8 Vegetables That Start With the Letter V

It can be hard to think of a vegetable that starts with the letter V.  The main reason is that there aren’t very many. Yet that doesn’t mean there arn’t any vegetables at all that begins with a V. We just had to do some digging.

After a lengthy search, we came up with eight vegetables that start with the letter V. Have you tried any of them?

8 Vegetables That Start With the Letter V

As you can image, finding veggies that start with a V wasn’t an easy task. Nevertheless, we were able to come up with a decent list. So without further ado, here is what we found.

1. Variegated Banana (Musa paradisiaca)

The variegated Banana grows year round in tropical climates. They resemble regular yellow bananas in shape, are slightly curved, and grow up to 7 inches long. And the color is the same once matured, forming a bright yellow high. (*)

This rare banana can be challenging to find. It is difficult to grow, requiring extended growing time and dedicated care.

You can use the variegated banana food cooking or desserts. Raw, the banana has a mildly sweet flavor. Once it is cooked, this produce gets very sweet, making it ideal for many desserts. It is popular in baked goods and sweet sauces.

• Shape: Curved or semi straight
• Size: Up to 7 inches
• Color: Green raw, Yellow ripe
• Flavor: Sweet (gets sweeter while cooking.)

2. Vegetable pear or Chayote (Sechium Edule)

A vegetable pear, also known as a chayote, is only comparable to a regular pear by appearance. This pear shaped vegetable is green and grows to be 3-4 inches long. 

The vegetable pear has a mild taste with a sweet undertone. You can compare the flavor to that of zucchini or cucumber. 

You can prepare this plant in many ways, baked, boiled, or sauteed. You can also enjoy it raw.

• Shape: Round, hour glass shape
• Size: 3-4 inches long
• Color: Green 
• Flavor: Mild, sweet

3. Velvet Tamarind (aka Dialium Guineense)

Velvet tamarind grows from an evergreen tree that is part of the pea family. It is a tropical African native and popular in these areas for its edible fruit. 

It is popular for its pulp which is a unique combo of sweet and sour. You can eat the pulp raw or soak it in water to create an enjoyable drink.

Tamarind can be sour, only sweetening the riper it gets. Many compare the taste of velvet tamarind to lemon juice with a touch of molasses and caramel.

• Shape: Round, flat, hard
• Size: 7-8 mm across, 2 mm thick
• Color: Brown
• Flavor: Sweet and sour

4. Vegetable Marrow (aka Cucurbita pepo)

Vegetable marrow, also called marrow squash, looks a lot like zucchini. It can grow up to 18 inches long and has dark green skin that is smooth and edible.

The flesh of the plant is cream or white and has a mild to bland flavor. And this produce is a traditional stable in Native American, Mexican, and Central American cuisine.

The vegetable marrow can grow year round if the situations are right. They need a warm climate, rich soil, and some shade. The plant also needs well-drained soil to prosper. (*)

• Shape: Elongated, oblong, oval
• Size: Between 9 and 18 inches
• Color: Dark green with light green stripes
• Flavor: Blad, mildly sweet

5. Vegetable Hummingbird (aka Sesbania Grandiflora)

The vegetable hummingbird, also known as the West Indian Pea, is native to Southeast Asia and Northern Australia.  Both the flow and leaves are eatable and a common ingredient in many Asian dishes.

The vegetable hummingbird looks like a flat green bean or pea pod. Long and thin.  This plant tastes earthy and mild, much like a mushroom.

The vegetable hummingbird is ideal for cooking and can be found in recipes like curries,  fried dishes, or sauces. You can also eat the plant raw or add it to salads.

Some popular ways to enjoy this food are stuffing, frying, or baking it.

• Shape: Long, thin, flat
• Size: Up to 4 inches
• Color: Green
• Flavor:  Mild and earthy

6. Vegetable Mustard (Brassica juncea)

Vegetable mustard is a type of leaf mustered, also known as bamboo mustered or mustard cabbage. It is a type of root mustard that is added to many Korean, Italian, and African American foods. And seen in various other cuisines around the world.

All parts of this plant are edible, including seeds, leaves, and stems. You can use vegetable mustard vegetable, and many do, for canning and baking. You will also see it in salads.

The seeds from the Brassica Juncea make brown mustard, which is pretty spicey. 

• Shape: Thin stems and small flower
• Size: Grows various feet in height
• Color: Green stems and leaves, yellow flower
• Flavor: Spicey

7. Velvetleaf (Limnocharis Flava)

The velvetleaf is part of the aquatic flowering plant. It is a traditional ingredient in Vietnamese, Philippine, Thai, and Indian cuisine. It can be found in stir fries, salads, and soups. You can cook the velvet leaf or eat it raw, though it has little taste.

These triangular shaped plant leaves have hollow stems and yellow flowers. The fruit is a sphere shape and contains seeds that tend to become an invasive species.

• Shape: Triangular shape leaves, sphere shape fruit.
• Size: The stems grow to about 20 inches tall and have 1.5 cm flowers.
• Color: Green leaves and stem yellow flower
• Flavor: Mild, bitter

8. Vine Vegetables

Okay, this one is a bit of a stretch. It isn’t specifically a vegetable itself, but a group of them. Various vegetables grow on vines and are popular around the world. Many of them you probably know, and some you may not.

Here is a list of 10 vegetables that can be found growing on a vine.

• Peas
• Pole beans
• Tomatoes
• Squash
• Cucumbers
• Pumpkin
• Scarlet runner beans
• Chayote ( You might remember that from our list above.)
• Malabar spinach
• Loofah

These vegetables are grown in various locations, requiring specific conditions and environments to grow. One thing they all have in common, though, is that they grow on vines.

Our list of eight vegetables starts with the letter V. It might not be long, but the produce discussed are excellent options to add to any menu.

FAQs

Final Thought

It was challenging to find any vegetables that started with the letter V. This doesn’t seem to be a popular niche for the alphabet, but we managed to get through it. If you know of any other vegetables that start with V, feel free to message us.