Foods that Start with the Letter X

Food provides essential nutrition and added pleasure to life. As a celebration of all things food, we’ve compiled a list of 19 food items that start with the letter X. How many of these foods have you tried?

Below is a compiled list of 19 foods that start with the letter X, along with a short description of them. Is there anything missing from the list that I should add? Leave a comment with what I missed and I’ll be sure to give you credit in the blog post for coming up with it!

this recipe

1. Xacuti
   Xacuti is a curry dish from Gao, India. This dish typically uses chicken, lamb or beef as its protein. The curry is mixed with white poppy seeds, sliced or grated coconut, and large dried red chilies. This mixture is enjoyed plain or with steamed white rice.
2. Xalapa Punch
   Xalapa punch combines rum, brandy, and red wine with black tea and heated orange rinds to create a unique punch. This hot drink can be garnished with lemon or orange slices, to taste. Xalapa punch most likely came from the Xalapa Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Its recipe was first published in The Blue Grass Cookbook.
3. Xampinyons en Salsa
   Xampinyons en salsa, also known as mushrooms in sauce, combines tomato puree, sherry wine, and mushrooms to create a savory vegetarian dish. Onion, garlic, cloves, salt, and pepper are all added to provide extra flavor. Once cooked, this dish can be garnished with parsley.
4. Xanthan Gum
   Xanthan gum is a common food additive. It is used to thicken and stabilize ingredients, preventing them from separating. Xanthan gum is created when sugar is fermented with a certain kind of bacteria. This process creates a goo-like substance. When alcohol is added, it becomes a solid, ready to add to other foods.
5. Xanthia Cocktail
   The xanthia cocktail is made with equal parts of yellow Chartreuse, cherry brandy, and gin. It can be combined with bitters, served over ice, or garnished with a maraschino cherry. The ingredients are shaken and served cool.
6. Xavier Soup
   Xavier soup is a dish commonly prepared to celebrate the Feast of St. Xavier on December 3. This soup combines dumplings with chicken stock, making a hearty and simple meal. It is said that this soup is meant to remind people of the simplicity of missionaries like St. Xavier. 
7. Xavier Steak
   Xavier steak is steak topped with Worcestershire sauce, asparagus spears, Swiss cheese, and olive oil. Although some suggest that Xavier steak is named after St. Xavier, it more likely originated on the Upper East Side of New York City. 
8. Xi Gua Lao
   Xi gua lao is a traditional dish from Beijing. This dish combines watermelon, cherries, agar, sugar, and vanilla powder. The watermelon is crushed to get watermelon juice and the cherries are diced into small pieces. These fruit ingredients are mixed into a syrup made from boiling agar, sugar, vanilla powder and water. When the mixture cools, it makes a flavorful fruit jelly treat.
9. Xia Mi
   Xia mi are dried shrimp that have been sun-dried and shrunk to about the size of a thumbnail. These shrimp are added to a variety of Asian dishes and carry an unami-like flavor. Because they are often sweeter than fresh shrimp, they are used for certain dishes.
10. Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao is a steamed bun from the Jiangsu province of China. These buns combine dough with minced pork or other meats. However, xiaolongbao can also be made with ginseng, foie gras, black truffles, crab roe, cheese, garlic, and other fillings. They can be served alone or with soup.
11. Xidoufen
    Xidoufen is a popular soup in the Yunnan province of China. It combines boiled pea meal, crushed garlic, ginger, coriander, spring onion, dry chili flakes, and Sichuan pepper oil to create a rich and flavorful soup. Xidoufen can be eaten with deep fried youtiao or Chinese flatbreads. 
12. Ximenia Caffra
    The ximenia caffra is a small tree or shrub with a small, sour plum fruit. Ximenia fruit can have a wide variety of flavors, ranging from bitter and almond-like to very sweet. These fruits often have a bit of a lilac aroma. Ximenia can be eaten raw or used in a variety of jams, jellies, and fruit preserves.
13. Xinomavro Grapes
    Xinomavro grapes are a red wine grape commonly found in Macedonia, Greece. The wine made from xinomavro grapes is often unique in flavor. It often tastes like licorice, herbs, or even olives. This wine pairs well with Greek foods like domadakia and lamb koftas.
14. Xnipec
    Xnipec is a hot habanero salsa that became popular in the Yucatan, Mexico area. Xnipec literally translates “dog’s nose.” Because the salsa is so hot, everyone eating it ends up with a wet nose, like a dog’s. Xnipec combines habanero peppers with tomato, onion, cilantro, and a mix of juices and seasonings.
15. XO Sauce
    XO sauce is a condiment made from dried seafood (usually shrimp and scallops), salty Jinhua ham, shallots, garlic, chili, and oil. This Hong Kong sauce gets its name from fine XO cognac, a popular liquor in the region. Because the sauce was once considered a luxury, like XO cognac, it adopted the XO name.
16. Xocolati
    Xocolati, or Mexican hot chocolate, is a warm and sweet drink. Different recipes include combinations of dark chocolate, honey, cinnamon, green chilies, vanilla, heavy whipping cream, and milk. Before serving, xocolati is rapidly poured between cups until a frothy foam coats the top.
17. Xoi
    Xoi is a sweet or savory Vietnamese dish that mixes glutinous rice with other ingredients. It is a common breakfast or snack item in Vietnam, but can also be eaten as a dinner or dessert. Quail eggs, ham, fried onions, split mung beans, shallots, sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, and more are all ingredients that can be added to xoi.
18. Xouba
    Xouba is a fish species from Europe, also known as the European pilchard. It is one of many species commonly called “sardines.” These oily fish are small and mildly salty. They can be eaten with crackers or prepared in other cuisine. 
19. Xylitol
    Xylitol is a chemical compound used in many foods. It is a colorless solid that can be dissolved in water. This compound is classified as both a polyalcohol and a sugar alcohol. It is often in baked goods, peanut butter, drink powders, candy, pudding, ketchup, barbeque sauce, syrups, and more. Although Xylitol can be consumed by humans, it is highly toxic to dogs.