Foods That Start With A: 40 Ingredients, Dishes & More
There are SO many more foods that start with A than you’d expect. We’re talking everyday vegetables, fruits you have in your kitchen right now, flavourful condiments, and some brilliant global dishes that deserve way more attention. I’ve put together this list of foods starting with A, which covers everything from the obvious (like avocados & apples) to the stuff that’ll make you go “oh yeah, that starts with A!”
Table of Contents
Vegetables That Start With A
There are loads of vegetables that start with A, and a good chunk of them are just everyday ingredients we cook with regularly.
1. Aubergine
Aubergine is one of my absolute favourites and one of the most versatile veg in a budget kitchen. It absorbs flavour like nothing else, you can roast it, char grill it, stuff it, curry it, you name it! I use it constantly.
If you’ve never made a Grilled Aubergine Curry, that is your homework. It’s so good for a meat-free dinner. There’s also the Miso Aubergine with Edamame Beans and Brown Rice if you’re after something else with a bit of an Asian-inspired twist.
2. Asparagus
It roasts beautifully, works in pasta, and is one of the best things about spring. Snap off the woody ends, toss the asparagus in olive oil, and you’re already most of the way there.
3. Artichoke
Globe artichokes are the big dramatic ones you steam and pull apart, and jarred artichoke hearts are the budget version that work brilliantly in pasta dishes & traybakes. Both lovely and both count here!
4. Amaranth leaves
These are worth a mention too. This leafy vegetable is used mostly in East Africa, South Asia, and parts of the Caribbean, similar to spinach in how you’d cook it. It’s increasingly available in UK supermarkets.
5. Adzuki beans
They’re sometimes spelled azuki, and they’re these small, dark red legumes that are used in Japanese and Korean cuisine, usually in sweet pastes and desserts. They’re high in protein and fibre and so cheap.
6. Arugula
Arugula, or rocket as we call it in the UK, is that peppery salad leaf that everyone has a strong opinion about. I use it in my Aubergine Parmigiana on the side and it’s the perfect sharpness to contrast all those layers of melted cheese and tomato sauce.
7. Alfalfa sprouts
The best nutritious addition to sandwiches & salads. You’ll find them at most large supermarkets and they’re ridiculously cheap.
Fruits That Start With A
Fruits that start with A include some of the most popular fruits in the world & a few you might never even have heard of.
8. Apple
Obviously. One of the most eaten fruits in the UK and completely underrated as a cooking ingredient. Sweet varieties like Gala or Fuji are great eaten raw or used in chutneys, while cooking apples like Bramleys break down beautifully for crumbles and sauces. This is my Apple Pie Porridge, which is a winner for me at breakfast in the winter.
9. Apricot
This is technically a stone fruit, and the fresh version is gorgeous in summer!! Dried apricots are even more useful as they’re sweet & chewy. I like using them in North African-inspired stews and tagines. Tinned apricots are another budget-friendly option.
10. Avocado
Here’s the fruit that launched a thousand hipster brunch menus. The trick with avocados is timing as you want them just ripe, yielding slightly under pressure. I’ve made The BEST Avocado Toast with Halloumi so many times, and the salty halloumi against the creamy avocado is SO good.
11. Açai
This dark purple berry from Brazil is PACKED with antioxidants. You’ll usually find it as a frozen pulp or powder in health food shops, and it’s obviously what goes into those acai bowls topped with granola and fruit. You pronounce it ah-sigh-EE, by the way.
12. Akee
A tropical fruit native to West Africa and the national fruit of Jamaica. The fleshy arils are edible but only when fully ripe, otherwise it’s actually toxic. Ackee and saltfish is one of Jamaica’s most iconic dishes.
13. Amanatsu
Amanatsu is a hybrid citrus from Japan, similar in size to a grapefruit, with a sweet and sour flavour. You’re unlikely to find it in a standard supermarket but I’d love to try it someday.
14. Aronia berry
This is a very tart berry that’s gained popularity as a superfood. Some people call it chokeberry and it’s most commonly found as a juice or dried berry in health shops.
Store-Cupboard & Condiment A Ingredients
Food items starting with A include some essential staples, and there are actually loads of ingredients starting with A that are easy to overlook… until you run out.
15. Anchovies
They deserve their own paragraph because they are SO underused. I know they get a bad rap, but when you cook with them, they don’t taste fishy – they actually melt into the oil and become this incredible umami base that can make everything taste better. My Caramelised Shallot Pasta uses anchovies in exactly this way actually. They dissolve into the shallot base and the result is amazing.
16. Aioli
Aioli is a garlic-heavy emulsion sauce from the South of France and Spain, it’s basically garlic mayo but better. You can buy it, but homemade is so much better and easier. It’s lovely with roasted vegetables, fish, chips, pretty much anything.
17. Apple Cider Vinegar
Here’s a store-cupboard hero that doesn’t get enough credit. It adds brightness and acidity to dressings, marinades, and sauces without the harshness of white wine vinegar. A bottle costs under £2 and lasts ages.
18. Arborio Rice
The short-grain Italian rice that makes risotto. It’s creamy when cooked & one of the best things you can make on a budget.
19. Asafoetida
You’ll find this in South Asian grocery shops, basically a pungent spice used in Indian cooking, particularly in lentil & vegetable dishes. It has an onion-garlic flavour and a tiny pinch goes a long way.
20. Aquafaba
Stop throwing aquafaba down the drain! If you don’t know, this is the liquid from a tin of chickpeas, and it actually whips up like egg whites & is brilliant as a vegan substitute in meringues, mousses, and mayo.
21. Allspice
A dried berry from Jamaica that tastes like a combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg all at once, hence the name. It’s essential in Caribbean cooking and great in spiced meat dishes.
