25 Fantastic Foods That Start With Z: Simple Green Moms (2024)

Thinking of foods that start with Z may seem like a challenge. Z is such a unique letter and there aren’t many things that begin with a Z. However, there are actually a lot of foods that start with Z and we have found 25. You may be surprised by how many exciting, interesting foods there are that start with Z.

If you are eating your way through the alphabet, we can help you finish your project strong with some of these delicious recipes. If you are just curious about things thttps://simplegreenmoms.com/wp-admin/themes.phphat start with the letter Z, we can help you with that too! Are you ready to take a look and discover some interesting Z things? Let’s go!

Foods That Start With The Letter Z

1. Zucchini Bread

Zucchini bread is a vegetable-based quick bread that is very easy to make. Zucchini is shredded and squeezed to remove excess water from the veggie. The shredded zucchini is mixed with flour, sugar, oil, eggs, and spices and then baked. You don’t need a mixer or fancy equipment to make zucchini bread recipes! It is simple, tasty, and quite healthy thanks to the vegetable baked inside. You can even make zucchini muffins too!

2. Zigzag Vine Fruit

Zigzag vine fruit is native to Australia and other rainforest climates. It is small, orange, and berry-like in appearance. The fruit has an orange sherbet flavor with a little bit of spiciness. Zigzag is mostly used for sauces on gourmet dishes.

3. Zarzuela

Zarzuela is the next of the foods that start with z. Zarzuela is a tomato-based Spanish seafood stew. It is made using shellfish, pork, and spices. Shrimp, mussels, and calamari are typically the seafood choices for this letter z food. Almonds or almond paste are added to the seafood dish giving the soup a rich, nutty flavor. If you are ever in Spain, be sure to try a bowl of authentic zarzuela and it may quickly become one of your favorite of the z foods.

4. Zuccotto

Zuccotto is an Italian dessert that originated in Florence. A rich pound cake or sponge cake is coated in a Gran Marnier syrup and pressed into a pumpkin-shaped mold. The cake is then stuffed with ice cream and frozen. Once firm, the zuccotto is popped out of the mold, sliced, and served semi-frozen so the ice cream doesn’t melt. It is a perfect Italian dessert and also a tasty addition to our foods that start with z.

5. Zucchini

Zucchini is a member of the squash family and the next of our foods that start with z. The vegetable is long and skinny with a green exterior. There are many culinary uses for zucchini. Zucchini can be eaten raw, sliced and sauteed, baked as fries, or even made into desserts. It really is an all-purpose summer squash and a great example of foods that begin with z!

6. Ziti

Ziti is a type of pasta that is shaped like a short cylinder. Baked ziti is one of the most common dishes made with this z food. Cooked ziti is tossed with tomato pasta sauce and ricotta cheese then sprinkled with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. The dish is then baked until bubbling and served hot. Baked ziti is a classic Italian-American dish and it quite popular across the country.

7. Zerde

Zerde is a Turkish dessert that is made with sweet rice. Zerde has a bright yellow color as the recipes are sweetened with saffron. The pudding is traditionally served at bridal showers, weddings, and other celebrations. You can find zerde everywhere during the sacred month of Muharram.

8. Zimtsterne

Zimtsterne is a German cookie that is often cut into a star shape. The buttery treat is flavored with almonds, oranges, and cinnamon. You can find Zimtsterne recipes in both frosted and unfrosted versions. Either type of cookie will be delicious and classic!

9. Zabaione

Zabaione is an Italian sweet that is made by cooking egg yolks with hot sugar syrup. The syrup is poured into the yolks and whipped to make a light, foamy dessert. Zabaione is sometimes served as a beverage when mixed with a sweet wine. It is also used as a base for other desserts and puddings.

10. Zwieback

Zwieback is next up on our chart of foods that start with z. Zwieback is a type of dry cracker or risk that is made by baking a small loaf or sweet bread until it is crisp and crunchy. Zwieback is popular in Europe and resembles melba toast. It is also given to small children since it melts in your mouth. No need to use your teeth to chew this small snack!

11. Zebra Fish

Zebrafish are very small, oily fish that are typically kept as aquarium pets. However, the fish can be good to eat and consumed like anchovies. Enjoy them alone or dip them in tartar sauce to add a little more flavor to this tiny morsel.

12. Zinfandel

Zinfandel is not necessarily food that starts with z but a beverage. Zinfandel is a kind of grape that is used primarily in making red wine. The grape itself is rarely eaten raw, unlike table grapes. Instead, the fruit is picked at peak ripeness, pressed, and aged to make a rich, hearty drink. Serve red meat with a big glass of zinfandel and you will have a fantastic meal!

