If you’re trying to find a list of vegetables that start with C, you’re in the right place. We’ve compiled a list of every vegetable we could find that begins with C.
1. Cabbage
Cabbage comes from the Brassicaceae family of plants. This means that it’s related to plants such as mustard and even broccoli. You can typically find cabbage in three colors: green, purple, and white.
Read Also: What Does Cabbage Taste Like?
2. Cactus
You’re right to imagine the prickly green plant when we say cactus. If you think the spines deter people from eating it, though, you might be surprised. There are many types of cactus that are eaten, such as the prickly pear and saguaro cactus.
3. Caigua
Caigua is technically a fruit, but many treat it like a vegetable when they’re cooking. They sort of look like jalapenos. One way to prepare them is stuff them with other ingredients like rice and eat them as a sort of appetizer.
4. Camas
Some other names for camas include wild hyacinth and camash. Most kinds of camas are safe to eat, but there is one kind called the deathcamas which is toxic to people. You can find these plants in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
5. Candy Roaster Squash
This squash was first grown by the Cherokee people in the United States. It comes in huge range of sizes, weighing anywhere from a modest 10 pounds to a jaw-dropping 250 pounds. Even its color varies vastly, as you can find it in shades of blue, green, orange, or pink.
6. Canna
The canna lily is one useful plant. On top of being beautiful enough to use as decoration, other uses include animal fodder, starchy edible rhizomes, and seeds that can be eaten or even used as jewelry. Some say burning the leaves gives off a smoke that naturally repels insects.
7. Capers
The part of the caper plant that we usually eat is the flower bud. This part is ground up and used as a spice while the berries are pickled. You’ll usually taste capers in Mediterranean dishes.
8. Cardoon
The spiny purple cardoon plant, also known as artichoke thistle, can be found in the Mediterranean region. Some countries use it to make unique types of cheeses, and there are some that speculate that it might even be possible to use it as a type of fuel.
9. Carrot
Ask most people to name every veggie they can think of, and we’d be willing to bet this popular orange root vegetable would be high up on their list. What you might not know about carrots is that they come in a variety of colors, including purple, red, white, yellow, and even black. Although they’re usually eaten fresh, you may also freeze carrots to be consumed later.
10. Cassava
Just like potatoes, the tuber of the cassava is what we tend to eat. There are tons of carbs in the cassava tuber, which is why it’s such an important food in developing countries.
11. Catsear
You might find this plant growing in your own front yard! Although it comes from Europe, catsear now grows in the United States, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. It’s considered a weed by most, but every single part of it can be eaten by people. You can use it in salads or in stir fries.
12. Cauliflower
Most people are familiar with cauliflower, which looks like white broccoli. In the vegan diet, cauliflower is a staple because it’s so versatile. As an example of how to use it, you can check out our creamy vegan alfredo sauce with cashew cream and cauliflower recipe.
13. Celeriac
You can find celeriac being cultivated in Europe, Africa, and some Asian countries. You can eat it completely raw or cook it. When it’s cooked, it’s common to roast it or cook it in a soup.
14. Celery
Celery is a vegetable that has been cultivated for thousands of years. This modest green stalky plant is so old, in fact, that parts of it were found in King Tut’s tomb!
15. Celtuce
Is this your first time hearing about celtuce? In terms of appearance, you can imagine it resembling the wasabi plant. In terms of flavor, though, it’s nothing like wasabi, possessing a mild and faintly nutty taste.
16. Ceylon Spinach
Ceylon spinach is also often called malabar spinach, which is why we featured it in our list of vegetables that start with m. It grows incredibly fast and can get up to 33 feet long.
17. Chaya
The Chaya plant is commonly called tree spinach and grows in Central America. Unlike spinach, however, it’s recommended you cook the leaves before eating them because they have hydrocyanic acid in them.
18. Chayote
If you’ve never seen chayote before, imagine a lumpy green bell pepper or something that looks like part of a cactus, and you’ll have a general idea of its looks. Multiple parts of this plant are eaten. The fruit is usually cooked or used raw in salads.
The tubers of the chayote plant are treated like potatoes. Even the shoots and leaves can be consumed and are frequently used in Asian stir fries.
19. Chard
Chard loosely resembles rhubard with its massive red stalks and large green leaves. It’s extremely nutritious, and is perfect for your next salad or stir fry.
20. Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are essentially just mini-tomatoes. Tomatoes are botanically classified as a fruit, but because they’re treated as a vegetable in a culinary sense, we decided to put them on the list. You can use them in just about any recipe where you’d use tomatoes, but we think they work especially well in salads because of their small size and pleasantly juicy texture.
21. Chickpeas
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are technically classified as a legume. They’re extremely high in protein, and you’ve probably tasted them in hummus or falafel.
22. Chickweed
Chickweed looks like a delicate white flower. It’s quite nutritious, though, and can be eaten raw in salads.
23. Chicory
Chicory is a light blue flower that has tons of uses. Its leaves are excellent for salads and its roots can even be used as a substitute for coffee.
24. Chinese Artichoke
Chinese artichokes are root vegetables that come from China. They’re extremely versatile, thanks to their sweet taste and crunchy texture. You can snack on them raw like a carrot, cook them, or even use their leaves to make tea.
25. Chinese Broccoli
Chinese broccoli, also called Chinese kale, has thick stems with florets at the top – much like broccoli in the United States. It has a more powerful flavor than broccoli, but otherwise tastes pretty similar.
26. Chinese Eggplant
Chinese eggplants are a type of eggplant with a unique appearance. Instead of the thick, bulbous shape you’re used to seeing in eggplants, Chinese eggplants are long and thin.
You can read more about them in our eggplant vs Chinese eggplant comparison.
27. Chinese Long Bean
Quite fittingly, the Chinese long bean is also sometimes called a snake bean. Like a snake, this bean has a really long body that it makes it resemble a green bean. You can eat them raw as a crunchy snack or cook them.
28. Chinese Mallow
Chinese mallow is a leafy green that was popular in China thousands of years ago. Nowadays, you might find mallow tea or the occasional salad with mallow blossoms.
29. Chives
Chives are closely related to onions and garlic. Knowing this, it makes perfect sense that we often use them as a herb to accentuate flavors in other recipes. They’re popular on top of potatoes and in soups. Did you know they also have edible flowers that make a great topping for salads?
30. Chrysanthemum
While it’s true that chrysanthemums are beautiful flowers, you can also eat them like vegetables. The green parts of the plant are popular in both Chinese and Japanese dishes.
31. Collard greens
Collard is a leafy green that shares the same family as other popular veggies like broccoli and cabbage. In the United States, collard greens are usually mixed with other greens like spinach and kale. You might be surprised to learn, though, that this plant has been eaten around the world for at least two thousand years!
32. Common Bean
Common beans are also sometimes called French beans. Despite this nickname, however, these beans originally come from the Americas, and can be eaten just like other legumes.
33. Common Purslane
Common purslane is so widely grown that it’s speculated that there are over a thousand names for this plant in many different languages all over the world. You’ll taste it most often in Mediterranean cuisine, though.
34. Corn
Corn is one of the most well-loved vegetables in the United States. Even the pickiest of eaters will likely enjoy this golden and sweet veggie.
35. Corn Salad
Don’t let corn salad’s name confuse you – this veggie is not corn. In fact, instead of having kernels, it has rounded leafy greens that are filled with vitamin C.
36. Cos Lettuce
Never heard of cos lettuce? That might be because you call it romaine lettuce instead! This dark green, wavy-edged lettuce is nutritious and delicious in salads and wraps.
37. Courgette Flowers
Another name for courgette flowers is squash blossoms. These beautiful yellow flowers are completely edible, but because they expire so quickly, you’re not likely to find them in grocery stores. If you do happen to have them, you can use them to make soups or eat them raw.
38. Cress
Cress is a green, springy plant prized for its zesty taste in Europe. You’ll usually find it in soups and salads, where it adds a tangy flavor boost.
39. Crookneck Squash
Crookneck squash is related to some pumpkin varieties. It has a cylindrical shape with a narrow end and bumpy skin. Like many other types of squash, it has a sweet flavor profile.
40. Cucumber
You’ve probably seen elongated, bumpy cucumbers in your grocery store before. These juicy, refreshing veggies have a mild flavor that makes them easy to incorporate into a range of dishes, including pickles, salads, and sandwiches.
One of our favorite ways to use cucumber is to make healthy and tasty cucumber water. For more info on that, you can read our post about what cucumber water tastes like, which includes some recipes.
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
