Foods That Start With Z

Are you looking for ways to brighten up meals at home? Why not try foods that start with Z? From drinks and dishes to desserts, Z foods are delicious, flavorful, and definitely, a fun twist to make mealtime more exciting. 

Dishes That Start With Z

photo showing dishes that start with Z.

Dishe and main courses or entrees that start with Z give you many options. For example, vegetarian and gluten-free meals in many Italian recipes start with Z. If you get stuck, you can jazz up your table with French, Italian, Swiss, and German meals.

  • Zoodles: Zoodles, or zucchini noodles, work with most diets. These noodles can replace spaghetti and other pasta. Use a julienne peeler, spiralizer, or mandolin to slice perfect spirals. You can boil or saute the noodles for a few minutes. 
  • Zucchini Fritters: These are similar to potato pancakes. You’ll need to grate zucchini, mix it into a light batter, and then deep-fried. The result is a crispy snack that you can substitute for hash browns or burger patties. 
  • Zucchini Parmesan: Another dish with zucchini as its star is the zucchini parmesan, which consists of breaded and fried zucchini rounds sprinkled with parmesan cheese. You can also layer them into a casserole dish. 
  • Zesty Lime Chicken: This dish is an all-time favorite because it is easy to make! Plus, it’s a one-pot dish! All you need is to season the chicken (thighs or breast) with salt and pepper and cook in a pan. Then, add the onions, rice, and garlic, remove the protein, and pour in the chicken stock. Bring it to a boil, take the chicken out, and add cilantro, beans, and of course, lime or lemon juice – you can use other citrus fruits! Once everything is cooked, add the chickens back. Viola! You have a tasty, zesty lime chicken in just 30 minutes. 
  • Za’atar Chicken: Za’atar chicken brings a touch of the Middle East to your table, and you can mix your spice mix. Most people flavor their dishes using dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and acidic sumac. 
  • Zander Fish: You might never have heard of Zander fish, but it is popular in Europe. It has a white, flaky flesh with a mild taste, perfect for frying, grilling, and even oven baking! 
  • Zopf: his braided bread has a similar texture and taste to challah bread. However, with the addition of butter, it provides a creamier profile. The bread uses yeast, flour, milk, sugar, salt, egg, and butter.
  • Ziti Al Forno: A top seller at Italian restaurants, Ziti Al Forno blends five kinds of cheese – shredded fontina, mozzarella, parmesan, romano, and ricotta with a hearty meat sauce. 
  • Zarzuela: Zarzuela is a Spanish seafood stew that combines almond paste, light tomato sauce, mussels, shrimp, fish, white wine, and aromatic vegetables. 
  • Zampone: This dish is a staple during Christmas in Italy, and it’s not your ordinary sausage – it is a pig’s front trotter stuffed with spiced ground meat. If you don’t know what a trotter is, it’s the feet! 
  • Zoni: You will find ozoni or zoni served during the Japanese New Year. It falls under the soup category, but what makes it interesting is that it has mochi rice cakes! 

Fruits That Start With Z

Photo showing fruits that start with Z.

Foods that start with Z extend beyond soups, bread, and main entrees; there are also fruits beginning with the letter Z! This includes Zante currants, zhe, and even zucchini, which crosses the veggie/fruit line like tomatoes.

  • Zucchini
  • Zebra Eggplant
  • Zebra Tomatoes
  • Zante Currant
  • Zapote
  • Zabibu
  • Zabale Fruit
  • Zwetschge
  • Zinfandel Grapes

Fun Fact: If you are looking for vegetables that start with Z, you won’t find any. Zucchini, zebra eggplant, and zebra tomatoes are considered a fruit.

Soups, Herbs, and Condiments That Start With Z

Photo showing some condiments that start with Z.

More exciting Z foods fall under soups, herbs, and condiments, from the bright and fresh flavor of a zhoug sauce to a za’atar’s mix of toasted sesame seed, marjoram, thyme, and oregano.

  • Za’atar
  • Zhoug Sauce
  • Zimt Zucker
  • Zucchini Relish
  • Zigeuner Sauce

Drinks That Start With Z

Photo showing drinks that start with Z.

Drink concoctions that begin with a Z have a great appeal that titillates the taste buds. Some liqueurs and liquors can even open the doors to mixology because you can mix them with other drinks! 

  • Zombie
  • Zima
  • Zola
  • Zu and Tonic
  • Zu Iced Tea
  • Zulu Warrior
  • Zesty Lime Cooler
  • Zudriver
  • Zinfandel
  • Zobo
  • Zabaglione
  • Zinger Cocktail

Desserts That Start With Z

Photo showing desserts that start with Z.

Zabaglione instantly comes to mind when thinking of desserts with a Z. However, there are many other options, like the Turkish dessert rice pudding known as zerde or the Italian dessert called zuccotto. Here are more Z desserts:

  • Zuccotto
  • Zerde
  • Zebra Cake
  • Zucchini Bread
  • Zabaione
  • Zeppole
  • Zerde
  • Zimsterne
  • Zingers

Full List of Foods That Start With Z

  • Zeppole
  • Zopf
  • Zucchini Bread
  • Zest
  • Zuccotto
  • Zoni
  • Zoodles
  • Zuppa Toscana
  • Zero Candy Bar
  • Zinfandel Grapes
  • Zebra Tomatoes
  • Zimtsterne
  • Za’atar
  • Zerde
  • Zebra Cakes 
  • Zerde
  • Zig-Zag Vine Fruit
  • Zimtsterne
  • Zarzuela
  • Zampone
  • Zebra Eggplant
  • Zwiebelkuchen
  • Ziti
  • Zoodles
  • Zucchini Fritters
  • Zucchini Parmesan
  • Zesty Lime Chicken
  • Za’atar Chicken
  • Zander fish
  • Zopf
  • Ziti Al Forno
  • Zarzuela
  • Zampone
  • Zoni Zoni
  • Züpfe
  • Zante Currant
  • Zapote
  • Zabibu
  • Zabale Fruit
  • Zwetschge
  • Zinfandel Grapes
  • Zhoug Sauce
  • Zimt Zucker
  • Zucchini Relish
  • Zigeuner Sauce
  • Zuccotto
  • Zombie
  • Zima
  • Zola
  • Zu and Tonic
  • Zu Iced Tea
  • Zulu Warrior
  • Zesty Lime Cooler
  • Zudriver
  • Zebra Cake
  • Zingers
  • Zucchini Bread
  • Zabaione
  • Zeppole
  • Zerde