First thing’s first, what counts as a vegetable? A vegetable is the edible portion of a plant, say the leaves, stem, roots or bulb. This is different to fruit, which is defined as the mature ovary of a plant, ie. something a plant produces, not the plant itself. Enter your email & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from us every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Hurry the Food Up. That’s why you won’t see eggplant on this list – it is technically a fruit! Instead you’ll find eggplant on our list of fruits beginning with E (including 20 other funky fruits from the elephant apple, to egg fruit, to etrog fruit and emu apple fruit and emu berry fruit!). What will you find are some unusual root vegetables, some beans and some leafy greens, with interesting vegetable names from eddo to escarole (you will find the same in our list of veg that starts with d)! The scientific names of vegetables are made up of two parts. The first part refers to the broad category of the family it belongs to, the second name refers to the specific species within that family. These Latin names are supposed to be used globally for the entire plant world, the best way to ensure everyone can identify them. The names of fruits work the same way. The following list includes the scientific and common names of all the different types of vegetables it features.
Vegetables That Start With E: The List!
Earthnut Peas
This ancient vegetable is a perennial plant that grows in Europe and West Asia. It has edible tubers and sweet smelling flowers. The tuberous peas can be roasted or boiled and have a flavor comparable to chestnuts. It belongs to the same family as french beans, green beans and fava beans! Its scientific name is Lathyrus tuberosus.
Edamame
Edamame beans are actually just immature soy beans! The first record of soybeans being cultivated dates back to 7000 years ago in China. They are best eaten boiled or steamed and salted. Soybeans have many health benefits, including folic acid and immune system bolstering compounds. Their scientific name is a bit of a weird one: Glycine max (L) Merr.
Elephant Foot Yam
This type of yam is grown and eaten in Southeast Asia predominantly. Many types of curries are made from it, and in some households, the greens and stem are also used in cooking. Many major traditional Indian medicine systems also use it for its medicinal purposes, such as in the treatment of piles! It is also known by its scientific name Amorphophallus paeoniifolius.
Elephant Garlic
Elephant garlic looks like a massive garlic (hence the name), but is in fact more closely related to leeks. They can grow up to 15cm in diameter! They originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, but have travelled as far as North America, as immigrants took it to the United States. The scientific name for this veg is a long one: Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum.
Endive
An endive is a small, bitter tasting leafy green vegetable from the chicory family, that looks like a tiny romaine lettuce. It is rich in folate and is a good source of vitamin c and K, as well as being high in dietary fiber. Its scientific name is Cichorium endivia.
Escarole
Like endive, escarole is also a part of the chicory family. It has broad curly green leaves and a bitter taste. It is frequently used in pasta and soups in Italian cuisine. Escarole has the same scientific name as endive, that’s how closely they are related!
Eddo
Eddo is a tropical vegetable with edible stems. It is a vegetable that requires careful preparation, else it can taste acrid. They were developed as a crop in China, but are now eaten in many a tropical climate across the world most notably in the West Indies and South America. The scientific name for eddo is Colocasia antiquorum. Did you learn new vegetables that start with E from this blog post? Next time, why not learn some fruits that start with E – our list has citrus fruits, fruits with sweet taste, sour taste, and even one that you shouldn’t touch at all! Also don’t forget to check foods that start with E. I bet you can’t list them all! Or, if you’re working through the alphabet, check out our list of veggies that start with f!
