49 Best Foods That Start With L

Lettuce is a popular leafy vegetable that appears in numerous salads, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and other dishes.

There are many lettuce varieties. Some have tightly packed leaves, while others are loose and wavy. The flavor also varies largely, from watery and bland (like iceberg lettuce) to intensely bitter or peppery.

Lemon is a common citrus fruit of Asian origin. Its oval shape is similar to a small ball with bright yellow, thick skin and an acidic, tart juice inside.

Its intense flavor makes lemon a popular flavoring component in both savory and sweet dishes, including desserts and even tea.

Lemonade is an easy-to-make beverage popular around the world.

Lime is a round citrus fruit with a sharp and tart flavor. Compared to lemons, limes are smaller and relatively tangier. In addition, green is the most popular color for limes.

There are various kinds of limes, such as key lime, Persian lime, dessert lime, and kaffir lime. These varieties are used in a wide range of dishes and beverages, including cocktails.

Limeade is a version of lemonade made with limes.

Lasagna, also known as lasagne, is a traditional Italian pasta variety as well as a baked dish based on this type of pasta.

Lasagna pasta comes in the form of flat, wide sheets. Meanwhile, the dish version includes lasagna pasta, cheese, vegetables, and tomato sauce or ragù (meat sauce).

Making lasagna is simple: Just add cheese and the sauce between layers of lasagna pasta, then bake everything in the oven.

Linguine is a famous pasta variety with a similar look to spaghetti but wider in shape. Original linguine was made with durum wheat, but white, whole-wheat flour is the favored ingredient these days.

Linguine is usually served with pesto or fish sauces, sometimes with tomato sauce. Many Americans serve the linguine with thick, creamy alfredo sauce, a serving style that is somewhat controversial.

Lobster is a popular yet relatively high-priced seafood. The lobster is a marine crustacean with a large cylindrical body, a hard shell, one pair of stalked big eyes, ten limbs, long claws, and a muscular tail.

The taste of lobsters is as sweet and savory as crab meat, plus the firm texture of shrimp. Your salads, soups, pasta, bisques, or sandwiches will become more delicious with this premium seafood.

Legume encompasses various types of edible seeds inside the pods of many plants in the pea family, including chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, soybeans, peanuts, and more.

Legumes are ideal for many cooking methods and dish types, from stews to salads. As a rich source of plant-based minerals and protein, legumes are a suitable alternative to meat in vegan and vegetarian diets.

Lentil is a popular legume with edible seeds looking like the lens, hence the name. Lentil varieties are great in number, with different colors, such as red, green, or yellow.

Since lentils are low-fat sources of plant-based protein, many vegetarians choose these seeds to replace meat for making soups, stews, salads, vegan burgers, etc.

In India, dal (split lentil) soup is one of the most popular dishes.

Lemon meringue pie is a popular dessert that first appeared in 18th-century France.

This delicious pie consists of three delicious layers of a pie crust, tangy lemon curd, and a light, fluffy meringue on top. Each slice is full of sweetness, citrusy flavor, and subtle tartness.

This lemon-flavored spice became beloved across Britain, Canada, Australia, and the United States in the 19th century.

Lo mein is a traditional Chinese noodle dish that hails from Cantonese cuisine. Its main ingredients include chewy cooked noodles, vegetables, and protein ingredients like beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp.

The preparation of lo mein involves mixing the ingredients together in a savory sauce.

While lo mein is fairly similar to chow mein, there’s a key difference in the preparation method. “Lo mein” means “tossed noodles,” while “chow mein” translates to “fried noodles.”

Lamb is the meat of a young domesticated sheep that is one year old or younger. Meat coming from adult sheep is called mutton instead. Flavorwise, lamb is more tender and juicier than mutton.

Lamb is popular in many regions, especially Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

Lamb chops refer to meat cuts from the rib, loin, shoulder, and sirloin of the sheep. Generally, lamb has a distinct taste and a smell that is described as gamey, grassy, and robust. Some people may object to this smell.

Loin is the red meat cut from the back and the sides, between the lowest ribs and the hip bones, of many domesticated animals, especially pigs and cows.

Compared to other meat parts, loin meat is more tender and juicier. In America, the loin cut is divided into four sections: sirloin, tenderloin, top sirloin, and short loin.

Liver is a common organ meat with a smooth, silky texture and earthy, umami taste when cooked. Humans have long consumed the liver of many animals, such as pigs, lambs, geese, cows, etc. Today, some even eat stingray’s or burbot’s livers.

Liver is a cheap yet highly nutritious meat cut with a high content of protein and various minerals. However, its strong aroma is unpleasant to certain people.

