35+ Vegetables that Start with A: List with Names and Pictures

Vegetables that start with a include leafy greens, edible stems, roots, and several fruits used as vegetables. Their names come from many cuisines and plant groups, so the term “vegetable” can describe foods differently in cooking and botany. Learning these vegetable names beginning with a makes it easier to recognize common produce at grocery stores, farmers markets, kitchens, and classrooms. This article covers A vegetables, their plant parts, and basic food uses including their pictures.

What Vegetables that Starts with A?

Vegetables beginning with A include several types of edible plant foods. Some are leafy greens, while others grow underground or develop as fleshy fruits. A few foods, such as avocado and squash, are botanically fruits but are commonly prepared as vegetables.

The term can depend on culinary use rather than strict botanical classification. That distinction matters when learning vegetable names because food categories and plant science do not always use the same labels.

List of Vegetables that Start with A

The A vegetables list contains familiar produce alongside less common foods. Below is a list of vegetable names beginning with a with names.

• Acorn Squash
• Achira
• Adzuki Bean
• African Eggplant
• African Spinach
• Afang Leaves
• Agathi Leaves
• Agretti
• Ahipa
• Air Potato
• Alfalfa Sprouts
• Alugbati
• Amaranth Greens
• Ambercup Squash
• American Groundnut
• Anaheim Pepper
• Ancho Pepper
• Apple Gourd
• Arikara Squash
• Armenian Cucumber
• Arracacha
• Arrowhead Plant
• Arrowroot
• Artichoke
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Asparagus Pea
• Ash Gourd
• Aji Amarillo
• Aji Dulce

Vegetables That Start With A with Pictures

Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is a small winter squash with deep ridges and an acorn-like shape. Its skin usually appears dark green with orange patches, while the flesh turns golden when cooked. The flavor tastes mildly sweet, nutty, and earthy. In addition, its firm flesh becomes tender during cooking. People commonly roast, bake, stuff, mash, or add it to soups.

Achira

Achira is an edible root vegetable that grows from the underground rhizomes of the achira plant. The thick roots contain plenty of starch and develop a firm texture when harvested. Traditionally, people have eaten achira in parts of South America. They may boil, roast, or process the roots into starch. Its mild flavor works well in simple cooked dishes.

Adzuki Bean

Adzuki bean is a small legume widely used as a food crop in East Asia. Most beans have reddish-brown skins with a distinctive white ridge, although other colors also occur. The beans offer a mildly sweet, nutty flavor and tender texture after cooking. Furthermore, cooks use them in soups, savory dishes, sprouts, and traditional sweet bean pastes.

African Eggplant

African eggplant refers to several eggplant varieties commonly grown and eaten across tropical Africa. The fruits can differ greatly in size, shape, color, and surface texture. Some varieties develop noticeable ribs and a slightly bitter flavor. However, cooking softens their texture and balances the bitterness. People commonly add African eggplant to stews, sauces, soups, and vegetable dishes.

African Spinach

African spinach describes several leafy vegetables that people cook and eat across African regions. Amaranth species often carry this common name, although local usage can differ. The leaves may appear green, red, or purple and develop a tender texture after cooking. In addition, cooks add them to soups, stews, sauces, and side dishes for their earthy flavor.

Afang Leaves

Afang leaves come from Gnetum africanum, a leafy plant native to tropical parts of Africa. The dark green leaves have a firm, slightly fibrous texture and a distinctive earthy taste. Cooks usually slice them finely before adding them to food. Traditionally, people combine afang leaves with other greens in soups and stews, where they provide substantial texture.

Agathi Leaves

Agathi leaves are the edible foliage of Sesbania grandiflora, a tropical tree also called the hummingbird tree. The plant produces delicate compound leaves with a mild but noticeably bitter flavor. Because of their bitterness, cooks generally prepare them with other ingredients rather than eat them raw. They commonly appear in curries, soups, stir-fries, and cooked vegetable dishes.

Agretti

Agretti is a succulent leafy vegetable known botanically as Salsola soda and commonly called monk’s beard. Its thin green stems and leaves have a crisp texture with a mildly salty, mineral-like flavor. First, cooks often blanch the vegetable briefly to soften it. Then, they sauté it with garlic, olive oil, or lemon, or add it to pasta and other dishes.

Ahipa

Ahipa is an edible root vegetable produced by Pachyrhizus ahipa, a plant related to jicama. The underground root develops crisp, pale flesh with a mildly sweet and refreshing taste. Traditionally, farmers cultivated ahipa in parts of the Andes. People can eat the root fresh or cook it in different ways. Its firm texture makes it suitable for salads and vegetable dishes.

Air Potato

Air potato is a climbing yam species that produces edible bulbils along its vines. Unlike ordinary potatoes, these rounded structures develop above the ground rather than underground. Their texture and flavor vary among different forms. In regions where people traditionally eat them, cooks boil, roast, fry, or add air potatoes to other cooked dishes. Thorough cooking may be necessary for some varieties.

Alfalfa Sprouts

Alfalfa sprouts are young shoots that grow from germinated alfalfa seeds. They develop thin, pale stems with tiny green leaves and offer a mild, fresh flavor. People commonly add these tender sprouts to sandwiches, salads, wraps, and other cold foods. However, proper food handling matters because raw sprouts can carry harmful bacteria. For that reason, careful storage and preparation remain important.

