27 Interesting Food Starting With X You’ll Want To Know

Sharing is caring!

Are you into arts and crafts? How about food arts and crafts? Er… something like that. Anyway, there comes a time when you’re either playing an alphabet game or coming up with a craft for a letter of the alphabet and you come upon a stumbling block. OR MAYBE you’re doing a crossword puzzle or you’re a student who is learning English and you’re looking for food starting with x in English. Well, if you’re experiencing any of these things (or something similar… or you’re just curious), here is a list of names of food starting with x. But first, let’s begin with some frequently asked questions regarding foods that start with the letter x.

There are affiliate links in this post.  Read my disclosure policy to learn more.

 

List of Popular North American Food That Start With X (United States)

 

Now, get ready for some food starting with X that is popular here in the United States.

 

1. Xavier Steak

Have you ever heard of Xavier steak? I actually had not heard of it until recently. 

Basically, Xavier steak is steak topped with asparagus and swiss cheese.

Now, regarding its origins, Xavier steak may have originated in New York, but no one seems to be certain of this.

However, it sounds pretty appetizing, right?

 

 

2. XMas Cookies

Xmas (or X-mas) cookies is another way to say Christmas cookies (at least here in the United States). Although, I often see the word x-mas written down and I’m not sure I’ve ever actually heard people say it. Hmmm…

Xmas cookies are basically those cookies that are very popular to bake around Christmas time. Cookies with spices, such as cinnamon, are especially Xmasy. 

So, for your convenience, here is a Xmas cookies list for your next Christmas party or gift giveaway:

• Sugar cookies
• Gingersnap cookies
• Gingerbread cookies
• Snickerdoodle cookies
• Linzer cookies
• Alfajores
• Chocolate crinkle cookies
• Peanut butter blossom cookies
• Pecan snowball cookies
• Pinwheel cookies
• Butter cookies
• Red velvet cookies
• Peanutbutter cookies
• Thumbprint cookies
• Shortbread cookies
• Italian Ricotta Cookies
• Snowball cookies
• Peppermint snowball cookies
• Meringue cookies
• Italian rainbow cookies
• Biscotti cookies
• Sugar cookie truffles
• Fudge cookies
• Chocolate chip cookies
• French macarons
• Oatmeal cookies

 

3. XMas Cakes

So, similar to Xmas cookies, Xmas cakes are basically another way to say Christmas cakes (at least here in the United States).

If you’re interested, here’s a list of some popular Xmas cakes to try:

• Red velvet cake
• White chocolate raspberry cake
• Fruit cake
• Yule log cake
• Chocolate cake
• Gingerbread cake
• Vanilla buttercream cake
• Cheesecake
• Coffee cake
• Poundcake
• Devil’s food cake
• Angel food cake
• German chocolate cake
• Rum cake
• Gingerbread cake roll
• Eggnog cake
• Bundt cake
• Cupcakes
• Butter pecan cake
• Spice cake
• Apple spice cake
• Black forest cake
• Pineapple upside-down cake

 

 

 

List of Asian Food Starting With X

Now for our list of different Asian food starting with X.

 

4. Xiaolongbao

So, in case you’re not already aware of this, xiaolongbao is a Chinese steam bun that people traditionally ate for breakfast.

(If you don’t already know this, a steam bun is leavened (or sometimes unleavened) dough that you normally fill with meat, vegetables, or puree.)

Xiaolong is a small bamboo steamer basket and bao is a kind of leavened bun. Xiaolongbao, therefore, is a bun that is steamed in a bamboo basket.

Traditionally, people filled xiaolongbao with pork. In modern times, however, people often fill them with different kinds of meats and vegetables, too.

 

 

5. Xiangjiao

This is a very, very, very common fruit in many parts of the world. Contrary to popular belief, it’s actually a berry!

It’s long, yellow in color, and has a peel. Can you guess what I’m referring to?

Yes, xiangjiao is the Chinese word for banana in English!

Although some people may believe bananas are not a healthy fruit, perhaps saying that it has too much sugar or leads to digestive issues, many scholars argue that bananas are actually very nutritious and therefore good for you!

These are some of the main vitamins and minerals that are found in bananas:

• Potassium
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B6
• Fiber

In addition, bananas are great for heart health because they contain a large amount of potassium, which balances out the amount of sodium in one’s body, thus helping to lower a person’s high blood pressure (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health).

 

6. Xingren Doufu

The literal English translation of this awesome Chinese dessert is almond tofu. 

(Some people call this xingren tofu or annin tofu).

It’s a really soft dessert that kind of resembles jello. 

Interestingly, it is important to note that although the word tofu appears in the name, there are no soybeans in this dessert. And, even though you see the word almond in the title, there are no almonds either.

Instead, some of the main ingredients are apricot kernels, agar, and sugar.

Here… check out the YouTube video below by Elaine Luo to get a better idea of what it is:

 

 

7. Xacuti

So, xacutti (some people spell it xacutti) is a kind of curry that’s very common in Gao, India. 

