Discover 44 Foods That Start With O

A food’s name can potentially tell you a lot about its history, culture, and even flavor. But what about foods that start with a particular letter of the alphabet? Below, we’ll be taking a look at over 40 unique foods that start with the letter O, their uses, their countries of origin, and more.

1. Olive

The humble olive has a distinct flavor and has many great uses. It’s also the source of olive oil. Its scientific or botanical name is Olea europaea, which simply means “European olive.” The plant is mainly cultivated in the Mediterranean region. However, it is also a common crop in other parts of the world, such as Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. Its primary uses are in Mediterranean cuisine as well as Middle Eastern dishes.

2. Oregano

Interestingly, oregano belongs to the mint family of flowering plants, botanical name Lamiaceae. Like olives, it also is native to the Mediterranean area, but it has since spread throughout the planet’s northern hemisphere. Humans worldwide have developed many subspecies and strains of the plant, which vary widely in flavor from straightforwardly bitter and even spicy to more nuanced and sweet. As a culinary herb, it’s incredibly important to Italian cuisine.

3. Opera Cake

This tasty French dish gets its name from its many thin, fluffy layers that resemble the ascending levels of an opera house. The layers consist of an almond sponge cake (or Joconde in France) that has been soaked in a coffee-flavored syrup, silky chocolate ganache, and French buttercream icing. Atop all of these layers is often a chocolate glaze. The dish’s true roots are a bit uncertain, but it likely originated sometime in the 1950s or ‘60s.

4. Osso Buco

Originating from the Lombardy region of France, this dish consists of cross-cut veal shanks. The shanks are then braised with broth, vegetables, and white wine. A common garnish often added to the meal is gremolata, a tangy green sauce made of garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. Nowadays, there are two main types of Osso buco. One of these, the more modern variety, often includes tomatoes, as well as carrots, celery, and onion, while the traditional version omits them.

5. Orange

The orange, or the sweet orange (to differentiate it from its cousin, the bitter orange), belongs to the Rutaceae family of flowering plants. Notably, it’s actually a hybrid of the pomelo and mandarin plants. Its true origins are somewhere in Southern China and Northern India. It has been described in ancient Chinese literature as early as 314 BC! Today, oranges are among the most widely cultivated fruits worldwide–and, in our opinion, the tastiest.

6. Oyster

The edible oyster’s scientific name is Ostrea edulis. It also goes by the name European flat oyster. People have cultivated these bivalve mollusks in Europe since prehistoric times. This particular species has a fossil record dating back more than a whopping 15 million years. When they reach full maturity, they average around 2 to 4 inches wide. Interestingly, all edible oysters start their lives as males and can change their sex depending on the temperature of the water around them.

7. Oxtail

Oxtail is exactly what it sounds like on the tin: it’s simply the culinary name for the tail of various types of cattle. Traditionally, however, it originally only referred to the tail of an actual ox. This food starting with O is most commonly prepared via slow-cooking as part of a stew or braised. It also is the base for oxtail soup! Various cultures worldwide, such as Italian, Chinese, and South African, have utilized oxtail in their cuisine.

8. Onion

The common onion, or bulb onion, is the world’s most widely cultivated member of the Allium botanical genus. Other members of the Allium group include shallots, leeks, garlic, and chives. In total, there are hundreds of unique onion species, which makes it one of the largest plant genera on the planet! Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus first described onions in 1753. However, ancient peoples have likely cultivated them for around 7,000 years. Today, the onion is used in many dishes all around the world, from soups to salads and other entrees.

9. Okra

Okra is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the mallow family, and it’s originally native to East Africa. The vegetable itself is actually an edible seed pod. This food starting with O was first brought to the Americas via the Atlantic slave trade in the 1600s. By the 1700s, the plant was being grown throughout the colonies, with it being incredibly popular and common in the American South by the 1800s. Today, it remains popular in the South, with fried okra being an especially well-loved preparation of the plant.

10. Omelette

An omelet, or omelet, is a tasty egg-based dish typically fried with butter and oil in a pan. Many ingredients can be added to an omelet, from meats to vegetables and even many types of cheeses. Though they are largely associated with France today, the very first omelets actually likely originated in Persia. It wasn’t until the 16th century that the French word “omelet” began to enter the vernacular.

Even More Foods Starting with O

11. Oatmeal

12. Olallieberry

13. Okonomiyaki

14. Olivet Cendré

15. Oeufs en Meurette

16. Oreillette

17. Olla podrida

18. Olla gitana

19. Orzo

20. Oca

21. Ogo

22. Orach

23. Oroblanco

24. Okroshka

25. Opah

26. Orange Roughy

27. Obwarzanek Krakowski

28.Omaere

29. Ovidur

30. Olomoucké tvarůžky

31. Oltermanni

32. Orda

33. Oscypek

34. Oštiepok

35. Oka

36. Oaxaca Cheese

37. Obatzda

38. Ofe Achara

39. Ofe Owerri

40. Ofe Ujuju

41. Onigiri

42. Ooray

43. Ōgonkan

44. Olivier Salad

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