52 Unique & Common Foods That Start With the Letter “U”

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Private Chef Jeff Woodward shares some of his favorite dishes, snacks, and drinks that begin with “U”

Co-authored by Sophie Burkholder, BA Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: January 22, 2026 Fact Checked

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Main Dishes

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Snacks & Sides

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Fruits & Veggies

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Drinks & Desserts

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Spices & Condiments

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Tips

“U” isn’t the most common first letter when it comes to foods—especially in the English language—but there are actually many delicious meals, sides, snacks, sweets, and spices that begin with this underrated letter. From tasty entrees to your daily servings of fruit and vegetables, we invite you to chow down on this ultimate list of every food, snack, and drink that begins with the letter “U.” Private Chef Jeff Woodward also chimes in with some of his favorite “U” foods.

What are some foods that begin with U?

Images of different foods that start with “U,” including uni, ube, and udon.

Private Chef Jeff Woodward says some of his favorites include unleavened crackers (matzo), unleavened bread, and unicorn frappuccinos. Here are some other foods that start with U:

Ube: A purple Filipino yam often used in cakes, ice creams, and other desserts.
Udon: A thick, chewy, Japanese wheat noodle that’s often served in soup.
Ugli fruit: A grapefruit-tangerine-orange hybrid fruit with a sweet taste.
Uni: The buttery, briny, and edible meats of a sea urchin.
Upside-down cake: A cake that’s baked with fruit on the bottom, then inverted.

Section 1 of 5:

Main Dishes That Start With U

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Many meals start with “U,” including udon, ukha, and usal. Many of these entrees and main dishes come from parts of Asia and Africa, although there are some notable mentions from Russia and Western Europe:^{[1]
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- Udon: Thick Japanese wheat noodles that usually come in a flavorful soup.
- Ukha: Russian fish soup with root vegetables and herbaceous seasonings.
- Ulava Charu: A tangy South Indian soup made with horse gram (brown legumes).
- Ulster Fry: A Northern Irish breakfast of soda farls, potato farls, meats, eggs, and veggies.
- Umble Pie: Medieval English dish made of deer offal (i.e., heart, liver, kidneys, lungs).
- Umngqusho: A creamy South African dish made from dried beans and corn kernels.
- Upma: A savory, spiced South Indian porridge made from semolina or rice flour.
- Usal: Indian dish of sprouted peas, lentils, beans, spices, and a thick gravy.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Jeff Woodward is a private chef and the owner of The Rogue Chef in Branson, Missouri. He has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry.

Section 2 of 5:

Snacks & Side Dishes That Start With U

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Some snacks and sides beginning with “U” include unagi, urchin, and urda. This list includes snacks, cheeses, and even side dishes that could be served as a main meal (such as urap, our favorite “U” salad from Indonesia):^{[2]
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- Ugali: A dough-like food made with porridge and used to scoop up stews and meats.
- Unagi: Grilled freshwater eel.
- Uncrustables: Crustless, pocket-style sandwiches filled with common sandwich fillings.
- Unleavened bread & pizza dough:^{[3]
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  Chef Jeff Woodward
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- Unleavened crackers (matzo):^{[4]
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  Chef Jeff Woodward
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  Expert Interview} Crisp flatbread crackers made without rising agents like yeast, baking powder, or baking soda.
- Urap: Indonesian salad with blanched vegetables and spiced, grated coconut.
- Urchin: The edible meat of a sea urchin, which is often eaten as a rare delicacy.
- Urda: A mild and crumbly Balkan sheep’s milk cheese with a creamy, tangy flavor.
- Urgelia: A semi-soft aged Catalan cheese with a mellow, buttery, and nutty taste.
- Uszka: Polish dumplings that are often served in borscht.
- Uthappam (also spelled uttapam): A South Indian pancake made from fermented rice and black lentil batter.
- Uttapam: A South Indian savory pancake.

