Trying to name as many vegetables as you can that start with the letter K is a harder task than you first think.
Once you’ve named some of the more obvious types of common vegetable ones such as kale, kabocha squash, and kidney beans, you may be struggling to think of other vegetables that have names starting with the letter K.
It can be even harder to think of vegetables that start with K as their first letter when put on the spot!
To make your job even easier, we’ve collated a comprehensive list of vegetables that start with K as their first letter from around the world.
This food list will help you to discover some hidden gems from around the world which start with the letter K.
So let’s take a look at all the vegetables that start with the letter K in their name!
Kabocha Squash
First up is the kabocha squash! This is a tasty winter squash variety that is particularly popular in Japan. It has a tough exterior green flesh, but the inner flesh has an orange color.
It can be used for a variety of recipes if you can find it in your local grocery store. It is one of the tastiest winter squashes around, although it’s not all that famous here in the States.
Kale
A favorite for many health fanatics, kale is a leafy green vegetable that comes with many health benefits.
It is packed full of antioxidants as well as a range of essential vitamins and minerals. Kale can be eaten both cooked and raw, and comes in many varieties.
Kelp
Edible kelp is of course a version of seaweed that can be found around the world. It is a very popular addition to Asian dishes, and is very rich in different nutrients.
Kelp is very high in fiber, so is a great addition to your diet. These are one of the most popular Japanese vegetables found around the world.
Kohlrabi
This fascinating root vegetable is fully edible. The tubers are the main thing that people grow kohlrabi for, but the stems and leaves are also completely edible.
It can be eaten both raw and cooked, but tastes much better when eaten raw. In terms of flavor, it is similar to a cross between a radish and turnip. Shave it over your salad for the best results.
Kombu
We’ve already covered its cousin, kelp, so let’s talk about another variety of edible seaweed: kombu.
This particular variety of seaweed is very rich in iodine and calcium, and was often used to craft some traditional medicine.
Kombu is a very popular variety of seaweed in Japanese cooking, which makes it a highly popular Japanese vegetable.
Kuka
This tasty edible plant is usually found in Africa, and is actually quite rare in other areas of the globe. This is one of the more versatile plants that you can find on the menu,
as the leaves, seeds, and fruit of the plant itself are edible. The leaves are typically ground into a fine powder, which can then be added to dishes such as soups.
Kerguelen Cabbage
This tasty vegetable gets its name from the Kerguelen Islands, where it was first discovered. The Kerguelen cabbage is very similar in appearance and taste to its cousin, the standard cabbage,]
and it is also a member of the Brassicaceae family. It is sometimes also known by the name pringlea.
Kencur
Chances are that you may have heard of kencur by another name entirely – aromatic ginger. With the Latin genus Kaempferia galanga,
this root vegetable makes a wonderful addition to a whole range of dishes. Kencur tends to be mostly cultivated in Southeast Asia, and is very popular in a range of Asian dishes.
Kala Zeera
Kala zeera is more widely known as a nutty spice that is used to flavor certain dishes. It is particularly popular in Indian recipes, and is often used to flavor several types of dishes, including rice and meat dishes.
Kala zeera doesn’t have the typical spicy flavor of other Indian spices, and instead has a grassy flavor profile with nutty overtones.
Kinh Gioi
Native to Vietnam, kinh gioi is also known by the name lemon balm or Vietnamese balm.
This leafy green vegetable has a notably lemony flavor profile, and is typically added to traditional Vietnamese dishes to add more depth.
This is one of the most common garden herbs throughout Vietnam, and it is very rich in various antioxidants, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
Korarima
An intriguing spice, the korarima is a relative to other members of the ginger family. It is typically known by many other names, including false cardamom and Ethiopian cardamom.
This versatile spice can be used to flavor a range of dishes and beverages, including coffee.
Kudumpuli
Perhaps one of the more unusual inclusions on our list of vegetables that begin with the letter K, kudumpuli is pretty rare here in the States.
It is very popular in a range of Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine, and is often used to help sour up certain curry dishes.
It is also thought to be highly beneficial in terms of health benefits, so is frequently used in forms of traditional medicine to aid things such as stomach issues.
Kai lan
At a glance, you may think that kai lan is similar to sprouting broccoli. In fact, this vegetable is even called the Chinese broccoli as an alternative name!
Kai lan is actually a variety of Chinese lettuce, and has flat green leaves instead of the florets we associate with standard broccoli. Kai lan is a prolific plant that often gives a high yield.