More specifically, it’s a curry that people normally make with chicken, lamb, or beef as the main source of protein and grated (or sliced) coconut, poppy seeds, and dried red chilies for the curry mixture.

Yea, you read that right. It’s a curry that uses poppy seeds! Sounds interesting, right?

Well, if you’re interested in trying a xacuti recipe, this chicken xacuti recipe by Archana’s Kitchen has some pretty good reviews!

 

8. Xôi

This is a very popular quick Vietnamese breakfast meal (or dessert) in which the main ingredient is glutinous rice.

Xôi comes in so many different sweet and savory flavors!

Here are some of the savory varieties (xôi mặn):

• Xôi bắp: Xôi with corn and mashed cooked mungs
• Xôi xéo: Xôi with mashed mung beans, fried onions, and rousong
• Xôi cá: Xôi with fried fish
• Xôi gà: Xôi with chicken
• Xôi thịt kho: Xôi with pork and eggs
• Xôi pate: Xôi with pâté and ham
• Xôi trứng: Xôi with fried eggs, caramelized eggs, or omelet
• Xôi sắn or xôi khoai mì: Xôi with cassava

And here are just a few of the sweet flavors (xôi ngọt):

• Xôi nếp than: Black glutinous rice
• Xôi dừa: Coconut
• Xôi xiêm: Coconut juice
• Xôi sầu riêng: Durian
• Xôi lá cẩm (also known as xôi tím): Magenta plant
• Xôi bắp: Fried onions, corn, sugar, mashed cooked mung beans
• Xôi đậu đen: Black urad beans

Are you still having a hard time visualizing what xôi is? If that’s the case, here is a YouTube video for you by Món Ngon Mẹ Nấu Mom’s Best Food to help you visualize this better:

 

9. Xidoufen

So, this is a very popular Chinese soup from the Yunnan province. The main ingredient in this soup is peameal.

Some seasonings that many Chinese people like to include in this dish are garlic, ginger, dry chili flakes, and Sichuan pepper oil.

Also, many people enjoy eating xidoufen with Chinese flatbread, youtiao, which is talked about more extensively on my List of Food Words Beginning With Y page.

 

10. XO Sauce 

This is a spicy sauce from Hong Kong that many people enjoy using in their seafood dishes. Some of the ingredients in this sauce include dried scallops, dried shrimp, onions, chili peppers, garlic, and oil.

Are you interested in trying it out for yourself? Luckily, you can find it on Amazon!

Or, if you want, you can make it yourself! Check out this recipe by The Woks of Life to learn more!

 

11. Xia Mi

This is Taiwanese dried shrimp and it is a very common ingredient in everyday cooking. Many people like to include xia mi in soup, stirfries, and dumplings, too.

If you’d like to learn more about xia mi, check out Healthy Nibbles. 

 

12. Xi Gua Lao

This is a SUPER DUPER interesting Chinese dessert dish that’s very popular in Beijing. It’s basically thickened (and chilled) watermelon soup! 

(Actually, the literal translation is watermelon jelly).

Some of the primary ingredients are watermelon, sugar, agar, and vanilla powder.

Check out the video below by Cooking with Toddlers to get a better understanding:

 

 

13. Xiāngcǎo jīng

This is vanilla extract.

If you’re interested, here’s a coconut rice cake recipe that you can make for Chinese New Year that uses xiāngcǎo jīng. The recipe is Coconut Rice Cake by Spot of Sunshine.

 

14. Xylocarp 

So, according to Dictionary.com, xylocarp is a fruit that has a “hard woody pericarp” (pericarp is the walls of a ripened fruit). Coconut would be one example of a xylocarp.

 

15. Xihongshi Chao Jidan

This popular Chinese dish is a stir fry dish consisting of tomatoes and scrambled eggs. It’s very easy to make at home, but it is also common street food, too.

Actually, xihongshi chao jidan is a Chinese-American fusion dish! 

People in China have been eating eggs for many, many, many years. However, they did not start adding tomatoes until the Qing Dynasty, which was sometime between the years 1644 to 1912.

As I mentioned before, xihongshi chao jidan is very easy to make and it’s actually one of YouTuber Strictly Dumpling’s favorite dishes! 

He likes to eat his xihongshi chao jidan with rice. Check out his video below:

 

 

16. Xiaodianxin

The literal translation of this word from Chinese to English is cookies.  One of the most common types of cookies in China is almond cookies, which they like to make for the Chinese Lunar New Year.

If you’re looking for a good xiaodianxin recipe for the Chinese New Year, check out this almond cookie recipe by Just One Cookbook.

 

17. Xoài

This Vietnamese term means mango in English.

Interestingly, there are many different mango varieties in Vietnam including:

• Xoai cat
• Xoai tuong
• Xoai ngua
• xoai xanh (these are green and sour)

Also, many people in Vietnam enjoy eating mangos raw as a snack or as a kind of dessert after a meal. However, they also like to use the really sweet ones to make a drink with condensed milk. 