13. Zest

Zest describes the outside portion of fruit. When a recipe calls for zest, it is typically from citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, or limes. Zest should be finely grated in order to lessen the bitter taste it can sometimes have. This ingredient is often used in a lemon tart and other desserts to enhance all of the citrus flavors. As a perk, there are some healthbenefits too!

14. Zeppole

Zeppole are an Italian specialty and next on our list of foods that start with z. Zeppole are deep-fried dough balls that are sweetened with powdered sugar. The soft, tender dough is similar in taste to a doughnut. Dip your zeppole in chocolate or strawberry sauce for an extra treat. Skip the powdered sugar in the recipes and coat the hot pastry in a cinnamon-sugar mix for a new treat.

15. Zander

Zander is a species of freshwater fish that can be found around Europe. They are light, firm, and have very few bones. This large fish is often called pike or perch and can be found on almost every restaurant menu due to its delicious, creamy taste. It is considered to be an essential fish to the European region.

16. Zima

Zima is a clear, carbonated alcoholic drink and next up for our foods that start with z. Zima was first distributed by the Coca-Cola Company in the 1990’s and had an instant cult-like following in the United States. It was marketed as an alternative to beer and had a low percentage of alcohol by volume. The name Zima has recently reappeared on supermarket shelves as this light drink is making a comeback.

17. Zopf

Zopf is a swiss bread that is made using flour, eggs, yeast, and butter. The dough is braided into a pretty loaf then brushed with more egg yolks. When baked, the egg yolk topping gives the zopf its signature golden brown top. The bread is very soft and has a similar appearance and may remind some of Jewish challah.

18. Zesta Crackers

Zesta crackers are a very well-known brand of salty snacks. The crackers are pale, crisp, and made with a basic mix of yeast, flour, and water. Zesta can be crumbled into soups, eaten plain, or even pulsed into crumbs then used to coat chicken tenders. The brand can be found in grocery stores across the world and has been sold for decades.

19. Zoni

Zoni is a Japanese soup made with sweetened rice cakes. The soup is typically served on the Japanese New Year and is considered a delicacy. Your taste buds will love the sweet and savory flavors that are cooked into the soup. Fish flakes, daikon radishes, soy sauce, spinach, and sweet mochi are just a few of the many ingredients in zoni.

20. Zingers

Zingers are a super tasty cake made by the Hostess company. Soft chocolate cake is stuffed with marshmallow filling. The long, rectangular cake is coated in soft chocolate. Signature lines run vertically down the cake and add to the eye appeal of these little dessert delights. Zingers join others made by Hostess as American classics.

21. Zrazy

Zrazy is one of the more unique foods that begin with the letter z thanks to its fun name. Zrazy is a Polish beef roulade that has been around for centuries. Round eye steak is pounded flat then stuffed with ham and pickles. The beef rolls are cooked in white wine, tomato sauce, and served warm. Zrazy is known to be a flavorful but economical dinner choice. It offers nutrition and a hearty meal at a very low price.

22. Zampone

Zampone makes our list of foods thanks to that unique beginning letter! Zampone is a kind of sausage that is made using pork meat, pepper, nutmeg, white wine, cinnamon, and cloves. The spicy taste is perfect when paired with a sweeter side dish. The sausage is stuffed into a natural casing so it can be sliced and sauteed in a little olive oil for quick, easy preparation.

23. Zigeunersalat

Zigeunersalat is a Swiss potato salad that is one of our favorite z foods solely because of its cool name. The dish is often called gypsy salad. It is made with cooked, cubed potatoes, French dressing, swiss cheese, peas, hard-boiled eggs, and white meat. You may find Zigeunersalat made with salami or bacon in more modern settings.

24. Zebra Cakes

Zebra cakes are another delicious packaged cake that you can find in almost any grocery store. Soft white cake is coated in a white and dark chocolate shell. The dark chocolate is stripped across the white to give the dessert a zebra-like appearance. The Little Debbie baking company has been making Zebra cakes since 1967 and we hope they never stop!

25. Zero Candy Bar

Zero candy bars are the last one on our list of foods that start with z. Zero bars are a combination of caramel, peanut, and almond nougat covered in white chocolate. The all-white outside is what made Zero bars so popular and also unique.

Have you decided which one of these exciting dishes to try first? It is a hard choice for sure as each one is better than the next. Hopefully, our list will help you with any alphabet food list challenges you may be tackling. We also hope that you found some exciting new things to try. Z may be the last letter but it certainly isn’t the least!

Let us know which dish you try and how much you love it. Try them all and leave a comment below. If you think of any other tasty z treats, we would love to add them too! Make a note below and we will try to make our 25 list into 26! Enjoy.