Discover 109 Foods That Start with B

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Written by Erica Scassellati

Published: January 11, 2024

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You can probably think of a number of foods that start with the letter B, like bananas, butter, and broccoli. However, did you know that there are over 100 other foods, at least, that start with this letter? Let’s dive in!

1. Baba Ghanoush

Baba ganoush dip made with grilled aubergine or eggplant, lemon juice, olive oil and tahini. Vegetarian starter food

Eggplant is the main ingredient used to make baba ghanoush.

Baba ghanoush is a Levantine appetizer dip, often served with veggies or pita bread. It is somewhat similar to hummus. However, while hummus is made from chickpeas, baba ghanoush is typically made with chopped and roasted eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, and various seasonings.

2. Bilimbi

Averrhoa bilimbi (commonly known as bilimbi, cucumber tree, or tree sorrel) is a fruit-bearing tree of the genus Averrhoa, family Oxalidaceae

Bilimbi grows on small trees in tropic and subtropical countries.

A bilimbi is an edible tropical fruit commonly grown in Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and India. The fruit begins as purplish-red flowers that grow on small trees (up to 10m tall), according to the National Parks Board.

Eventually, the flowers transform into a yellowish-green fruit that forms in clusters on the tree’s trunk or branches. Bilimbi has a sour taste and can be eaten raw or used to make wine. It is also a common ingredient in curry, preserves, and chutney in tropical and subtropical countries.

3. Blowfish

Photo of a prepared blowfish against blurred background

When blowfish is prepared as a food it is known as fugu.

Blowfish, also known as pufferfish, have skin covered with dangerous spikes and spines. These spines carry a toxin known as tetrodotoxin (TTX) that are visible when the fish feels threatened and puffs up. So why exactly are blowfish included on this list of foods?

It turns out that the blowfish are a prized food item in Japan. When made for human consumption, the dish is known as fugu. However, fugu must be carefully prepared in order to remove toxic parts of the fish and avoid releasing TTX into the meat. Improper preparation of this fish has led to death.

4. Black Eyed Peas

Cooked black eyed peas on a wooden spoon

The black-eyed pea makes a great addition to soups and stews.

Black-eyed peas are a legume that is native to North Africa. They were brought to the West Indies and later the United States by enslaved people. Today black-eyed peas can be found throughout the world and are popularly used in the American South.

5. Banoffee Pie

Banoffee cake with banana and caramel sauce filling sprinkled with grated dark chocolate on the white marble background. English traditional pie

The British dessert banoffee pie uses bananas, toffee, and whipped cream.

Banoffee Pie is a British dessert made using bananas, toffee, and fluffy whipped cream. The dessert combines the names of the pie’s two main ingredients: bananas and toffee. The pie is claimed to have been created by restaurant owner Nigel Mackenzie and chef Ian Dowding in 1971 in East Sussex, England.

6. Brie

Ciabatta bread and brie cheese on wooden cutting board

The French cheese brie pairs well with bread, jam, crackers, and more.

Brie is a French, semi-soft cow’s milk cheese with a bloomy rind and smooth interior. The cheese has a mild, creamy flavor. It is meant to be served at room temperature and pairs great with jams, nuts, and crackers. The cheese is also sometimes baked inside a puff pastry.

7. Bulgogi

Homemade Korean Beef Bulgogi BBQ with Sesame Seeds

Beef bulgogi is a popular Korean dish.

Bulgogi is a Korean dish made using thinly sliced beef marinated in a variety of sauces and spices and grilled on a barbecue or stove-top grill. Common ingredients used to make a marinade for this dish are Korean-style red Pepper Gochugaru, soy sauce, ginger, and sesame seeds.

8. Basil

Composition of fresh basil and kitchen utensils, spices, on the kitchen table.

The aromatic herb basil has a variety of uses.

Basil is a common garden herb in the family Lamiaceae (mints). A green and aromatic herb, basil is a common addition to salads, sandwiches, and pastas. Basil is also used in herbal remedies for stress, joint pain, ulcers, and more.

9. Bok Choy

Bok choi has green leafs and a white bulb.

Chinese cabbage or bok choy has green leaves and a white bulb.

