Caribbean Vegetables: 16 Popular Options

Yuca is a starchy root vegetable in many regions of the Caribbean. It’s a tough root with bitter and sweet types that require cooking to remove toxins.

Throughout the Caribbean islands, cassava takes on different forms, with one popular bread being casabe. This variety is a round-shaped flatbread made from cassava flour and is enjoyed in many Caribbean cultures.

Often served as a side dish, it can be boiled and accompanied by raw onion rings and garlic-infused olive oil. In Haiti, cassava is a favorite starch vegetable and a regular part of meals.

Yam is a staple starchy root in Caribbean, West Indian, and Latin American diets. It’s especially popular in Jamaican traditions and comes mainly in yellow and white varieties, with a tough, tree bark-like skin.

Yams taste a bit plain but nutty, much like sweet potatoes, yet they are drier and less sweet. They’re key in Caribbean cooking, playing a key role in stews, soups, curries, or even as sweet yam pudding when boiled, baked, mashed, or fried.

Malanga is a well-known root vegetable in the Caribbean region, especially in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Traditionally, malanaga is suitable for boiling or frying as a fritter in Puerto Rico.

Additionally, malanga’s young, unfurled leaves are good for consumption once boiled, often appearing in soups and stews. The root vegetable offers a nutty and earthy profile, almost resembling what you can find in potatoes.

Sweet potato is a root vegetable in the Caribbean, with boniato being a popular version of this region. It is recognized by its uneven, red-brown skin and cream flesh.

When cooked, boniato offers a mildly sweet, nutty taste with a pleasantly fluffy texture. Though it lacks the sweetness and moisture of other sweet potatoes, boniato brings vibrant color to many culinary creations.

To maintain its color before cooking, soaking in cold water is essential due to quick oxidation. Most commonly enjoyed mashed, boniato also adapts well to boiling, frying, or sautéing, providing versatile options for cooking.

Taro is an underground root vegetable of the Caribbean loaded with starch. To remove its bitter taste, locals will cook the root to clear off any unwanted taste.

In Haiti, it goes by the name malanga or taro and is grated into a paste, then deep-fried to create Acra, a delightful Haitian malanga fritter. In Jamaica, taro is known as coco, cocoyam, or dasheen with the leaves being used to make pepper pot soup.

In terms of flavors, taro is mildly sweet with a common starchy texture often found in other fruit vegetables.

Jícama is a Caribbean root vegetable known for its rough brown skin and refreshingly crunchy, juicy flesh. Its subtly sweet and nutty flavor resembles a cross between a raw potato but with a juicier and sweeter profile.

Jícama shines best in salads, where its refreshing crunch can be fully appreciated, and can even be turned into a healthier twist on traditional French fries.

The prickly pear is a cactus fruit that is used as a vegetable in many areas of the Caribbean. Plus, the stem of the prickly pear cactus is treated like a vegetable, cut into strips, and cooked.

When prepared, these pads look and taste similar to green beans, with the fruits offering a sweet taste along with a soft texture. Additionally, prickly pear cactus pads are suitable for grilling, allowing you to enjoy their tasty flavor with a touch of smokiness.

Callaloo in the Caribbean is a type of leafy green from plants like taro, malanga, or amaranth. It’s a favorite in places like Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, featuring in many culinary creations.

The leaves, similar to spinach, have their own unique taste, depending on which variety is used. They’re a bit bitter with a hint of nuttiness, which gets milder when cooked, either by steaming or sauteing

Chayote is a lime-green, pear-shaped vegetable in the Caribbean belonging to Cucurbitaceae’s gourd family. It’s about the size of an apple and has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor that crosses a potato and a cucumber.

When cooked, it has a taste and texture similar to young squash or marrow. Chayote is a versatile vegetable that can be included in salads, soups, and stews.

Okra, also known as Lady’s Finger, is a Caribbean vegetable with a shape resembling a woman’s finger. In Cuba and Puerto Rico, it is referred to as quimbombó and commonly appears in dishes that require a certain thick consistency in the broth or sauce.

Inside every okra are countless round, white seeds providing a slight crunch when consumed. Interestingly, the vegetable will produce mucus that makes it relatively slimy to bite into when cooked.

Eggplant is widely known as balanjay or baigan in the Caribbean, boasting numerous varieties available in the region. Initially presenting a slightly bitter taste and an astringent feel when uncooked, eggplants offer a soft texture and a mild sweetness when cooked.

To ease its natural bitterness, you should rinse, drain, and salt the cut slices for the best result. The vegetable is exceptional in absorbing flavors, from fats to sauces.

Onion is a common vegetable employed in Caribbean cooking to infuse dishes with a fragrant aroma. Once, they let out a strong smell that makes many shed tears, thanks to certain chemicals they have.

Often eaten raw or included in dishes, onions add a crunchy, sharp flavor. When cooked, they become sweet, making them perfect for adding to soups, stews, and stir-fries.

Additionally, onions are also great in pickles and chutneys for bringing out a zesty flavor. In the Caribbean, bhaji is a dish that makes use of onions mixed with other spicy veggies to make delicious, deep-fried fritters.

Bell peppers are both fruits and vegetables originating from Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. These vibrant peppers are a popular addition to garden salads, adding a burst of color and a crisp texture.

They also make fantastic toppings for many appetizers looking to add a kick of peppery flavor. One notable use of bell peppers is in stuffed pepper recipes, where they serve as the perfect vessel for various delicious fillings.

Additionally, bell peppers can be dried and ground into paprika, a spice that adds depth and smokiness to countless dishes.

Pumpkin in the Caribbean is much more than just a key vegetable in Caribbean cooking, cherished for its sweet, earthy flavor. This tender squash is great for incorporating into soups, stews, and even sweets, adding a rich taste.

Caribbean locals often blend pumpkin with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to create comforting, flavorful meals.

Peas are a staple in Caribbean cuisine, offering a pop of sweetness and color to dishes. In the Caribbean, they’re often cooked into hearty meals like rice and peas to make a classic side dish that pairs perfectly with spicy meats.

In the Caribbean, pigeon pea is favored for its large size and soft profile when cooked. Many dishes in the Caribbean make use of this pea variety.

Additionally, peas are also packed with protein and fiber, making them ideal to combine with any dish. When cooked, these legumes have a tender texture and a starchy profile.

Scotch bonnet peppers are iconic in Caribbean cooking and are known for their fiery heat and fruity taste. These small, colorful peppers pack a punch, making them essential for authentic jerk chicken and hot sauces.

Grown throughout the region, scotch bonnets are used to season meats, soups, and stews. Usually used when ripe, these peppers tend to have a yellow or reddish color.