Section 3 of 5:

Fruits & Vegetables That Start With U

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Fruits and vegetables beginning with “U” include ube, ugli fruit, and umbu. While you might struggle to think of more than one or two off the top of your head, there are actually a lot of yummy fruits and vegetables that begin with “U.” Many of these produce products are from tropical climates (like umbu) or from parts of Asia (like umeboshi), but we have examples from every corner of the globe!^{[5]
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- Ube: Purple yam that’s often used in desserts (e.g., ice cream, cake, halaya, etc.).
- Uchuva: Another name for golden berries or Cape gooseberries.
- Udupi Mattu Gulla: A green eggplant with a delicate texture and bittersweet taste.
- Ugli Fruit: A yellow-green citrus fruit, also known as a Jamaican tangelo.
- Ugni Berries: Small, red berries with a flavor described as strawberry-guava.
- Ukrainian Heart: A large, pink, heart-shaped heirloom tomato variety from Ukraine.
- Ulluco: A South American root vegetable that’s purple and similar to a potato.
- Ulster Emblem: A smooth and buttery potato variety originally from Northern Ireland.
- Umari: A tropical fruit with smooth skin and a buttery taste and texture.
- Umatilla Russet: A tough and dry potato native to the American Pacific Northwest.
- Umbra: A round fruit with golden skin, a velvety texture, and a mango-pineapple flavor.
- Umbu: A Brazilian plum with green-yellow skin and a citrusy, mango-pineapple flavor.
- Umeboshi: Pickled Japanese plums.
- Umibido or Umibudo: A seaweed that grows in clumps of tiny green orbs, aka “sea grapes.”
- Upland Cress: A leafy green vegetable with a strong and peppery flavor.
- Upo Squash: A bottle-shaped, pale green gourd with a meaty texture.
- Urad Dal: A type of black lentil that’s often used in Indian cuisine.
- Usakhelauri Grape: A type of Georgian grape in a dark red (almost black) shade.
- Uva Rara Grape: A type of Italian grape with red fruit and a floral, spicy aroma.

Section 4 of 5:

Sweets, Desserts, & Drinks That Start With U

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Several drinks and beverages, such as uirō and umeshu, begin with “U.” There’s always room for dessert (or drinks)...even if they happen to start with a unique letter like “U”! While ube ice cream, cake, or halaya might be the first thing to come to mind, we’ve already covered ube in our fruit section—meaning that this list is full of unique, unexpected, and other U-adjective sweets and drinks you’ll love:^{[6]
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- Ugly Duckling Cake: A yellow cake with fruit cocktail, brown sugar, butter, and coconut.
- Uirō: Steamed Japanese mochi cake made of rice flour, sugar, and optional flavorings.
- Umbuzada: A blended drink made from mashed Brazilian plum, milk, and sugar.
- Umeshu: Japanese liqueur made from steeping unripe plums in alcohol.
- Umm Ali: Baked dessert with puff pastry and nuts that are soaked in sweetened milk.
- Unicorn Popcorn: Popcorn coated in melted candy melts, sprinkles, and edible glitter.
- Unicorn Frappuccino:^{[7]
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- Upside-Down Cake: A cake baked with fruit on the bottom and inverted for serving.
- Ustipci: Doughnut-like fried dough balls popular in Southeastern Europe.
- Utah Scone: Made from puffy flatbread dough that’s deep-fried and served hot.
- Uunijuusto: A Finnish custard-like baked dessert made from a cow’s first milk.

Section 5 of 5:

Spices & Condiments That Start With U

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Spices and condiments that begin with “U” include umami paste and unsalted butter. What’s life without a little spice!? While we only managed to track down a handful of spices and condiments that start with “U,” we couldn’t ever underestimate their importance in making a flavorful, well-rounded dish:^{[8]
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- Umami Paste: A concentrated, savory flavoring with a deep, meaty, and brothy flavor.
- Ume Su: Japanese vinegar condiment made from Umeboshi plum juice.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter made without any added salt.
- Urfa Biber: A Turkish chili pepper.

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