53 Foods That Start With J

There are so many amazing foods that start with the letter J, it’s hard to figure out where to even begin!
We could talk about jelly and jam, but those are too easy.
How about jicama? It’s a favorite for salads as well as appetizers. But there’s also jackfruit and jalapeno- both of which start with “J.”
And how about jambalaya? It’s one of our favorites because it makes amazing meals. There’s Jerk, Java…and more! There are so many more great foods that start with J, but I’m getting hungry just keeping them all straight in my head. Let’s see the list below.

Contents

List of Foods That Start With J

Jiuniang

It literally translates to “wine sauce” in Mandarin Chinese, but it’s also used as a term to describe sauces made with fermented glutinous rice that are used in Chinese cooking.

Jordan Almond

A Jordan almond is a colorful candy often given as a wedding favor. They are also sometimes found inside Kinder eggs or served at candy buffets alongside gummy bears and pieces of chocolate syrup.

Jaboticaba

Jabuticaba is a small, purple fruit that can be eaten whole! It’s great to eat fresh out of the palm or as a jam.

Japanese Plum

Japanese plums are most commonly used in making umeboshi, but they also make great dishes on their own. Similar to other plum dishes, Japanese plums are usually used in soups or pickling.

Jostaberry

Jostaberries are a cross between gooseberries and black currants. They aren’t cultivated commercially, but they can produce large crops that do well in colder climates. These berries have a sweeter flavor than both gooseberries and black currants.

Jackfruit

Jackfruit is the largest fruit in the world, which means it has to be eaten with a lot of people. It’s great served up as part of a curry or fried and served with ice cream.

Jesuite

Jesuites are a type of cookie that originally came from France. They’re usually baked, but can also be fried or cooked on top of an open flame.

Jalebi

Jalebi is a sweet, syrupy snack. The syrup is made with flour and then fried to create that chewy texture.

Jota

Jota or Iutzi is a hot dish or soup from the Rio de la Plata region of South America. It’s typically served over corn-based products like maize flour dumplings, cornmeal mush, noodles, plantains, mashed potatoes, rice, and wheat gnocchi to absorb the spicy broth. It’s also common for other types of meats to be added to increase flavor and add more protein to this hearty dish.

Jelly Roll

A jelly roll is a type of cake made with alternating layers of cake and jam or jelly. This treat is delicious warm right out of the oven or cold after being refrigerated for several hours.

Jimmies

Jimmies are small round sprinkles that can be made from many different ingredients. They’re often called jimmies, but you might also see them referred to as nonpareils (which means “without equal” in French).

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Jiffy is a company that makes mixes for things like cakes, muffins, pancakes, and brownies. They were founded in 1930.

Jamaican patty

A Jamaican patty is a small pastry usually filled with spiced chicken, beef, or vegetables. It’s usually eaten for breakfast or as a snack.

Jam roly-poly

Jam roly-poly is a classic dessert that consists of suet wrapped around jam. The suet is what makes it roll, hence the name! It’s often served with custard or ice cream.

Jamaican mackerel rundown

This is a traditional Jamaican dish made from salted mackerel cooked with onions, scotch bonnet peppers, tomatoes, thyme, and coconut milk.

Jicama

Jicama is a root vegetable with white flesh and black skin. It tastes like an apple, but has the texture of an onion.

Jambu

Jambu is a type of fruit that originates in South America and Southeast Asia. It’s eaten raw and can be used to make jams and jellies.

Jiaozi

Jiaozi are steamed dumplings that can be found in China. They’re usually filled with pork and vegetables, but you can also find beef or vegetarian options.

Jamun

Jamun is a tropical fruit from Asia. It’s most commonly used in desserts, jams, and chutneys.

Jameed

Jameed is a type of dried yogurt made from sheep or goat’s milk, which gives it a very strong flavor. It’s often mixed with flour and used as a condiment (for example, as part of fattoush) or as the base for meatballs (kefta).

Jujube

Based on the appearance alone, jujubes look like red or dark brown grapes covered in wrinkles. Originating in Asia, the plant was introduced to Europe by Frankish monks around 700 AD. They’re now cultivated commercially in China, Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, Italy, Spain, France and California. They have a sweet flavor that can be eaten raw or dried.

Juneberries

Juneberries are reddish-purple berries that look similar to blueberries in size and shape but taste tart or bitter when raw. They’re usually baked into pies, preserves, jams, muffins and other baked goods because the flavor mellows out when cooked. In some areas where these berries grow wild they can be difficult to cultivate because birds eat the berries before they can be harvested.

Juniper berry

You might recognize juniper berries as the main flavoring in gin, but this plant is also used for cooking. Juniper berries are actually the female seed cones of conifer trees and have an earthy flavor with a hint of pine. They’re typically used to enhance meats like pork, beef, venison, duck, rabbit or pheasant.

Jambon persille

Jambon persille is a type of ham from France. It’s usually made from parts of the pig that are not as desirable, so it’s usually saltier and fattier than regular ham – but it still tastes good! Jambon persille is often served with cheese or on a sandwich.

Jook

Like jollof rice this dish is extremely common among many East Asian cultures. It contains rice that has been cooked in water mixed with other ingredients like chicken stock for flavor.

Jumble

A jumble is a type of cookie that’s made from dough, butter, eggs, sugar, and spices. Jumbles are sometimes called “soft jumbles” to differentiate them from “hard jumbles,” which have a much denser texture. Although shaped like a scone or biscuit, this sweet treat doesn’t contain yeast and has a crumbly texture.

