30 Foods That Start With X

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We’re continuing our A-Z food list with this post concentrating on foods that start with X. With exotic foods like Xia Mi, Xinomavro Grapes, and Xoubas; you’d be astonished at how many foods we were able to find beginning with X! Continue reading to learn about 30 foods that start with the letter X.

We’ve put up a list of 30 foods beginning with X, including a variety of fresh fruits, snacks, and beverages for you to try!

🍎 Fruits And Vegetables That Start With X

1. Xiang Jiao

The Chinese name for bananas is Xiang Jiao, and they are one of the most common fruits that start with X. In America, bananas are the most popular fruit. Bananas are cooked and served as a starchy side dish in other countries instead of the sweet ripened style that Americans are accustomed to eating. Peel bananas, cut them into chunks, dip them in orange juice to keep them from browning, then roll them in crushed cereal, shredded coconut, or finely chopped nuts. These chunks are then frozen for a quick and nutritious snack.

2. Xigua / Xigua Popsicles

On a hot summer day, what could be more refreshing than watermelon? As exotic as it may sound, Xigua is simply the Chinese word for a type of watermelon. And Xigua popsicles? Watermelon popsicles, to be precise.

To make these healthy foods that start with X, you’ll slice a watermelon thinly and in a triangular shape, then stick it on a popsicle stick and freeze it. It’s quick and easy to make, and both kids and adults will love this fun snack!

3. Xilacayota Squash

Xilacayota Squash (Chilacayote squash) is commonly known as Figleaf Gourd in the United States. It is a perennial vining squash grown for its tasty black seeded fruits; however, the leaves and stems are also edible.

Vitamin B8, also known as D-chiro inositol, is found in Xilacayota Squash and is an insulin mediator for people with diabetes. Protein is also abundant in the seeds. As one of the unique vegetables that start with X, Xilacayota Squash can be used raw or prepared in various ways, including boiling and baking. It can be prepared like zucchini, diced and sautéed or filled after boiling when the rind is still soft and easy to work with.

4. Ximenia Caffra

Ximenia is a fruit native to tropical climates, yet it is also grown in Florida. In some locations, it’s also known as the wild plum, hog plum, or yellow plum. It’s a rounded, orangey-yellow fruit with a tomato-like appearance.

The taste of a Ximenia Caffra can range from harsh and nutty to exceedingly sweet, but some animals eat it raw. Ximenia also gets used to make jams, juices, and jellies.

5. Xinomavro Grapes

Xinomavro grapes are so rare that just four vineyards in Greece grow them, one of which is in the country’s north. This is because Xinomavro grapes are incredibly tough to cultivate. They take a year longer to mature than other grapes and are prone to a wide range of diseases and ailments.

6. Xoài

Xoài is the Vietnamese word for mango and a fruit beginning with x. Mango trees can be found in most of Vietnam’s southern provinces, where they need plenty of direct sunshine as they’re maturing. 

Gi xoài (Vietnamese mango salad) is a traditional dish with green mangoes, shrimp, and fresh herbs such as mint, Thai basil, and cilantro. It’s a delectable blend of sweet, sour, and salty flavors with plenty of texture contrasts.

7. Xoconostle

The sour prickly pear cactus fruit Xoconostle (pronounced choko-nose-leh) is botanically categorized as Opuntia matudae. The fruit of the Xoconostle cactus is high in fiber, vitamin C, and calcium and packed with antioxidant properties. Xoconostle is primarily used in central Mexican soups, stews, and moles (especially mole de olla, a rich beef stew). It’s included in salsas and capon soup, a Mexican chicken soup, and can also be an ingredient in jam.

8. Xylocarp

The Xylocarp is perhaps one of the most unusual fruits you’ll ever encounter since it isn’t a fruit at all. It’s a berry, and although being labeled a fruit, it’s more closely related to a vegetable. It’s not widely available in the United States, but it’s a popular dessert component in Asia, where it’s also used to produce jam, jelly, and liqueur.

🥨 Snacks, Condiments, And Spices That Start With An X

9. Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum is a popular food additive used to thicken or stabilize various dishes. A bacteria is used to ferment the sugar, and when sugar is fermented, a broth or goo-like mixture is produced, which is solidified by adding alcohol. After that, it’s dried and ground into a powder.

Xanthan gum is used in various meals, especially in gluten-free baking to help the baked goods rise, in personal care items, and in industrial products due to its thickening and stabilizing qualities.