Lemon curd is a dessert spread and topping based on lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and egg yolks. Butter, egg whites, and whipped cream are possible additions.

Historically, this golden fruit curd was served with bread or scones during afternoon tea as a jam substitute in late 19th- and early 20th-century England. Eventually, lemon curd became a popular filling for cakes, small pastries, and tarts.

Lemon bar, also known as lemon square, is a popular dessert in the United States. This type of dessert bar is made up of a shortbread crust and a tangy lemon curd filling.

In lemon bars, the curd filling is usually nestled between small-sized crusty bread pieces, creating a cookie-like appearance.

Lollipop is a hard sugar candy on a stick that comes in many shapes, colors, flavors, and names. Lolly, sticky-pop, or sucker all refer to lollipops.

A typical lollipop has a round shape like a ball, and people consume it by sucking or licking it.

Latke is a Jewish potato pancake traditionally served on Hanukkah. Its basic ingredients are potatoes, eggs, and flour.

To prepare latke, the potatoes are ground and mixed with onions, flour, egg, and spices. Afterward, the mixture is fried in oil at high temperature.

Nowadays, latke is available in many variants, with zucchini and sweet potatoes as possible ingredients. Some modern latke versions come with toppings like sour cream, cottage cheese, and applesauce.

Lima bean is a popular legume known by many other names, such as butter bean, sieva bean, or Madagascar bean.

Lima beans share a visual similarity with edamame but are slightly larger and have more starch.

This legume variety boasts a creamy texture and a mild and buttery taste.
Originating in Northern America, lima beans are now widely used in soups, stews, curries, and other dishes around the world.

Leek is a vegetable with a mildly sweet taste. This flavor-building is related to onions, garlic, and shallots, hence the similar flavor profile.

A mature leek looks like a giant spring onion, with dark green leaves and pale white stalks. Both parts are suitable for eating raw or cooking, though the crunchy stalks are great for salads, while the leaves work well with sautéd dishes.

Liverwurst, also known as liver sausage or leberwurst, is a traditional German sausage crafted from the ground liver of pigs or calves. Other key ingredients include meat, fat, and spices like allspice, thyme, pepper, nutmeg, or mustard seed.

The flavor of liverwurst is similar to pâté or foie gras, emitting a distinctive aroma when grilled. Best enjoyed with a cool beer, liverwurst can be spread on bread, stuffed in a sandwich, or even served sliced on a plate.

Lingonberry, also known as mountain cranberry or cowberry, is a berry mostly found in northern Asia, Europe, and North America. Its name has Swedish origins.

Fresh lingonberries are bright red, small, and quite tart and bitter. As a result, to bring out their best flavor, these berries are often cooked and sweetened into jams, syrups, baked goodies, and juices.

Lefse is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread made from flour, riced potatoes, butter, milk, cream, and lard. The ingredients are mixed into a batter and cooked on a large, flat girdle. Think of lefse as a Scandinavian version of a tortilla.

This delicious flatbread goes well with sweet and savory toppings like butter, sugar, cinnamon, or jellies. While lefse is a popular Scandinavian treat during the Christmas season, many Scandinavian Americans also relish it around Thanksgiving.

Lemongrass is a tropical herb hailing from Southeast Asia. Its name comes from its aroma, which smells like lemons. Some may know it as barbed wire grass, silky heads, cochin grass, or even Malabar grass.

In terms of appearance, lemongrass looks similar to leeks or giant scallions. Its fragrance changes largely as it matures, from a mild and tender aroma to a stronger, more fibrous smell.

Therefore, you should keep lemongrass in the fridge if you wish to preserve the gentle scent.

Lobscouse is a hearty one-pot stew with Northern European roots, though it is often associated with Liverpool, England.

Lobscouse consists of beef slow-cooked with various vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, onions, and peas.

Historically, this rich stew was a staple among European sailors thanks to its nutritional value and long shelf life; back then, lobscouse was ideal for long sea voyages.

Linguica is a Portuguese and Brazilian smoke-cured and spiced sausage with a mild heat level. Paprika, dried chilis, and garlic are among the main spices that contribute to the unforgettable taste of this sausage.

Linguica is a great accompaniment for rice, beans, and other pork dishes. This sausage also shines in Portuguese dishes like the francesinha sandwich thanks to its pleasant aroma and easy digestibility.

Lard is soft, half-solid, edible white fat from pig’s fatty tissues. People render it by steaming, boiling, or dry heating the fat. The lard quality varies largely based on the source and the rendering procedure. The best one has neither smell nor flavor.

This type of animal fat has a high smoke point and produces little smoke, making it a perfect partner for roasting, grilling, sautéing, frying, and even baking.