22. Ancho chilli
This dried poblano pepper is used widely in Mexican cooking. It has a smoky, raisin-y flavour and is great in stews and marinades.
Dishes That Start With A
There are some great dishes that start with A, and I’d say a few of them deserve a spot in your regular rotation!
23. Aloo Gobi
This is a classic North Indian potato and cauliflower curry made with turmeric, cumin, coriander, and garam masala. It’s so easy to make!
24. Arrabiata
I always go for the arrabiata pasta sauce when I want something spicy, quick & delish. Tinned tomatoes, garlic, and chilli – that’s largely it. Toss with penne and you have one of the best pasta sauces in existence in my opinion.
25. Arancini
Italian fried rice balls, traditionally made with leftover risotto, stuffed with mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried until golden. They are SO good and a brilliant way to use up leftover rice.
26. Adobo
Filipino adobo is a way of braising meat, usually chicken or pork, in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and bay leaves.
27. Aloo Paratha
A stuffed flatbread from North India filled with spiced mashed potato. It’s crispy on the outside, soft and flavourful inside, and usually eaten with yoghurt and pickle. So cheap and so good.
28. Ajvar
For a great dip or spread option, Ajvar is a Balkan roasted red pepper and aubergine relish that’s simultaneously smoky & sweet.
29. Amatriciana
Amatriciana is a Roman pasta sauce made with guanciale, tomato, and pecorino. You can swap the guanciale for smoked bacon or pancetta and it’s still amazing.
30. Acqua Pazza
This translates as “crazy water” and it’s an old Italian fisherman’s recipe where fresh fish is simmered in a broth of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and white wine.
Baked Goods and Sweets That Start With A
Baked goods are some of the best A foods honestly!
31. Apple Crumble
Apple crumble is the most British dessert imaginable. Stewed Bramley apples under a buttery oat topped crumble, served with custard or ice cream… I love it so much!
32. Almond Croissant
The best way to use up day-old croissants. Slice them open, fill with almond frangipane, reseal, top with flaked almonds and a dusting of icing sugar, and bake.
33. Angel Food Cake
A light & airy American sponge made with whipped egg whites, no butter or yolk, giving it an almost meringue-like texture. It’s usually served with fresh berries.
34. Amaretti Biscuits
Crisp Italian almond biscuits made from ground almonds, sugar, and egg white. Brilliant with coffee and great crumbled over panna cotta or tiramisu.
35. Apricot Jam
Possibly one of the most versatile things in your fridge. Glaze a ham with it, spread it on toast, or thin it with a bit of water and brush over pastries.
36. Apple Strudel
Thin layers of pastry wrapped around spiced apple filling, often with raisins and a dusting of icing sugar on top. Apple strudel is an Austrian classic!
A Ingredients Worth Using More
These are the foods with A that I think deserve more regular use.
37. Almonds
A small handful of flaked almonds toasted in a dry pan can completely transform a simple salad, grain bowl, or traybake. Whole almonds are great for snacking too!
38. Almond Butter
It works in everything from smoothies to Asian-inspired sauces. It’s pricier than peanut butter but the flavour is different enough to be worth having around.
39. Avocado Oil
Avocado oil has a neutral flavour and a high smoke point which makes it great for frying & roasting. It’s what I use in my Avocado Mayo as it lets the avocado flavour come through without any bitterness.
40. Aonori
Aonori is a type of dried seaweed used in Japanese cooking, most famously sprinkled over takoyaki and okonomiyaki. The perfect finishing seasoning over rice or noodles.
What to Cook with Foods That Start With A
My Crispy Soy Tofu, Aubergine & Rice is a brilliant weeknight dinner that proves aubergine doesn’t need meat to hold its own. For something more comforting, this Creamy Vegetable Pie with Puff Pastry is always a go-to, along with my Moroccan Inspired Veggie Aubergines as well. And if you love aubergine with a bit of a spicy kick, my Easy Gochujang Eggplant is ready in 30 minutes and it’s so so good.
For asparagus, my Salmon Tray Bake features it alongside broccoli and a honey soy glaze. And for apple, my Apple Pie Porridge is the cosiest breakfast ever, especially if you go for Pink Lady apples.
If you love a good listicle, check out my other posts: Fruit Names With N, Foods Starting With Z and Foods Starting with J.
Foods That Start With A FAQs
The most common foods that start with A include avocado, apple, asparagus, almonds, anchovies, artichoke, aubergine, apricot, and amaranth. There are also dozens of dishes and condiments that start with A, from arrabiata sauce and aloo gobi to aioli and arancini.
Vegetables that start with A include aubergine, asparagus, artichoke, arugula, adzuki beans, alfalfa sprouts, amaranth leaves, and Asian greens.
Fruits that start with A include apple, apricot, avocado, acai berry, aronia berry, akee, and amanatsu. Apple and apricot are the most common, along with avocado, which is technically a fruit.
Well-known dishes that start with A include aloo gobi, arrabiata, arancini, amatriciana, adobo, aloo paratha, and ajvar. In baking and desserts, apple crumble, almond croissant, and amaretti biscuits are the most recognisable.
When it comes to foods starting with letter A that won’t break the bank, I’d include anchovies, as a single tin can flavour multiple meals, tinned apricots, arborio rice, adzuki beans, aubergine, and apples. Apple cider vinegar, asafoetida, and allspice are also budget-friendly foods beginning with A that I love to have around.
More unusual foods that start with A include acai (a South American berry), akee (Jamaica’s national fruit), ajvar (a Balkan pepper relish), acqua pazza (an Italian fisherman’s broth), amaranth grain, and aquafaba (the liquid from tinned chickpeas that can be whipped like egg white).