10. Xiangcaojing

Vanilla is known in Chinese as Xiangcaojing. It’s found in various pastries, including cakes, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, and more! The use of vanilla extract significantly modifies the dish’s flavor, so make sure to put it to good use. The central element in vanilla extract is vanilla, but it also contains several other compounds that contribute to its deep and complex flavor.

11. Xo Sauce

XO sauce is a high-end condiment created in Hong Kong and is named after the XO cognac. It has become a staple in many Chinese communities due to its distinct flavor.

The spicy sauce is made up of a delicious combination of dried seafood, such as dried scallops and shrimp, as well as chili peppers, ham, and dry garlic. This condiment is intended to increase the umami flavor that binds the dish together, enhancing the flavor of any savory dish.

12. Xylitol

Xylitol is a naturally occurring alcohol found in many plant materials, including fruits and vegetables. It is taken from birch wood to produce medication.

While xylitol looks and tastes like sugar, it has 40% fewer calories and does not affect blood sugar levels. Therefore, it gets touted as a sugar-free sweetener better for weight loss.

Xylitol is used to prevent cavities. It’s also claimed to prevent tooth decay and ear infections, among other things, but there’s no scientific proof to back up these claims.

Keep in mind that this sugar substitute is extremely toxic to dogs, cats, and most other animals!

🍲 Foods That Start With X: Side Dishes

13. Xavier Soup

Xavier Soup is a traditional Italian soup named after Saint Francis Xavier and is now offered around the December feast of St. Francis. It has delectable parmesan dumplings, a hearty chicken broth, and plenty of fresh parsley.

Heavy cream, butter, cheese, spices, and egg yolks are used to prepare the soup dumplings. It also contains nutmeg, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.

14. Xiao Long Bao

A Chinese steamed bun is known as a Xiao Long Bao. It gets its name from a bamboo steaming basket called Xiaolong. They’re best eaten as quickly as possible and sizzling hot, preferably immediately out of the bamboo basket in which they’re steamed.

Shanghai xiaolongbao is traditionally filled with pork and seasoned with lots of garlic, ginger, sesame, and soy sauce. However, the traditional meat-and-pork stuffing is only the beginning of this dumpling’s versatility, as restaurants all over the city have come up with new techniques to fill and flavor them.

15. Xidoufen

Xidoufen is a spicy Yunnan-style Chinese soup (often called “pea porridge”) made with boiled peameal and spices such as ginger, crushed garlic, spring onion, coriander, dry chili flakes, and Sichuan pepper oil. Unlike many soups served with dumplings, Xidoufen is served with flatbread.

Xidoufen is also an ingredient found in many prescription antidepressant medicines.

16. Xnipec

Xnipec, pronounced “Shnee Pek,” means “Dog’s Nose” or “Dog’s Snout” in Mayan, implying that eating it will make you sweat like a dog’s nose.

Fresh habanero chilies, tomato, onion, sour orange juice, and other ingredients go into making this Yucatan salsa. This salsa can be served as an appetizer with chips or topping for tacos or tostadas.

🌿 Vegetarian Dishes That Start With The Letter X

17. Xampinyons En Salsa Mushrooms

Xampinyons en salsa, as the name suggests, is a typical Spanish tapas meal that translates to “Mushrooms in Sauce.” Traditional recipes ask for wild mushrooms like ceps, Vierge, girolles, and other related species; however, cultivated mushrooms like common field mushrooms work just as well.

In the traditional method, this delectable tapas dish is made with foraged wild mushrooms and cooked with sherry, herbs, and loads of garlic. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to combine. Serve the mushrooms cold, garnished with finely chopped fresh parsley.

18. Xihongshi

Xihongshi is the Chinese word for tomatoes. A very popular household dish that can also be found in restaurants is called Xihongshi Chao Jidan, which translates to stir-fried tomato and eggs. This Chinese dish is quick and easy to make and is the perfect weekday meal when you’re in a hurry.

This is one of the foods that starts with x, where the wok must be hot. The ingredients are intended to be mixed quickly and cooked over high heat. The eggs and tomatoes are more prone to become soggy at lower temperatures.

19. Xôi

Xôi is a Vietnamese meal made with glutinous rice and other seasonings that can be savory or sweet. Xôi is a popular snack and on-the-go breakfast dish. Although it is commonly served as a breakfast or dessert, it is also eaten as a main dish at lunch or dinner.

🍖 Meat Dishes That Start With An X

20. Xacuti

Xacuti (pronounced “sha-kooti”) is a Goan curry with a rich flavor profile that includes white poppy seeds, sliced or shredded coconut, and large dried red chiles. Typically, it is made with chicken, lamb, or beef. In Portuguese, it’s known as chacuti.