Although many think of lard as unhealthy food, it works magic on the flavors of many dishes, especially sausages, fillings, and baked goods. Lard is an excellent replacement for butter as it brings flakiness to pastry. Back in the 1940s and 1950s, many biscuit recipes featured lard.

Despite the appearance of vegetable oils, lard is still a better choice than other fats. Many people even enjoy lard as an appetizer before a hearty meal. In Eastern European cuisines, particularly Ukraine, lard is often paired with vodka to absorb the alcohol.

Ladyfinger is a low-density, dry sponge cake with a long, thin shape similar to a small finger. This egg-based biscuit is a vital ingredient of tiramisu and many other desserts, such as trifles and charlottes.

Alternatively, enjoy ladyfingers as they are with a cup of coffee or tea. Many ladyfingers come in extra flavors, from plain vanilla and chocolate to matcha and coffee.

Linzer torte is an Austrian pastry named after the city of Linz. The main ingredients of its base are flour, unsalted butter, egg yolks, lemon zest, cinnamon, lemon juice, and ground nuts. Hazelnuts are a common choice, but walnuts or almonds are also popular.

People commonly top a Linzer torte with fruit preserves, such as redcurrant, raspberry, or apricot, and then sprinkle it with sugar, spices, and sliced nuts.

A typical Linzer torte has a thin lattice of dough strips covering the top. Make sure to brush the pastry with egg whites before baking and garnishing it with nuts.

In Austrian, Czech, Swiss, German, and Tirolean traditions, Linzer tortes are a cherished holiday treat, often enjoyed during Christmas festivities.
Linzer cookies are a sandwich cookie version of Linzer tortes.

Littleneck clam, also known as Pacific littleneck or hardshell clam, is a small yet popular clam variety. Its meat is tender and sweet. Interestingly, the smaller the clam is, the more tender the meat is.

Littleneck clams are best steamed to enjoy with pasta and sauce. Some adventurous gourmets even try them raw for an exquisite taste.

Lutefisk, or “lye fish,” is a traditional dish deeply rooted in Nordic culture. From aged, dried whitefish, it transforms into a gelatinous delicacy after several days of lye soaking to rehydrate the meat.

While lutefisk carries a strong, pungent odor with a hint of sourness, its charm comes to life when served with boiled potatoes, bacon, and a cream sauce.

As a beloved cultural tradition, lutefisk usually graces the dinner tables of Nordic countries around Christmas time.

Leberkase is a traditional forcemeat variety popular in many European countries, especially Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This savory meatloaf-like food mixes meat and cheese to create a robust flavor that packs more punch than liverwurst.

People usually prepare leberkase with onions, salt, corned beef, pork, and bacon. Its compact, square shape makes it perfect for serving hot or cold.

Lingcod, also known as buffalo cod fish, is a saltwater fish with white, lean flesh and a mild and subtle flavor. This fish species is related to neither the common ling nor cod, but it has a similar appearance, hence the name.

Sometimes, you may find a lingcod with blue-green or turquoise meat, which is still safe to eat. These colors will disappear. There are many ways to cook lingcods, from baking and broiling to grilling and stuffing.

Ladyfish is a ray-finned fish that adores the warmth of tropical and subtropical regions. Its flesh boasts a flaky, oily, and tender texture with a mild, sweet flavor.

However, ladyfish are highly bony fish, so people often transform them into fish meals.

Lox is a Jewish American food item in the form of thinly sliced brined or smoked raw salmon filets. This savory food is bursting with a salty flavor that makes it a breakfast favorite.

Lox carries a less smoky taste than smoked salmon. The most common lox accompaniments are cheese and bagels.

Lady’s finger, also known as okra, is a green fruit that is commonly consumed as a vegetable. Its name comes from its long, narrow, finger-like shape.

Flavorwise, ladies’ fingers are fairly sweet yet grassy. Once cooked, they become soft and slimy. Popular methods of preparing ladies’ fingers are boiling, slow-cooking, stewing, frying, and roasting.

The seeds of ladies’ fingers are edible and sometimes ground and roasted to consume as a beverage.

Lychee is a tropical fruit native to South China yet found in many other regions, like Africa and parts of North America.

The skin of lychees turns red velvet when ripe. Peel the skin before enjoying the white, delicately sweet flesh inside. Lychee flesh is also excellent for making salads and smoothies.

Lavender, or lavandula, is an herb that hails from the mint family, famous for its soothing aroma and attractive violet hue.

While this herb has been a staple in traditional medicine and cosmetics, it also offers many culinary uses. Lavender is a popular flavoring and garnish for various cocktails, main dishes, and desserts.

Oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage are common spices that mix well with lavender.