The Chinese cabbage Bok choy grows green leaves from a white bulb. Bok choi is said to have a taste similar to spinach or cabbage but with a slightly sweeter flavor and peppery kick. Bok choi can be eaten raw or steamed like other leafy vegetables. It is also popular in salads.

10. Barramundi

Macro shot of barramundi, Asian seabass

Asian seabass, aka barramundi, has a delightful, mild, and buttery flavor.

Barramundi is also known as Asian sea bass. This large-scaled fish is native to the waters from Northern Australia up to Southeast Asia and west to the coastal waters of India and Sri Lanka, according to The Better Fish. Barramundi can live in fresh and saltwater. When prepared the fish has a mild, slightly sweet, and buttery flavor.

11. Bacuri

Platonia insignis, popularly known as bacuri, bacuri, ibacurupari, and mucuri, is a large tree of the clusaceae family. It is native to the Guianas region, Brazil, Paraguay, and parts of Colombia.

Bacuri grows in South America and has a sweet and sour flavor.

The Bacuri is another lesser-known fruit that starts with the letter B. Bacuri is native to South America, especially the rainforests of Brazil. The fruit has a sweet and sour taste and is used to make various condiments and beverages.

12. Bourbon

MINSK, BELARUS - OCTOBER 31, 2018: Bottle and glass Jim Beam is one of best selling brands of bourbon in the world, produced by Beam Inc. in Clermont, Kentucky

Traditional bourbon is made in Kentucky.

Technically bourbon isn’t a food. It’s a type of barrel-aged American whiskey made from corn and traditionally produced in the state of Kentucky. According to the American Bourbon Association, “straight bourbon whiskey” must be made from a minimum of 51% corn and aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years.

Additional Foods That Start with B

We’ve examined some fascinating foods that start with B, but there are a lot more tasty morsels to add to this list.

Fruit

13. Banana
14. Bael
15. Beach plum
16. Batuan
17. Bearberry
18. Blackberry
19. Black currant
20. Bilberry
21. Black cherry
22. Barbadine
23. Black apple
24. Bignay
25. Black mulberry
26. Blood orange
27. Black sapote
28. Babaco
29. Barberry
30. Betel nut
31. Bitter gourd
32. Black raspberry
33. Blueberry
34. Blood lime

Vegetables

35. Broccoli
36. Brussels sprouts
37. Beet
38. Bell pepper
39. Banana pepper
40. Bamboo shoots
41. Bitter melon
42. Black beans
43. Bean sprouts
44. Butternut squash
45. Banana squash
46. Black turtle beans
47. Broad beans
48. Borlotti beans
49. Belgian endive
50. Black radish
51. Burdock root
52. Betel leaf
53. Butter lettuce
54. Boston lettuce
55. Boniato
56. Bittercress

Nuts and Grains

57. Basmati rice
58. Barley
59. Bran
60. Black rice
61. Brazil nut

Meat and Seafood

62. Bacon
63. Bass
64. Beef
65. Beluga caviar
66. Blue crab
67. Bluefin tuna
68. Buffalo

Dairy

69. Bavarian cream
70. Berneaise sauce
71. Bechamel sauce
72. Blue cheese
73. Butter
74. Buttercream
75. Buttermilk

Spices, Baking Chemicals, and Aromatics

76. Bay leaf
77. Black pepper
78. Beetroot powder
79. Baking powder
80. Baking soda

Bread and Baked Goods

81. Bagel
82. Baguette
83. Baklava
84. Beignet
85. Belgian waffle
86. Biscotti
87. Biscuit
88. Bread
89. Bread crumbs
90. Bread pudding
91. Brioche
92. Brownie

Prepared and Processed Food 

93. Bibimbap
94. Bisque
95. Bloody Mary
96. BLT
97. Blue Curacao
98. Bologna
99. Bone broth
100. Bouillon
101. Brandy
102. Bratwurst
103. Bresaola
104. Brisket
105. Brittle
106. Bruschetta
107. Bubble gum
108. Burrito
109. Butterscotch


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About the Author

Erica is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on history, food, and travel. Erica has over 3 years of experience as a content writer and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, which she earned in 2018. A resident of Kansas City, Erica enjoys exploring her home town and traveling around the world to learn about different cultures and try new food.

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