Foods That Start With O (2024)

O, boy! Are you looking for foods that start with “O”?

Here’s a list of foods that start with O.

Are you celebrating someone special—a birthday, congratulations, or anniversary event for Oliver, Olivia, or Oscar?

Or do you need a special way to say hey to Olan, Onassis, O’Brien, or Omarosa?

How about making a special dish for your favorite animals like Orangutans or Ostriches?

Do you live in Olathe, Omaha, or Oakland? Oy, come check out our list of foods that begin with the letter O!

Tell your friends Ollie, Odie, and Ophelia that they are invited over and welcome to sample your new favorites, like oxtail stew with oysters, orangesicles, and deep-fried okra!

Everyone deserves that special food that starts with O—so here you go!

Foods That Start With O

1. Okra

Those fuzzy green veggies that you might have been loathing when you were a kid are called okra.

Never heard of it before? Here’s what it tastes like!

Also known as gumbo or ladyfinger, okra originated from the Abyssinian center, which includes Ethiopia.

They belong to the same plant family as cotton and hibiscus. These vegetables are also popular in the Philippines.

We like okra deep-fried here in the south, but you can also get it pickled or steamed, too.

2. Oatmeal

One of the most common breakfast staples in the world, oatmeal is a noted grain for its high fiber content.

Universally, it is consumed as a hot cereal. It is made from cracked oat groats. Some would consume it with milk to give it a smooth texture. It’s also a

Believe it or not, oatmeal is one of the main ingredients in a breakfast food called goetta, popular in the northern United States.

Oatmeal makes an easy meatloaf, no-bake cookies, and more!

3. Octopus

Easily one of the regular accompaniments in Italian, French, Korean, Greek, and Japanese cuisine, there’s a reason why the octopus is more than just its infamous eight tentacles.

There are many parts of the octopus that you can eat. These include its tentacles, head, and other parts of the body.

How about these 7 octopus delights over at Food & Wine?

4. Olive oil

Olive oil is an oil that is pressed from olives. On paper, it’s a liquid fat obtained from olives or the fruit of Olea Europea from the family Oleaceae.

Olive oil is most famously used in cooking. It is also used as a salad dressing. (Try that one on arugula!)

There are many different brands, origins, and prices. One of our favorite olive oils is infused with Meyer lemon.
Some of its other uses include cosmetics, soaps, and pharmaceuticals.

5. Onion

Despite its notoriety that involves its pungent taste and smell, an onion is still one of the most common staples in cooking.

An onion is often a round or oblong vegetable that grows underground. Check out our epic article about all the different types of onion!

Inside an onion are the many layers that are a source of its strong, often sharp smell and taste.

This very flavor and strong aroma are what make them prized for a variety of dishes.

6. Orange

Without a doubt the most prominent fruit in the markets worldwide, orange is the fruit of many citrus species in the family Rutaceae. Did you know? The standard grocery store orange in the USA is a hybrid between mandarin and pomelo.

High in vitamin C and sugar, oranges are commonly used as a beverage, eaten whole, or an ingredient in salads.

7. Oysters

Oysters are saltwater bivalve mollusks that thrive in marine environments like oceans and bays.

They are famed for their briny and flavorful (slimy but satisfying!) meat, making them one of the most sought-after delicacies in the world.

Oysters are often served open-shelled on ice, with slices of lemon and co*cktail sauce, loosened from their shells (called shucking) by the chef so the eater can just toss them back!

8. Oregano

Oregano is a fragrant herb that comes from the mint or the Lamiaceae family.

It’s available in most grocery stores dried and fresh. It’s also available as a strong oil or extract too, used in health and cuisine.

For thousands of years, it’s been used to add flavor to dishes. It’s popular in Italian Seasoning.

9. Oreos

Probably the most popular sandwich cookie in the world, Oreos feature a white, creamy filling between two wafers.

Since its introduction into the market in 1912, Oreo has been the best-selling cookie brand in the United States.

Today, many dessert recipes take advantage of its classic flavor. Some of these include Oreo Stuffed Brownies and Oreo Cheesecake (or cheesecake topping!)

10. Omelet

Omelet is a dish that consists of beaten eggs cooked in a frying pan until they get firm.

It is often filled with cheese, meat, and vegetables, folded over and cooked through until firm.

An omelet is usually served folded over and often garnished with parsley, tomatoes, or more cheese.

There’s something to be said for an omelet pan that does the “flipping” for you.

11. Orzo

A thin, oval, rice-shaped pasta, orzo is typically used in soups in Italian cuisine. It is made from semolina, a coarser, often golden-colored flour, from durum wheat.

Meanwhile, orzo can also be used in pasta dishes, soups, and grain bowls.

12. Oolong

Oolong tea, anyone? Pinkies up!

Oolong is a popular tea that originated in China. If you feel like why it tastes like green or black tea, that’s because all three are made from the same plant!

Oh, and did you know that oolong tea has two varieties? The first one, which has Chinese origins, tastes darker; the Taiwanese variety, on the other hand, has a lighter, almost floral taste.

13. Ossobuco

A traditional specialty dish from Lombard, ossobuco consists of cross-cut veal shanks that were braised for a few hours with broth, vegetables, and wine.

As it is considered a make-ahead dish, ossobuco should taste much better the next day.

14. Oyster sauce

As its name already suggests, oyster sauce is made from oysters.

On the other hand, its mixture includes caramelized oyster juice, a byproduct of cooking oysters for an extended time in water, sugar, and soy sauce; this is also, at times, thickened with cornstarch.

15. Opera cake

Opera cake is a famously rectangular, layered French cake that uses one of the most popular flavor combos: coffee and chocolate.

With decadent layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, it is then laden with coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache, embellished with chocolate glaze.

The opera cake recipe is quite notorious for being time-consuming to make but taking only moments to savor!

16. Oxtail

Oxtail is the tail of an ox, used in cooking to richly flavor soups, stocks, and stews.

As oxtails are extremely bony, they require special attention. They also release a lot of collagen, which can affect the texture of the meal as it cools.

Officially classified as offal, alongside a slew of organ meats, it can be used immediately or frozen for future use.

Here’s a recipe for Oxtail Soup with Red Wine and Root Vegetables from Epicurious with a little history, too.

The bottom line

Who knew there were so many foods and dishes that start with O?! Oh, you did?

What is a food that starts with O, you ask? Hope you found one or two that made you stand in ovation and orate your joy!

Tell us more foods you know that start with O!