions and potatoes contain very little of these and instead carry pale pigments called anthoxanthins. Anthoxanthins can turn slightly yellow when cooked in hard, alkaline water, which is why a squeeze of lemon or a splash of milk keeps cauliflower and potatoes whiter.
Other foods are white for different reasons. Refined grains like white rice and white flour lose their darker bran during milling, mushrooms and white asparagus grow without the light that makes chlorophyll, and milk looks white because its fat and protein particles scatter light.
Are White Foods Healthy?
Color alone doesn't tell you much about nutrition. Whole white foods such as cauliflower, garlic, onions, mushrooms, beans, tofu, fish and yogurt are everyday parts of a balanced diet. Refined white foods such as white bread, white rice and white pasta have less fiber than their whole-grain versions, so many people mix in brown rice or whole-wheat pasta for variety. Sweets like white chocolate and marshmallows are best kept as treats.
All-White Menu Ideas
For a white party, a winter wonderland theme or a color challenge, these combinations keep the whole table white or cream-colored.
- Starters: white bean dip or hummus with jicama and daikon sticks, a caprese-style platter of fresh mozzarella, and roasted garlic on white bread toasts.
- Mains: chicken or cod in a white wine cream sauce, shrimp and grits, or white chicken chili made with cannellini beans.
- Sides: mashed potatoes, cauliflower puree, coconut rice and buttered white asparagus.
- Desserts: white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, coconut cream pie, vanilla ice cream and lychees.
- Drinks: milk, coconut water or a creamy horchata-style rice drink.
- More color lists: see our foods that are blue and foods that are red.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some foods that are completely white?
Cauliflower, white button mushrooms, white onions, daikon radish, white rice, tofu, milk, fresh mozzarella, egg whites, coconut meat, white chocolate and marshmallows are about as white as foods get. Many others, such as parsnips, chickpeas and cashews, are cream-colored rather than pure white.
What white fruits are there?
Few fruits are white on the outside, but many have white or cream-colored flesh. Examples include bananas, coconut, lychees, Asian pears, white peaches, white nectarines and white-fleshed dragon fruit. White currants are one of the few fruits that are pale all the way through.
What are cream-colored foods?
Cream-colored or off-white foods include parsnips, chickpeas, cashews, oats, cannellini beans, hummus, tahini, cooked pasta, vanilla custard and many cheeses. They work well alongside pure white foods in an all-white or neutral-colored menu.
What foods should I serve at an all-white party?
Good choices include white bean dip with jicama sticks, fresh mozzarella, cauliflower bites, mashed potatoes, coconut rice, white chicken chili, shrimp and grits, and white chocolate cookies or coconut cream pie for dessert. Milk, coconut water and sparkling water keep the drinks white or clear.
Why does cauliflower sometimes turn yellow when cooked?
Cauliflower contains pale pigments called anthoxanthins that turn yellowish in alkaline water or with long cooking. Add a little lemon juice or milk to the cooking water and avoid overcooking to keep it white. Sun exposure in the field can also make heads look creamy or yellow.