21. Xavier Steak

If you’re looking for a food beginning with x that is simple but delicious, then look no further! Xavier steak is a simple grilled steak of your choosing served with seasoned asparagus drizzled with olive oil before being topped with swiss cheese slices. The cheese then gets melted under a broiler, and the dish is served. Voila!

22. Xia Mi

Dried shrimp are known as Xia Mi in Chinese, which translates to “shrimp rice,” since small shrimp are sun-dried, resulting in even smaller dried shrimp pieces. Most dried shrimp are small, even though they are larger than grains of rice. They’re featured in stir-fries, braises, soups, stuffings, and dumpling fillings in Chinese cuisine.

23. Xouba Fish

The Xouba fish is the name given to a little Galician sardine that grows between 11 and 15 centimeters in length and is abundant in vitamins, particularly A, D, and phosphorus. Because of its high protein level and rich omega 3 fatty acid content, it is an excellent fish to include in weekly meals.

This small sardine is delicious and aromatic and is one of Galicia’s healthiest and most popular fatty fish.

Xoubas are a food that starts with X you will want to try! A typical dish eaten in the Galician summers is Xoubas with cachelos, with cachelos being boiled potatoes. Xoubas get roasted on an iron skillet over coals, and they’re always cooked outside due to the stench.

The Xouba can be prepared in various ways, including fried, on a skewer, grilled, stewed, and pickled. It’s popular to serve this sardine-like fish grilled in Galicia and on a skewer in southern Spain, especially during the summer.

🍰 Desserts That Start With An X

24. Xi Gua Lao

Watermelon jelly, also known as Xi Gua Lao, is a traditional Beijing dish. The ingredients that get used include watermelon, cherries, sugar, agar, and vanilla powder. Agar, vanilla powder and sugar are heated together to make a syrup. The cherries are cut into small slices, and the watermelon is crushed to extract the juice, which is then combined with the syrup and left to cool.

25. Xingren Donfu

If you have a sweet tooth and need sweets beginning with x to satisfy your craving, try Xingren Donfu. It is a soft, very sweet Chinese dessert made with almond milk, sugar, agar-agar, and gelatin.

26. Xmas Cakes

The word “Xmas cakes,” or Christmas cakes, refers to a wide range of cakes typically baked and eaten or given as gifts throughout the holidays.

Christmas cakes include fruitcakes, red velvet, and spice cakes. A Christmas cake exists, which is essentially an iced fruitcake.

Christmas Cake has a rich, velvety texture and is so flavorful and moist that it can be eaten on its own. It lasts a long time and tastes great with or without alcohol. Xmas cakes are traditionally covered in fondant.

27. Xmas Cookies

What is Christmas without Christmas cookies? This snack food that starts with X (they deserve to be on this list!) is part of every American family’s Christmas traditions. From chocolate chip to gingerbread cookies to snickerdoodle, Xmas cookies bring a yummy, sweet aroma to every household. And even Santa approves!

🍹Beverages That Start With An X

28. Xanthia

If you’re looking for the perfect cocktail to serve at your next dinner party, then consider a Xanthia cocktail! The Xanthia cocktail is an orange-colored cocktail created with dry gin, cherry brandy, and Yellow Chartreuse that is served in a chilled cocktail glass.

Simply combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and enjoy!

29. Xalapa Punch

This cocktail is made with black tea, honey, rum, apple brandy, red wine, oranges and lemons. It’s bitter, sweet and fruity flavors make it a popular cocktail at parties and celebrations!

30. Xocolatl

Mexican hot chocolate is one of my favorite x foods, as it is also known as Xocolatl, a spicy, slightly bitter chocolate drink! Despite its origins in central Mexico with the Aztecs and Mayans, the drink is now extensively drunk in the United States. Sweet cocoa, chili powder, and cinnamon are used to make this drink.

💭 Final Thoughts

This list of 30 foods that start with the letter X has been quite the journey! With so many different foods you wouldn’t usually know about, we hope this list of foods that start with X will encourage you to try different cuisines.

More Food Guides!

If you would like more inspiration on new and exciting foods to cook with, then take a look at some of our other food lists from A-Z.

• Foods That Start With T
• Foods That Start With J
• Foods That Start With W
• Foods That Start With A
• Foods That Start with Y

Don’t forget to take a look at my other healthy eating guides so you can enjoy healthy, yet tasty food that the whole family will enjoy.

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