Now, they don’t normally eat the green xoài raw. Instead, they like to use these to make mango salad (gỏi xoài).

Here’s a Vietnamese green mango salad recipe by Hungry Huy if you’re interested in trying it.

 

Related Articles:

• List of More than 50 Food That Start With N
• 50+ Unique Foods That Begin with W
• List of 30+ Unique Food That Start With Y
• 50+ Unique Food That Start With T

 

List of European Food Starting With X

 

Now, here are some examples of some European food starting with X.

 

18. Xinomavro 

So, this is a kind of dark-skinned grape from Greece that people use to make red wine. 

More specifically, the xinomavro grapes from the Naousa region in Greece produce, arguably, one of the most favored, and finest, wines in the country. 

 

19. Xouba

This is a Galician word for a small sardine.

(If you are unfamiliar with Galicia, it’s an autonomous community in Spain).

One of the most popular dishes in this part of the world is xoubas with cachelos (a plate made with potatoes).

To cook this dish, lots of people in Galicia like to grill the sardines outdoors over a fire (possibly because of the strong smell).

Here… take a look at the video below by About Lareira to see what I’m talking about:

 

 

20. Xavier Soup

So, Xavier soup is a kind of Italian soup made with parmesan, parsley, and dumplings in a clear broth. It’s named after Francis Xavier, who was a Roman Catholic missionary.

If you’re interested in making this dish for yourself, or for your family, please check out the recipe on The Lass in The Apron.

 

21. Xiphias

This is a swordfish that is found in tropical and temperate waters, specifically in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

Also, in Greece specifically, people enjoy eating the xiphias gladius (this is the name people use in Greece) by first marinating it and then grilling it since its meat is firm enough to do so.

More specifically people often grill xiphias gladius and eat it with a lemon on the side, or they enjoy eating it by cooking it on skewers and then dipping the meat in flavorful sauces.

Interested in learning more? Then, check out this page about xiphias gladius on 196 Flavors.

 

22. X Cookies 

Ok, I’ll admit it. I’m a cookie-holic!!!

I seriously love cookies.

Talking about cookies, x cookies are a kind of fig-filled (maybe rum, too) cookie from Sicily! Another name for them is cucidati. 

(It’s possible that people call them X cookies because of their shape).

If you’re interested in making these cookies, then please check out the recipe with step-by-step pictures on the website Lisa is Cooking. 

 

 

List of Hispanic or Latin American Food Starting With X 

 

23. Xoconostle

This is a very popular fruit in Mexico. It’s basically the fruit from a cactus, specifically the opuntia matudae species. 

Xoconostle is very similar to what the Mexican communities call tunas. The difference is that xoconostle is less-sweet and is used more often for medicinal purposes rather than food (although it is used for food, too).

Please check out the video below by Weird Explorers for more information (and for a recipe, too).

*Warning: the video does contain some curse words*

 

 

24. Xocolatl

CHOCOLATE!!

Xocolatl is a chocolate drink from the Aztecs. Some people say xocolatl is the basis for today’s modern hot chocolate recipes.

However, compared to today’s chocolate drinks, xocolatl is spicy and not very sweet.

Also, it’s important to note that although this drink is super similar to modern-day hot chocolate, the Aztecs actually drank this chocolate cold or at room temperature! 

Interesting, right?

If you have a chance, I recommend you check out this YouTube video below by Aidan Cooks so you can have a better understanding of xocolatl:

 

 

25. Xnipec 

This is a spicy sauce that originates from Yucatán, Mexico. Some of the main ingredients for xnipec include purple onion, habanero pepper, orange juice, lime juice, and salt.

Interestingly, the Mayan translation for this sauce is dog snout. Many people believe that the Mayans gave it this name because it’s so spicy, it will make your nose wet like a dog’s.

Do you dare try it? If so, you can check out this easy xnipec recipe by Mexico in My Kitchen.

 

List of African Food Starting With X

 

26. Xigua

This is a fruit that is commonly found in Africa. However, we also grow this fruit here in the United States.

It’s large, has a hard green or greenish-yellow rind, and the inner fruit is very, very juicy.

Care to guess what it is?

If you guessed watermelon, you’re correct!

Xigua has many health benefits such as having high levels of antioxidants which help decrease the risk of heart disease and cancer (Mayo Clinic).

 

27. Ximenia Americana

This is the botanical name of a wild fruit that grows in the tropics in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas.

Other names for this fruit include:

• Hog plum
• Yellow plum
• Tallowwood
• Sea lemon
• Pi’ut

Also, people can eat this fruit raw, or they can use it to make jams or juices.

 

Final Thoughts on Ideas for Names of Food Starting With X From Around the World

Well, I hope you enjoyed this complete guide to 30+ different foods beginning with the letter X.

Did I miss any? If so, please let me know in the comments below!