Jelly

Jelly is a clear, fruit-based dessert that comes in multiple flavors. This type of dish is usually made from the juice squeezed out of fruits and mixed with sugar until it solidifies.

Jollof Rice

This dish is popular among many West African countries like Senegal and Nigeria. It’s made with rice, tomatoes, onions, spices, vegetables, meat or fish – whatever you have on hand!

Jamaican jerk chicken

This is a really spicy chicken recipe native to Jamaica. It’s cooked by skewering pieces of chicken and covering them in Jamaican jerk seasoning (allspice, ginger, thyme, cloves, garlic, salt, pepper) before grilling or broiling them.

Jerusalem Artichoke

The Jerusalem artichoke is a root vegetable that looks like a knobby potato. These tubers have a slightly nutty taste, and they don’t release a lot of starch, so they’re perfect for roasting or using in soups and stews.

Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a Louisiana dish usually made up of seafood (shrimp, crawfish, or oysters), tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic, hot sauce or cayenne pepper, and rice.

Junket

Junket is a type of soft dessert that originated in Europe hundreds of years ago. It’s traditionally made with sweetened milk that’s curdled by adding rennet (an enzyme found in the stomach lining of ruminants) or another edible agent like fig leaves or saltwater.

Jaffa Cake

Jaffa cakes are a type of cookie-cake. They can have orange, raspberry, or even chocolate flavored icing on the outside!

Jellied Eels

Also known as ‘Surströmming’, jellied eels are a common dish in Northern Europe. If you haven’t tried them yet, they have a unique flavor and will definitely expand your horizons!

Jambon

Jambon is French for ham. Jambon de Paris is a type of cured ham usually made with pork and spices like garlic, pepper, and salt.

Jugo de Avena

Jugo de avena is an Argentinian drink that consists of oatmeal, water, and salt. It’s used as both a remedy for hangovers and heartburn, as well as a rustic breakfast food. The oatmeal can also be cooked like porridge with milk (or other liquids) added to make it creamier.

Jerk Chicken

This Jamaican dish is made by first marinating chicken pieces in a blend of herbs and spices called “jerk sauce”, then baked or grilled. This dish is usually served with rice and beans or coleslaw.

Jam

Jam is a fruit-based spread that is made with mashed up fruits. The most common jams are strawberry and raspberry, but there’s also apricot, blackberry, blueberry, and more!

Jalapeno

Jalapeno peppers are a spicy chili pepper that can be used to add heat to many different dishes. They can also be pickled into jalapeno peppers!

Jerky

People all over the world eat jerky, but it originated in South America thousands of years ago! Jerky is made by taking lean meat and cutting it into thin slices before marinating it for 24 hours in a mixture of spices and curing salt. After the meat is finished marinating, it’s either dried in an oven or smoked.

Jambul

Jambul is a type of fruit native to India and Thailand. It has a very fragrant smell and a strong, sweet flavor. It’s often used as an ingredient in many different desserts or eaten alone as a snack.

Jerk

People think of jerk as a seasoning and the name for this type of cooking, but it also refers to a specific dish from Jamaica that is beef or pork that has been marinated in jerk sauce.

Jhal-muri

Jhal-muri are puffed fried rice snacks that can be found in many parts of India. They are made from rice, salt, red chili powder, cumin seeds, oil, and curry leaves.

Johnnycakes

A type of cornmeal flatbread that is cooked on a griddle. Popular in the Caribbean and Latin American regions, Johnnycakes were brought over to the United States in the 18th century by African slaves who worked at sugar plantations.

Java

Java, more commonly known as coffee, is a delicious drink that provides energy. The beans for this type of beverage are unique in the fact that they only grow on certain.

Jelly Beans

Jelly beans are hard candies that come in soft colors. They’re usually soft and sweet, but can be chewy if they contain gum or fruit juice.

Jawbreaker

Jawbreakers are hard candies that come in many different flavors. They’re also available in multiple other types of food, like lollipops and gumdrops.

Jelly Doughnut

Jelly doughnuts are a delicious dessert that can be found at almost any bakery. As their name suggests, they’re made from fried dough and filled with jellies.

Jingbajian

These are Chinese steamed dumplings typically filled with pork or shrimp. They’re usually served with ginger soy sauce.

Julep

A julep is a sweet alcoholic drink made with sugar, bourbon, mint leaves, and water or ice. It’s very popular in the southern United States where it’s traditionally served at social gatherings like Kentucky Derby Day, weddings, christenings, and funerals. The word “julep” comes from Arabic for rosewater syrup used to make medicine.

Jello

Jello is a gelatin-based dessert that comes in multiple colors and flavors. You can add it to juice or eat it on its own when chilled.

Jocoque

This is a dairy-free cheese alternative popularized by Mexican cuisine. It’s often made soy milk or coconut milk, and can be used in place of traditional cheese.

Jal-jeera

Jal-jeera is a popular drink in India and it’s made with cumin and coriander seeds. The spices are mixed with mint, salt, lemon juice, and club soda for a spicy and refreshing beverage.

Wrap Up

The list of foods that start with the letter J is a long one. There are so many different types of food from all over the world, it can be hard to keep track!

Now that we’ve covered the letter “J” and all of its delicious foods, It’s time to have a look at some lists like this- perhaps starting with another letter?

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