Foods That Start With N

Many staple food items that people tend to eat everyday begin with the letter “n.”

• nacho cheese - viscous cheese sauce used as a dip; often flavored with salsa or spices
• nachos - tortilla chips slathered in cheese and covered with the diner’s choice of Tex-Mex toppings, such as taco meat, diced tomatoes, diced onions, guacamole, and/or salsa
• navy bean soup - type of soup where navy beans are the main ingredient; typically made with ham stock or small pieces of chopped ham
• navy beans - small white bean often eaten on its own or in soups or stews
• neufchatel cheese - commercially available reduced fat cream cheese substitute
• newburg sauce - extremely rich cream sauce featuring egg yolks, butter and cream, with a bit of sherry stirred in; sometimes added to seafood dishes (such as lobster newburg; often eaten with toasted bread
• New York style pizza - relatively thin slices of pizza covered with your choice of toppings; cut in wide slices so they can be folded up a bit in one hand for eating
• noodles - also referred to as pasta; these are typically flour noodles eaten with some kind of sauce
• noodle soup - any broth-based soup that includes noodles; chicken noodle and turkey noodle are popular examples
• nutmeg - known for its aromatic flavor and scent; used in many many baked goods recipes, such as apple pie and spice cake
• nuts - high protein food enjoyed alone as a snack or incorporated into a variety of recipes
• Nutty Bars - Little Debbie brand sweet treat consisting of a stack of wafers held together by a sweet filling and covered with chocolate

Many fruits and vegetables have names that start with the letter “n.” Consider planting some of these in your garden or keeping an eye out for them in the supermarket or at the farmers’ market.

• nance fruit - small yellow tree fruit the size of a cherry; grows in a tropical climate
• napa cabbage - type of cabbage that grows in an oblong head rather than one that is round
• naranjilla fruit - edible nightshade fruit with a citrusy flavor; grows in parts of South America and Central America
• nashi pear - another name for the Asian pear
• nasturtium - edible flowering plant with a slightly spicy flavor; both the leaves and flowers can be eaten
• natal plum - edible fruit of the natal plum tree; the tree is native to South Africa and is often called a num num tree
• navel oranges - citrus fruit easily identifiable by an indention on the end that resembles a belly button
• nectarine - tasty stone fruit that ripens in the cool season, so it’s available when similar fruits (pleaches, plums) are not
• neep - alternate term for turnip root, rutabaga or swede
• nettles - edible leafy green plant that grows wild; treasured by foragers
• nonda plum - edible fruit from a type of fruit treat that grows wild in New Guinea and Australia
• nutmeg melon - small cantaloupe with green flesh; the flavor has a hint of nutmeg flavor

Indian cuisine features a number of dishes that begin with the letter “n.”

• naan - leavened flatbread
• namak para - bite-sized crunchy fried wheat flour snacks
• nankhata - delicious Indian cookies flavored with cardamom; similar in appearance and texture to butter cookies
• narial kalakand - Indian candy made with coconut, sugar and cardamom
• navratna korma - sweet vegetarian curry combining pineapples with a variety of vegetables
• nawabi keema - traditional Indian main course featuring minced meat, chile peppers and garam masala
• nellikai - gooseberries that grow in India; commonly used in Indian cuisine
• nippattu - crunchy crackers enjoyed as snacks in India; made with rice flour, nuts and spices

Italian cuisine includes some dishes, ingredients and cooking styles that begin with the letter “n.”

• napoletana - style of cooking associated with Naples; dishes prepared alla napoletana feature eggplant and tomatoes
• necci crepes - tasty crepes made with chestnut flour; eaten on their own or with soft cheese; associated with Tuscan region
• nethili meen curry - popular curry dish that features anchovies as the main ingredient
• nocce - Italian word for walnut
• nocciole - Italian hazelnuts
• nocciolini di Chivasso - tiny cookies made from eggs, sugar and hazelnuts; named for the Italian town of Chivasso, from which they are believed to originate
• Nutella - though this sweet, spreadable paste is now commercially available in many countries, its origins can be traced to post-Word War II Italy

Indian and Italian cuisine haven’t cornered the market on foods that begin with “n.” A number of other countries are known for tasty dishes that start with this letter.

• naengmyeon - Korean cold noodles; thin, chewy noodles served cold with various kinds of sauce
• napoleon - layered dessert that features cream between layers of puff pastry; often includes pieces of fruit and/or small chunks or drizzles of chocolate
• nargesi - flavorful spiced spinach and egg dish; Persian cuisine
• nasi goreng - Indionesian fried rice dish known for its rich umami flavor; typically served with a fried egg and garnished with fresh vegetables (such as chopped cucumber, green onions or tomatoes)
• neeps and tatties - Scottish dish that combines chopped turnip root, rutabaga or swede with potatoes
• ninos envueltos - Dominican dish featuring a cabbage leaf wrapped around spiced ground beef and rice
• nopalitos salad - Mexican salad highlighting strips of prickly pear cactus pads (cooked) tossed in a tangly vinegar-based dressing with other vegetables
• nori - type of seaweed popular for use in Japanese cuisine; often used to wrap sushi rolls
• Norman tart - French dessert featuring spiced apples topped with almonds baked in a rich, flaky pie crust (bottom only)

Whether you stick with everyday fare or opt for exotic international dishes, chances are that you’ll still be looking for sweet treat ideas. Quite a few desserts and sweet snacks begin with an “n.”

• neapolitan ice cream - mixture of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream
• nonpareil - tiny sugary confections; often used as sprinkles on cupcakes, cakes, cookies, ice cream, or other types of candy
• nougat - very sweet candy made with egg whites, sugar or honey and chopped nuts; some recipes also call for chopped dried fruit to be added
• nut cookies - any kind of cookie recipe that has nuts stirred into the batter
• Nutter Butter cookies - commercially sold cookies shaped like peanuts; a layer of peanut butter spread is placed between to peanut flavored cookies

Have you identified some new foods to try as a result of exploring this word list? For even more ideas, explore foods from later in the alphabet with a list of foods that start with "u." Otherwise, consider boosting your culinary vocabulary by learning some new descriptive words for food. Or, if your interest lies with the letter "n" itself, visit the world list tool on WordFinder by YourDictionary to discover new words that begin with "n."