Last Updated on May 7, 2021 by April
Yogurt, yams, yerba mate, and yuca. These are just a few of the foods that start with Y. Although it is easy enough to name around 5 Y foods, coming up with more than that is a bit difficult.
If you are looking to prepare for trivia night, you are going to need a master list of foods that begin with Y. Luckily for you, that’s exactly what I have here.
So whether you’re looking for a new snack to try or a cheat sheet for trivia competitions, there’s something here for everyone!
Foods That Start With Y
Yabby
Yabby is a freshwater crustacean that lives in coastal Queensland, Australia. It is also known as a yabby or yabbi shrimp.
Yabby is found in dishes like yabby rolls, yabbi, and tomato soup or yabby salad.
Yacon
Yacon comes from South America, where it is ground into flour for cooking.
It can be used in dishes like yacon pancakes or yacon and apple cider vinegar sauce with chicken breast. Yacon syrup has also been used to make ice cream!
Yakitori
Yakitori comes from Japan and is made of chicken on a skewer. It can be served with soy sauce, teriyaki, or salt and pepper.
One popular yakitori dish includes tsukune which are meatballs made from minced chicken mixed with onion, eggs, dashi stock, sake (Japanese wine), mirin (sweet rice vinegar), and soy sauce.
The yakitori was first invented in 1868 by Miura Kizaemon, who would sell skewered chicken at a temple near present-day Shinjuku station in Tokyo as an offering to the gods. The yakitori now takes on many different forms and flavors across Japan!
Yali pear
Yali pear is a type of pear that is small and round. It has thin skin, which can be either green or yellow in color. The yali pear flesh is sweet with an aroma similar to apples.
The yali pear cultivates best when it’s grown in temperate climates such as Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan!
One way to prepare yali pears is to simply peel the skin, then slice it into wedges. It can be also used in desserts such as yali pear and walnut cakes or yali pear cakes!
Yam Peppersoup
Yam peppersoup is a vegetarian dish that is made with yams, carrots, celery, and onions. The vegetables are boiled in vegetable broth until they’re soft. Then the mixture is pureed before adding salt and pepper to taste!
In some areas of Africa this type of soup may be called yam pelejesou or yam sukuma and can be made with different vegetables.
It is often prepared as a hearty meal for lunch or dinner, depending on the region and cuisine!
Many people believe that yam peppersoup has health benefits because of the variety of veggies used in this dish. Some studies have found some evidence to support these claims, but more research needs to be done before any conclusions can be drawn.
Yamarta
Yamarta is a yam and carrot soup.
The vegetables are boiled until they’re soft, then pureed before adding salt or pepper to taste!
In some areas of Africa this type of dish may be called yam pelejesou or yam sukuma and can be made with different veggies.
Yams
Yams are a vegetable that grows underground.
It is popular in West Africa and the Caribbean.
It is often prepared as a hearty meal for lunch or dinner, depending on the region and cuisine!
Some recipes made with yams are yam and beans, yams with okra soup, or yam
and spinach.
Yangmei
Yangmei is a dish that features a yam and sweet potato.
It is often served during the winter months or when it’s cold outside, as yams provide warmth to our bodies!
Some common ingredients in this dish are garlic cloves, soy sauce, pepper flakes, ginger root (minced), olive oil, salt, and sesame seeds.
Yankee Pot Roast
Yankee pot roast is a dish that features yams, onions, celery, and carrots.
It is slow-cooked in a pot with beef broth until it becomes tender and delicious!
Some people also use milk as an ingredient to add creaminess.
Yankee pot roast resembles the traditional American Sunday dinner meal of meatloaf or roast beef mashed potatoes.
Yardlong Beans
Yardlong beans are a type of legume that is commonly used in Chinese cuisine.
These beans have a long, thin shape and are usually deep green or purple in color.
Yardlong beans belong to the “string bean” family (these can be stringy when cooked). They can also contain seeds that should not be eaten!
Yeast
Yeast is commonly used in baking.
The yeast produces a natural carbon dioxide gas that aids in the leavening process of batters and doughs, which causes bread to rise!
Yeast is also used as an ingredient in many alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, champagne, and sake!
And lastly, it can be found in some varieties of yogurt and sourdough bread.
Yellow Mombin
Yellow mombin is a type of fruit that is native to Southeast Asia.
It belongs in the same family as other tropical fruits such as mangoes and rambutans.
Yellow mombin is usually about two inches long, has yellow or green skin with orange flesh inside, and the seed can also be found at one end!
Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin tuna is a type of fish that is found in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
It can be identified by its brownish to yellow fins, with black spots on them!
The flesh is a light pink color, which makes it an excellent choice for sushi dishes!
Yellowtail
Yellowtail is a fish found in the Atlantic Ocean.
It has a dark yellow-brown hue to it, and meat that is white with tiny black spots!
A recent study found that this fish can be traced back to Japan from as early as 1640 AD. The name “yellowtail” comes from its distinctive coloration. It’s also sometimes called ham achi.
This fish is a very popular choice for sushi dishes!
It has an oily flavor and meat that flakes easily when cut into pieces.
Yiessas
Yiessas is a dish of African origin, and it’s a type of stew.
The dish consists mainly of cassava leaves, beef tail or oxtail, canned tomatoes, and salt.
