Celebrate Foods Beginning with the Letter C!

How many different dishes begin with the letter C can you think of? You’re likely to have a long list since there are so many meals that begin with C!

We’ve compiled a list of 20 of the finest (at least in our opinion!) dishes that begin with the letter C, along with some amusing facts and background information about each. Have you ever wondered how caramel is made? Seeking some fresh ways to prepare that head of cauliflower that’s been lying in your fridge? After all, what exactly is ceviche?

Let’s find out the answers to these and other questions before diving into a sea of meals that begin with the letter C!

20 Foods That Start With the Letter C

1. Cabbage

Cabbage is one of numerous leafy vegetables in the cruciferous family, which also includes broccoli and kale. There are several cabbage kinds, ranging from football-shaped Napa cabbage to almost perfectly round savoy cabbage and even red cabbage that may be beautiful purple in color!

Almost all cabbages have one thing in common: they are quite unpleasant to eat uncooked. Although the leaves of raw cabbage may seem bright and lush like a nice head of iceberg lettuce, they are rough and fibrousnot exactly something you want to eat a huge bowl of. As a result, cabbage is often employed in cooked applications or shredded and thrown in vinegar-based sauces to help break down the tough leaves. Cabbage is utilized in a wide range of recipes and cultures, from Polish filled cabbage leaves to German sauerkraut and beyond.

2. Caesar Salad

Caesar salad is made out of four basic ingredients: romaine lettuce, toasted croutons, parmesan cheese, and creamy Caesar dressing. Caesar dressing recipes vary, but most include the following ingredients: lemon juice, olive oil, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Indeed, there is cheese in the dressing, which we believe is one of the reasons this salad is so popular!

Many Caesar dressings are thickened with egg yolk, but there are lots of egg-free and anchovy-free versions available. Chicken is a typical addition to Caesar salad to make it a meal, but practically any protein, from sliced skirt steak to grilled salmon or crispy tofu, will taste excellent on a Caesar salad.

3. Calamari

Calamari is the Italian name for squid eaten as food, and you’ll see it more commonly than the fairly ordinary sounding English version on restaurant menus. The squid is a species of mollusc known as a cephalopod, and it is closely related to the octopus, which looks (and tastes!) very similar.

Calamari has a somewhat sweet, moderate taste and a solid texture, unlike many other seafoods, which may be delicate. Correctly cooked calamari should be chewy, however overcooked calamari may quickly become rubbery. The most common way to prepare calamari is to slice it and deep fry it in a light batter. These baskets of sweet and salty, crisp and delicate rings come with a variety of dipping sauces ranging from marinara to chipotle aioli!

4. Caramel

You may be surprised to hear that caramel is a form of candy! Everything begins with granulated sugar, which is progressively heated to a precise temperature range, at which time the sugars become golden-brown. To make a smooth and creamy sauce, add milk or cream to the caramelized sugar at this step.

If caramel chews or candies are wanted, less dairy is added, since this will allow the caramel sauce to harden as it cools. Caramel is often flavored with vanilla, which compliments the caramelized sugar taste well. Many caramel sauces and sweets include sea salt, which gives an unexpectedly wonderful balance to the excessively sweet stuff!

5. Cardamom

Unlike many other spices, which are derived from a single plant species, cardamom is derived from many! It is manufactured from the seeds of many plants in the Zingiberaceae family, which also includes ginger and turmeric. Cardamom seeds offer a herbal, almost menthol flavor to any recipe in which they are used, and this flavour may be employed in both sweet and savory meals. Don’t know where to begin with cardamom? Try this Cardamom-Almond Milk Hot Chocolate recipe!

6. Carrots

Carrots are a member of a plant family that includes several significant food crops such as celery, parsley, and fennel, to mention a few. This root vegetable is most often associated with a vivid orange hue, but carrots may also be found in yellow, purple, red, and even white! Carrots are outstanding as a fresh and crisp snack on their own, but they can also be readily integrated into a variety of dishes and baked items. You just need a little amount of wheat flour, butter, and spices to prepare carrot cake. If you ask us, this is the best way to use up those carrots!

7. Cashew Nuts

Cashews, the ultra-rich, almost creamily-textured nuts, are almost certainly familiar to you. What you may not know is that cashews do not develop inside a fruit or a pod like other nuts, but rather on the end of a fruit called a cashew apple! These apples are the fruit of the cashew tree, which thrives in tropical areas with distinct dry and rainy seasons, such as Brazil, India, and Tanzania, to mention a few.