Loganberry is an American hybrid berry created from North American blackberry and European raspberry. This hybrid fruit was created unintentionally by James Harvey Logan in the 19th century.

Loganberries offer a balance of sweet and tart flavors. Feel free to eat these red berries raw or turn them into juice, jams, syrups, baked goods, etc.

In addition, any recipe that calls for blackberries can use loganberries as a substitute.

Loquat, also known as Japanese plum, is a yellow fruit offering a sweet taste with a mild tartness, although unripe fruits are very sour.

A typical loquat has a similar appearance to an apricot, sporting a yellowish-orange peel and a soft touch. Hailing from East Asia, loquats are at their most abundant from early spring to early summer.

Lardy cake is a traditional rich spiced bread enjoyed as a weekend tea cake. This hearty treat goes by many other names, such as lardy bread, lardy Johns, dough cake, or fourses cake.

To make lardy cakes, the dough is rolled and folded multiple times like puff pastry to create a layered texture.

Historically, lardy cakes were prepared for harvest days or family festivals in England. Many regions claim to have the original lardy cake recipe.

Langsat, also known as longkong, is a tropical fruit originating in Southeast Asia. This exotic fruit has a round or oval shape, with yellow, fuzzy skin and juicy, sweet flesh offering some hints of tartness.

Watch out for the seeds, though; they taste quite bitter! While most people opt to eat langsats fresh, making candies, drinks, sauces, syrups, and jams from these delicious fruits is also a fantastic idea.

Langouste, also known as rock lobster or spiny lobster, is a crustacean from subtropical and tropical waters. This seafood comes in a substantial size, measuring around 12 inches and weighing about 2 pounds.

Langouste meat is firmer and sweeter than the Maine lobster, suitable for steaming, grilling, and roasting. Therefore, this lobster variety works wonders in a range of dishes, like salads, soups, and pasta. Its only downside is the rather heavy price tag.

Lantana is a small berry with a bluish-black hue and metallic sheen. The tropical regions of the Americas are its birthplace.

Lantana berries resemble grape bunches but with a size closer to peppercorns. Their flavors are sweet and tart, reminiscent of a black currant-cherry fusion with chocolate undertones.

Apart from being enjoyed fresh, lantana berries are also great for creating jams and jellies. However, only the ripe ones are edible, as the green ones are poisonous.

Limpet is an aquatic snail with a little cone-shaped shell. Though not a common seafood, it reveals plenty of sweet and briny goodness when cooked properly.

Prepare limpets by knocking them from their rock before brushing their shells and removing the black part. This seafood has a firm and chewy texture. Boiling is the preferred cooking method for limpets.

Lamb’s quarters, or lambsquarters, is another name for goosefoot or pigweed, which is a broadleaf plant related to quinoa and amaranth. Although some view it as a weed, lamb’s quarters is actually a delicious leafy vegetable.

Both cooking and raw consumption are ideal for bringing out the earthy, spinach-like flavor of lamb’s quarters.

Lemonade berry, also known as lemonade sumac, is mainly found in Southern California’s Transverse, Peninsular Ranges, and the South Coast regions.

With an appearance similar to corn kernels, lemonade berries cluster together like grapes. They boast a lemon-like sour flavor, making them a fabulous addition to lemonade-flavored drinks.

Ripe lemonade berries possess a vibrant red with a thin layer of fuzz. The exterior hairs and sap have to be removed before consumption.

Lovage, also called sea parsley, is a tall herb from a white flowering plant that is very common in England and South Europe. A fully mature plant towers between 6 and 8 feet in height.

Everything in lovage is suitable for human consumption. Its aromatic leaves are excellent for salads, soups, and broth. Meanwhile, its roots have a texture similar to root vegetables and can be grated for salads.

Lovage seeds, like fennel seeds, are often used as a spice. In Romania, people dry lovage with seeds, then add them to pickled cabbage and cucumbers.

Limpa is a traditional Swedish rye bread vital to local cuisine. Its main ingredients are rye flour, yeast, butter, and brown sugar or molasses. Some variations come with citrus peel, dried fruits, and spices.

Limpa is a must-have Christmas dish for Swedish families. Cream cheese, jelly, or marmalade is often served with limpa.

Limburger is a soft, white cheese with a really intense odor. Hailing from what is now Belgium, this semi-soft, washed-rind cheese variety is popular for its mild flavor that carries grassy, tangy, and mushroom-like notes.

Limburger is usually served in a sandwich or sliced and enjoyed with a cup of beer or espresso for an afternoon snack.

In southern Dutch regions, Limburger is called Rommedoe, while it goes by Herve cheese in Belgium.

After going over the general L-initial foods, I will delve into specific dishes, fruits, and vegetables in this category.