It is popularly eaten by the Senegalese as well in Sierra Leone!
This yiessas has an umami flavor that makes it very delicious.
Yiros
Yiros are a dish of Greek origin, and they are sandwiches. In Greece, it is spelled as ‘Gyros’, however, Australians spell it as yiros.
The yiros originated in Rhodes as a dish of the Ottoman Turks who occupied Greece for 400 years!
It is composed of grilled meat that’s served on pita bread with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, tzatziki sauce (a cucumber-yogurt dressing), ketchup, and lamb meat.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a dairy product, and it is fermented milk. It has been consumed for centuries in many cultures around the world!
Yogurt consists of live bacteria that help break down lactose in milk into lactic acid which improves digestion.
It’s commonly made from cow or goat milk but can also be plant-based (e.g. coconut milk) for vegetarians and vegans.
Yogurt Cake
Yogurt cake is a European delicacy that comes from the Balkans.
It’s traditionally made with layers of flourless sponge, yogurt, and nuts all soaked in syrup!
Yogurt has been used historically as a natural preservative to keep food fresh for longer periods of time because it inhibits mold growth. It also makes cakes moist and fluffy.
Yōkan
Yokan is a dish that originated in Japan and is made from red bean paste surrounded by agar jelly.
It’s typically served cold, with a range of toppings such as shredded coconut or yuzu citrus peel strips.
The classic flavor combination is white sugar syrup and kinako (roasted soybean flour).
Yōkan can be found at stalls selling yōkan and other traditional Japanese desserts during the New Year celebrations.
Yolk
Yolk is the yellow center of an egg.
It is a yellow, fatty liquid containing about one-third of the total volume and weight of an average-sized egg yolk. Yolks from hens must be cooked before consumption because they may contain salmonella bacteria which can cause food poisoning in humans when eaten raw or not thoroughly cooked.
The yolk is commonly used for dressings, sauces and desserts.
The word derives from Old English ýgla meaning egg.
Yolk Cookies
Yolk cookies are an old-fashioned cookie recipe, typically made from a sugar dough with egg yolk added in.
The cookies are shaped like small balls and sometimes have raisins inside or on the outside of them.
Yolks can also be used to make lemon curd when mixed with butter, eggs, and sugar.
Yorkshire Pudding
Yorkshire pudding is a savory dish, typically served as an accompaniment to a roast dinner.
Usually cooked in the oven for about 30 minutes or until well risen and golden brown on top, Yorkshire puddings are most often made from leftover batter.
The pudding recipe is said to have been created by accident during the 18th century when some flour was left in a frying pan after cooking.
Today, the traditional recipe is made with self-raising flour and eggs to create the batter that will then be cooked for about 30 minutes or until well risen and golden brown on top.
Yorkshire pudding can also be eaten for breakfast when served alongside bacon or even as a dessert by adding sugar.
Young Coconut
Young coconut is a type of coconut that is harvested when it’s still young.
Young coconuts are green and hairy, which makes them easy to identify on the tree.
Sometimes called baby or adolescent coconuts, these fruits can be picked from trees as soon as they turn brown in color for harvesting purposes.
Youngberry
Youngberry is a fruit that is a type of berry that grows on the young, tender shoots and leaves of blackberries.
These berries are often picked by people who enjoy their taste and will sometimes be eaten as they pick them or used in making pies or jams.
Youngberry bushes can also grow to produce large amounts of fruit during certain times of the year.
Yquem
Yquem is a type of white wine that is produced in the Sauternes region of France.
This specific type of wine has a sweet taste and it’s usually considered to be one of the most luxurious wines available today, which means people are willing to pay for Yquem much more than they would with other types.
A vintage of this type of wine is often becoming harder and more expensive to find.
Yuatia
Yuatia is a type of sourdough bread that is made in the Pacific Islands.
The word Yuatia means “with yeast” and this type of bread has a light brown color on the outside with an even lighter golden color on the inside.
Yuca
Yuca is a type of root vegetable that is found in the tropics and subtropical regions.
This type of yuca has a white color on the inside with a yellowish-brown skin outside, which also gives it an earthy taste to it.
Some people even seem to like this as much as they do potatoes because of how versatile yuca is in dishes.
Yumberry
Yumberry is a type of fruit that can be found in Asia.
It is getting more popular due to yumberry not being overly sweet, so people enjoy it because they are able to use them for a variety of cooking and baking recipes without having the flavor get too overwhelmed by sugar.
Yunnan Hackberry
Yunnan Hackberry is a type of y tree that is grown in China.
It is not a very common type of fruit for many different regions, but it does have some benefits to those who do eat this if they are looking for something healthy and nutritious.
This type of yunnan hackberry has more fiber than an apple while having less sugar too.
Yuzu
Yuzu is a type of citrus fruit that is very popular in Asian countries.
It has a flavor similar to lemon or lime, but it can be much more tart and tangy than those two fruits.
In Japan, yuzu is used as an ingredient for one type of condiment called ponzu sauce which goes well with seafood dishes because of the acidic taste.
Want more foods lists? Check out these foods that start with E.
I hope you enjoyed this list of foods that start with Y. If you have any list ideas you would like me to make, please let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading! 🙂