Alugbati

Alugbati is a leafy vegetable from the Basella genus, often called Malabar spinach. Despite the common name, it does not belong to the true spinach family. Its thick, glossy leaves and tender stems soften during cooking and develop a slightly mucilaginous texture. Cooks commonly add alugbati to soups, stews, sautés, and vegetable dishes throughout tropical Asian and African cuisines.

Amaranth Greens

Amaranth greens are edible leaves harvested from several Amaranthus species and used as vegetables worldwide. Their foliage can appear green, red, purple, or a combination of these shades. Young leaves offer a tender texture and mild, earthy flavor. In addition, cooks can sauté, steam, boil, or simmer them. They work well in soups, curries, stews, and grain dishes.

Ambercup Squash

Ambercup squash is a compact winter squash cultivar with dark orange-red skin and a rounded, slightly flattened shape. Its dense orange flesh develops a naturally sweet flavor during cooking. Furthermore, the relatively dry texture makes it useful for mashing and roasting. Cooks often bake, steam, or roast Ambercup squash. They can also stuff the halves with grains, vegetables, or other fillings.

American Groundnut

American groundnut is a perennial North American vine that produces edible underground tubers and beans. The tubers grow in connected chains and develop firm, starchy flesh with a nutty flavor. Indigenous peoples and early settlers used this plant as a food source. Today, cooks can boil, roast, or otherwise prepare the tubers as a starchy vegetable alongside other foods.

Anaheim Pepper

Anaheim pepper is a mild chile commonly eaten fresh or cooked as a vegetable. The long, tapered fruits usually start green and turn red as they mature. Their heat level remains relatively mild, although individual peppers can vary. For example, cooks roast, grill, stuff, or chop green Anaheim peppers for sauces and savory dishes. Mature red peppers can also be dried.

Apple Gourd

Apple gourd is a common name for certain round or apple-shaped gourds that people grow and eat as vegetables. However, the name can refer to different plants depending on the region. Young fruits generally have mild flesh that absorbs surrounding flavors during cooking. Cooks may add them to curries, soups, stews, and stir-fries. Their tender texture works especially well in seasoned dishes.

Arikara Squash

Arikara squash is a traditional winter squash associated with the Arikara people of the Great Plains. The small to medium fruits often have round shapes with orange, green, yellow, or cream markings. Their firm flesh holds up well during extended cooking. As a result, people can bake, roast, boil, or stuff the squash. It also stores well as a winter vegetable.

Armenian Cucumber

Armenian cucumber is a long, slender fruit that people commonly eat like a cucumber. Despite its name, it belongs botanically to the melon species Cucumis melo rather than true cucumbers. The thin skin surrounds crisp flesh with a mild flavor and little bitterness. People often slice Armenian cucumbers into salads, sandwiches, and fresh dishes. They can also pickle the young fruits.

Leafy Vegetables Starting With A

Leafy vegetables beginning with A include greens eaten raw or cooked.

• Amaranth Greens: Amaranth greens are tender leafy vegetables with an earthy flavor and nutritious texture.
• Arugula: Arugula has peppery leaves commonly used in salads, sandwiches, and cooked dishes.
• African Spinach: African spinach includes several leafy greens commonly cooked as vegetables across African cuisines.
• Afang Leaves: Afang leaves are edible leafy greens traditionally used in West African soups.
• Agathi Leaves: Agathi leaves are tender edible greens often cooked in curries, soups, and vegetable dishes.
• Alugbati: Alugbati is a leafy vine with thick, fleshy leaves cooked like spinach.
• Alfalfa Sprouts: Alfalfa sprouts are young shoots commonly added to salads, sandwiches, and wraps.

Root Vegetables Beginning With A

Root vegetables beginning with A develop edible portions beneath the soil.

• Arrowroot: Arrowroot is a starchy underground crop commonly processed into a fine cooking starch.
• Ahipa: Ahipa is a South American root crop with crisp, slightly sweet flesh.
• Achira: Achira produces edible rhizomes that can be boiled, roasted, or processed into starch.
• Air Potato: Air potato produces edible bulbils that grow along climbing vines above ground.

Stem Vegetables That Start With A

Bulb and stem vegetables beginning with A provide edible stalks or swollen plant parts.

• Asparagus: Asparagus is a tender green stem vegetable commonly roasted, steamed, grilled, or sautéed.
• Artichoke: Artichoke is an edible flower bud with tender leaves and a meaty heart.

Fruit Vegetables That Start With A

Fruit vegetables develop from flowers but are commonly prepared as savory vegetables.

• Aubergine: Aubergine is another name for eggplant, a soft fruit vegetable with glossy purple skin.
• Avocado: Avocado is a creamy fruit commonly used in salads, toast, sandwiches, dips, and bowls.
• Acorn Squash: Acorn squash is a winter squash with firm orange flesh and mildly sweet flavor.

FAQs About Vegetables That Start With A

Takeaway

Vegetables that start with A include leafy greens, roots, stems, legumes, sprouts, peppers, and squash. Familiar choices such as asparagus, artichoke, arugula, and acorn squash appear alongside regional vegetables such as achira, afang leaves, and alugbati. Some A foods are botanically fruits but are commonly prepared as vegetables. Learning these names makes it easier to recognize different produce types and understand their culinary uses.

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