Foods and Ingredients: English Vocabulary List

a round green vegetable with a cluster of thick green leaves that form a bud, used in cooking

"He bought an artichoke."

"Preparing an artichoke requires removing the tough outer leaves before cooking the tender heart inside."

a long green vegetable with edible stems, used in cooking or eaten raw

"Asparagus tastes better grilled."

"Fresh asparagus is best enjoyed in spring when the stalks are tender and full of flavor."

a plant of the mint family with aromatic leaves that are eaten raw or cooked

"Add basil to soup."

"Fresh basil leaves will turn black if you cut them with a dull knife instead of tearing gently."

a small hollow fruit, typically red or green, etc., used in cooking or eaten raw

"I chopped a bell pepper."

"Red bell peppers are simply green ones that have ripened longer giving them a sweeter taste."

the flower head of a plant from the cabbage family that is white in color and is eaten as a vegetable

"Cauliflower is a healthy vegetable."

"Cauliflower can be mashed as a low carbohydrate alternative to traditional mashed potatoes for dieters."

a plant with feathery leaves and a round thick stem, used as a vegetable or for adding flavor to food

"Fennel smells a little sweet."

"Fennel has a distinct licorice like flavor that pairs beautifully with fish and citrus dishes."

a plant of the onion family with layers of green leaves and a white stem, used in cooking

"I sliced the leek."

"The soup recipe calls for leek instead of onion because leeks have a milder and sweeter taste."

long green edible pods, mucilaginous in texture, commonly cooked in soups, stews, or sautéed

"Okra is sticky when cooked."

"Okra is known for its slimy texture when cooked but frying it reduces that unpleasant quality significantly."

an aromatic herb with flat or curly leaves, typically chopped and used to garnish or season food

"Sprinkle parsley on top."

"She sprinkled fresh parsley over the pasta dish not only for color but also for flavor."

a root vegetable with creamy flesh and white and purple skin, used in cooking

"Turnip can be boiled."

"Turnips are root vegetables that become sweeter and more flavorful after a light frost in autumn."

the aromatic leaves of plants of the genus Thymus, used fresh or dried to season meats, stews, stuffings, and vegetables

"Thyme adds good flavor."

"Thyme is a hardy herb that retains its flavor even after long cooking making it ideal for stews."

a small, round, and often dried seed that is high in protein and is used for cooking soups, stews, etc.

"Lentil soup is filling."

"Lentils cook much faster than dried beans and do not require any soaking before preparation."

food that is made by baking a batter or dough in an oven

"She loves baked goods."

"The bakery window displayed an array of baked goods including croissants muffins and cinnamon rolls."

very small pieces of bread, used in cooking especially for coating items of food before frying

"Add breadcrumbs to the mix."

"He coated the chicken cutlets with breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese before frying them."

a sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, onion, vinegar, etc. that is usually served with barbecued food

"I like barbecue sauce."

"This barbecue sauce is too sweet for my taste because it contains molasses and brown sugar."

a piece of fish fillet coated with breadcrumbs and then fried

"Kids enjoy fish sticks."

"The children ate frozen fish sticks with ketchup because they refused to try real baked fish."

a soft white food made with mashed soybean

"Tofu tastes very mild."

"Tofu has very little flavor on its own but absorbs the taste of sauces and spices well."

a small yellowish-green or red fruit with a sharp flavor, growing on thorny bushes

"Gooseberry jam is sour."

"The gooseberry bush produced tart green fruits that were perfect for making homemade jam and pies."

a tropical fruit with pink juicy flesh, native to Mexico and Central America

"Guava smells very sweet."

"Guava juice is popular in tropical countries because the fruit's sweet aroma is refreshing and delicious."

a type of tropical fruit whose skin is purple in color and has many seeds within, native to South America

"I tried passion fruit."

"The passion fruit's wrinkled skin indicates ripeness and the inside contains juicy seeds with intense flavor."

a small orange-like fruit with sweet skin and bitter-tasting flesh

"The kumquat tasted sweet."

"You can eat the entire kumquat including its peel because the skin is sweeter than the flesh."

a dish of vegetables or meat cooked at a low temperature in liquid in a closed container

"The stew smells great."

"The beef stew simmered on the stove all afternoon filling the kitchen with a wonderful savory aroma."

a sweetened food made from cooked lemons, oranges, etc., used as a spread or filling

"I spread marmalade on toast."

"Orange marmalade is bitter sweet spread traditionally eaten on toast for breakfast in England."

a thick sweet liquid made with sugar that is often used as a sauce

"Pour syrup on pancakes."

"Maple syrup is made by boiling the sap from maple trees until it thickens into a sweet liquid."

a thick and spicy root with pale brown color used as a seasoning in cooking, particularly in powder form

"Ginger is a spicy root."

"Ginger root was a spicy pungent rhizome used fresh dried or pickled in many cuisines."

a small bread roll that is round and flat in shape

"The burger came with a sesame seed bun."

"The hamburger bun was toasted lightly on the grill giving it a pleasant crunch around the edges."

a small, dark, and dried grape that does not have seeds, particularly used in cakes

"The currant was tart."

"She baked currant scones for breakfast using dried berries that added a pleasant tartness to the dough."

a tomato-like fruit with orange skin that is bittersweet in taste

"Persimmon is soft inside."

"A ripe persimmon tastes honey sweet but an unripe one will leave your mouth feeling dry and fuzzy."

a yellow and hard fruit that looks like a pear and has a sweet smell, particularly used for making jam or jelly

"Quince is hard raw."

"Quince fruit is too hard and sour to eat raw so people cook it into jellies or desserts."

a type of dish made with layers of lasagna topped with meat or vegetables and sauce and then cooked, originated in Italy

"We made lasagna tonight."

"The lasagna recipe requires layering noodles meat sauce and three types of cheese before baking it."

meat of chickens, turkeys, and ducks

"Chicken and turkey are the most common types of poultry eaten worldwide."

"Many farmers raise poultry because the demand for chicken and turkey meat continues to grow."

a cold dessert with a smooth fluffy texture and with chocolate, fruit, etc.

"Chocolate mousse was delicious."

"The chocolate mousse was light and airy because the chef folded whipped egg whites into the mixture."

a pie with no top filled with something sweet or savory

"She baked a tart."

"The lemon tart had a buttery crust and a filling that was perfectly balanced between sour and sweet."

a type of flavor that is artificially made or is obtained from the beans of a tropical plant that adds a sweet taste and smell to the food

"Vanilla ice cream is classic."

"Vanilla extract is made by soaking vanilla beans in alcohol for several months to develop flavor."