Kangkong
This tasty leafy green vegetable is also known by several other names, including Chinese watercress or Chinese spinach.
This is one of the more versatile herbs that can be found in Chinese cuisine, as it can be used in both savory and sweet dishes.
Kangkong can be used to flavor cakes, buns, and a whole number of other desserts. However, it is most commonly used as a stir-fry ingredient.
Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are a common bean that can be used for a wide variety of cooking applications. These beans are recognizable from their signature red color, and are highly versatile.
They can be used for stews, soups, as well as a whole range of other dishes. Kidney beans are an excellent source of protein, so are perfect for people like vegetarians and vegans who need to increase the level of plant based protein they consume.
Komatsuna
This is a tasty leafy vegetable that is available in 2 varieties: green and red. These have a similar flavor profile, and can be eaten both cooked and raw.
Komatsuma can be used as a stir-fry vegetable, added to soups, or even used as a tasty addition to salads. It is recognizable by its large leaves which appear similar to spoons, and its slender, lengthy stems.
Known as mustard spinach in English, the komatsuna leaves have a mustard flavor to their leaves.
Kurrat
If you were to find a kurrat in your local grocery store, you would be forgiven for mistaking it as a leek. In fact, the two vegetables are more than just similar in appearance – the kurrat is also known as the Egyptian leek.
Even though the kurrat is typically harvested for its leaves, the root bulb and flowers are also edible. It is also very closely related to garlic and its doppelgänger, the leek.
Kantola
At first glance, you may think that kantola is a fruit. It even has an alternative name to suggest this, such as balsam pear and spine gourd.
However, kantola is most often used as a vegetable in Indian as well as Asian dishes. It is most regularly cooked with additional spices or added to other dishes such as fish or meat dishes.
Kalettes
You may think that we have already covered the tasty leafy green vegetable known as kale, however, kalettes are an entirely different vegetable altogether.
Kalettes are actually similar to a combination of a Brussels sprout and kale. These can be eaten both cooked and raw, and taste best when they have been roasted, sautéed, or grilled.
Kapas-kapas
A favorite to the Philippines, Vietnam, and China, kapas-kapas is a leafy plant that is known by many names.
You may have also heard of it by the names dukep, latok, or sabidukong. Kapas-kapas is a leafy plant that features heart shaped leaves, and it also produces fruits that resemble spears in shape.
Both the fruits and leaves are edible and often consumed in Filipino dishes. It has been noted that the kapas-kapas has a similar flavor profile to string beans.
Kaffir Lime Leaves
Chances are that you have even used kaffir lime leaves in your own dishes at home! This tasty herb is used to flavor certain dishes, and is a particular favorite in Indonesian, Thai, and Cambodian dishes.
The kaffir lime leaves have a citrusy flavor to them and are notably zestier and lighter in flavor than other curry leaves or even bay leaves.
Keluak
Keluak is the term to refer to a type of black powder that has been crafted using the seeds of the poisonous pangium fruit.
The fruit is boiled to make it edible, and then the seeds are ground up into a fine black powder, sometimes referred to as keluak, which is then used in a range of traditional Peranakan dishes.
Kokum Seed
Kokum seed is the seed derived from the kokum fruits. This is often pressed to produce an oil, which is then used as the basis of many dishes.
Kokum oil is completely edible, and is typically used for other applications aside from just frying ingredients.
Koseret Leaves
The koseret plant produces herbaceous leaves, which are frequently dried and used as a herb in different cuisines around the world.
It has a similar flavor profile to basil, with a minty aroma. Koseret leaves have also been used as a means of traditional medicine in certain cultures.
In Summary
So there you have it! Who knew that there were so many vegetables and other savory food items that have names beginning with the letter K?
We made sure to collate as many vegetables that had names starting with the letter K as possible.
So now the next time someone asks you to name as many vegetables starting with K as you can, you will be able to confidently recite this list.
How many of the vegetables that we have covered in more detail above have you heard of? Are there any that you think we’ve missed off our comprehensive list? Let us know all about it in the comments below!
The majority of people who have no interest in the subject, and aren’t green fingered assume that all plants and vegetables require the same growing conditions. This is not the case at all. Each plant has its own unique and interesting history and growing process.
I hope you will find The Natural List useful, and that it will help educate you on the wide variety of different flower and plant species there are across the globe.
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