Cashews are not only tasty in their natural state, but they are also quite adaptable! They not only make delicious nut butters and flours, but they also play an important role in many vegan culinary applications such as thickening dairy-free ice cream and other plant-based dishes like our Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake.

8. Catfish

The catfish got its feline-friendly title from the extensive whiskers that adorn its nose, giving it a cat-like look! These whiskers, also known as barbels, are extraordinarily sensitive to temperature changes, motions, and tastes in the water, allowing the fish to evade predators and locate food without relying on vision. This is particularly essential since it allows catfish to live in muddy, low-visibility conditions that other fish would shun.

Catfish is a highly adaptable meal species that may be prepared in almost any way. A popular fish dish, particularly in Cajun cuisine, is lightly fried or blackened catfish served with a splash of lemon juice.

9. Cauliflower

Another cruciferous vegetable has been added to the list of foods that begin with Cits cauliflower! Although cauliflower may resemble a chlorophyll-free head of broccoli, the two vegetables are not the same species. When you look carefully at a cauliflower floret, you will see that it is made up of numerous microscopic small buds. These are the plant’s blossom buds, which explains why they are so healthy and delightful to us humans.

Cauliflower may seem to be one of those boring old vegetables that you must endure, but take our word for it: correctly cooked cauliflower can taste outstanding. For a vibrant twist on this pale vegetable, try one of these recipes: Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan, Roasted Cauliflower Piccata, or Sticky Sesame Cauliflower!

10. Ceviche

Ceviche is a Peruvian dish comprised of raw fish that has been tossed in an acidic dressing made of lemon or lime juice. This dressing not only tastes good, but it also interacts with the proteins in uncooked fish, creating a phenomenon known as denaturing. What else causes protein denaturement? Heat! As a result, grilled fish and fish that has been washed in acidic citrus juices have a similar flavor and texture! Science is amazing.

Ceviche recipes vary widely, and, like a tossed salad or chili dish, you can simply add or subtract whatever things you like to make it more to your liking. Many ceviche recipes will include the following ingredients, in addition to fresh fish and citrus juices: tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, chilies, garlic, cilantro, parsley, and olive oil. Some ceviches are spicy-hot, while others are calm and pleasant!

11. Cheese

Cheese depends on the coagulation of a specific protein present in milk to transform liquid milk into the solid, creamy product we know as cheese. There are various ways to coagulate this milk, but the most common include salt, lactic acid bacteria, and an enzyme called rennet. These ingredients enable the milk to curdle, allowing cheesemakers to scoop the curds together and mold them into the desired cheese shape.

It goes without saying that there is an almost infinite variety of cheeses available. From mild fontina (which makes the best grilled cheese) to sharp parmesan and even rich, pungent gorgonzola, there’s something for everyone. Cheeses might seem so different that it’s difficult to believe they’re made by the same technique, yet they really are!

12. Cherries

Is there anything prettier than a perfectly formed cluster of brilliant red cherries dangling by their stems? We’d say no. Cherries, like their bigger siblings, peaches and nectarines, belong to the stone fruit family. Despite their differences in size, these fruits all have a center pit in common.

There are several cherry kinds to pick from, with flavors ranging from delightfully sweet to mouth-puckeringly tart! Bing cherries are the most prevalent, however Chelan cherries have acquired the moniker “black cherry” due to their rich red hue. Because of their sweetness, these little fruits are ideal for making a variety of goods ranging from cherry preserves or dried cherries to cherry fruit juice and, of course, the renowned cherry pie.

13. Chervil

Chervil is a fresh herb that you may not be acquainted with! Unlike other, more common herbs such as parsley and rosemary, chervil is less extensively used and more difficult to locate. Chervil has a faintly licorice-y, delicately sweet taste similar to a milder tarragon. Since the leaves are wispy and heat sensitive, chervil is best used as a garnish or in recipes that do not need heating, such as cold salads or to embellish the top of a cold, creamy soup. Chervil is one of many herbs used to make barnaise sauce, a traditional French sauce with a hollandaise base that delivers a herbaceous punch.

14. Chickpeas

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are legumes, along with peas and peanuts. These small beans have a beautiful creamy texture, nutty taste, and are gratifying in a manner that makes them ideal for supplying the protein needs of individuals who follow plant-based diets. Chickpeas are rich in fiber, manganese, copper, iron, and many other nutrients, in addition to being an excellent source of protein. Chickpeas (together with tahini) are the main component in hummus, a popular Middle Eastern dish. Chickpeas may also be used as a meat substitute in tacos, put in a salad, or oven roasted for an enticing crunch!

15. Chorizo

Chorizo is a spicy pig sausage often found in Spanish and Mexican cuisines. Chorizo comes in three varieties: fresh (as entire uncooked sausage links or loose), semi-cured, and fully dried. The texture of thoroughly dried chorizo is comparable to that of hard salami or pepperoni. Spanish chorizo is often seasoned with smoked paprika, giving the finished sausage a vivid red color and a smoky, spicy flavor. Mexican chorizo, on the other hand, is cooked with different ingredients and strong chiles, making it hotter than Spanish chorizo.

16. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is manufactured from the bark of the cinnamon tree, which is related to bay leaves and avocado in the botanical family! The cinnamon bark curls as it dries after harvest, resulting in those aromatic, swirly patterned cinnamon sticks that are all too wonderful for inserting into a cup of hot cider or chocolate.

Nevertheless, not all cinnamon is cinnamon; there is another sort of cinnamon that is extremely popular and is manufactured from the bark of the cassia tree. Despite the fact that these two plants are related and have a similar perfume and spice level, cassia cinnamon is lesser in quality than real cinnamon and will not deliver the same nuanced, fragrant taste you would anticipate. But, cassia cinnamon is far less expensive and will undoubtedly give your cinnamon rolls the sweet and spicy bite you want!

17. Cocoa

Cocoa is another another delicious food that begins with the letter C! But we’re not just talking about the beverage, hot cocoa. Cacao is the botanical name for the plant from which chocolate is derived. Cocoa beans, also known as cacao beans, are made up of cocoa solids and cocoa butter, which give chocolate its cocoa taste and rich buttery texture.

Following harvest, cocoa beans must be fermented to remove the naturally existing astringency before being roasted and blended. This mixture is then mixed with various quantities of milk and sugar to create various varieties of chocolate. A pure dark chocolate bar will have no milk at all, while milk chocolate will include some.

18. Coconut

Coconuts are the fruits of the coconut palm, a tree made famous by arid island sceneries worldwide. Despite the name of this fruit contains the word “nut,” and the flesh of this fruit has a high fat content and feel comparable to that of a nut, coconuts are not nuts at all! Rather, they are classified as drupes, along with another fruit that begins with the letter C: the cherry!

Apart from being edible and tasty in their natural state, coconuts may be utilized for a variety of additional purposes such as coconut milk, coconut flour, coconut oil, coconut cream, coconut butter, and so on. These fruits are very healthy and adaptable, and their aroma alone conjures up images of island holidays and sunlight.

19. Curry

Curry is a classic dish in many Asian cuisines and is particularly popular in India and Thailand. Curry is often thought of as a comfort dish, consisting of meat, tofu, or vegetables coated in a sauce. Curry is often eaten with rice because of its saucy character, which is ideal for soaking up all of that wonderful curry liquid! Curry meals are classified as red, green, or yellow based on the kind of curry paste used to produce the sauce.

20. Custard

Let’s round up our list of foods that begin with C with a sweet treat! Custard strikes the proper note since it is silky smooth, sweet, and creamy while remaining light on the tongue.

Custard is essentially a dairy concoction including eggs, and when gently cooked, the egg yolks enable the whole liquid to thicken, resulting in a smooth and uniform consistency. Custard may be created in a variety of tastes and is often used as a creamy filling for pastries. Custard also serves as the foundation for crme brulee, a French delicacy made of flavored custard coated with sugar and torched until the sugar crackles and caramelizes on top of the dish.

Final Thoughts on Foods That Start With C

The letter C is clearly popular in the realm of cuisine! Several ingredients, recipes, cooking methods, and cuisine descriptions begin with the letter C.

There are various ways to enjoy the very limited number of items we’ve selected here, from crunchy cauliflower and cozy curry to creamy custard and crispy carrot sticks. Choose one of these C-letter meals and see what you can make with it for your next supper!