The list of foods that start with K is the perfect place to get your next meal’s worth of nutrients. There are many different initial letters that can be used to narrow your search for a portion of food, and K is no exception. The foods that start with K range from classic to exotic, but they all provide essential nutrients such as protein and calcium.
Some of the most popular foods that start with K include kale, kelp, kiwi fruit, and kumquat. These nutritious fruits and vegetables will leave you feeling full and satisfied after every bite.
Foods that start with K
Dishes that start with K
Kabocha Squash (Kabocha)
This squash is best when roasted. One cup of cooked kabocha has 61 percent of the recommended daily intake of beta carotene and twice as much vitamin C as an orange. Kabocha contains high levels of both potassium and fiber.
Kimchi
This spicy dish can be enjoyed on its own or served with rice and other sides for a complete meal. Kimchi can also be used for numerous recipes, making it a healthy addition to any meal. The high levels of nutrients in Kimchi make it calorie-efficient. It’s a great source of vitamin A and very high in fiber.
Kale
This leafy green vegetable is the perfect food to start your day off with. One cup of kale has more than 100 percent of the recommended intake for vitamins A, C, and K as well as manganese and calcium. Kale is also low in calories and has zero fat per serving size.
Kelp Noodles
These high-protein noodles are made from kelp, which grows wild in shallow waters along the coastline of Korea, Japan, and China. The noodles are high in natural proteins but low in calories. Kelp will increase your intake of vitamins A, B, and C as well as manganese and iron.
Keylip
This Korean staple is actually a half-moon-shaped and long pepper, which usually accompanies seafood and is served as a side dish. The peppers grow on small trees that are only about 12 feet high. They have a crunchy texture and contain moderate amounts of vitamin C, calcium, and manganese. Each pepper has less than two calories.
Ketchup
This condiment is also known as a vegetable sauce in the United States, although it was originally made from tomato sauce combined with other ingredients such as potatoes or molasses. Ketchup contains a lot of vitamins A, B6, D and E in addition to providing substantial amounts of potassium, sodium, and niacin (B3).
Ketchup
Kumquat
This citrus fruit grows in the shape of a small orange and has a similar taste too bitter oranges. Kumquats are rich in vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, vitamin A and potassium. One cup of kumquat contains more than one-third of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Kumquats might have an adverse effect on blood pressure for those who already have high blood pressure due to the presence of potassium.
Kvas
Kvar is a popular food in various regions across Europe and Asia. It’s made from water kefir mixed with rye flour or other grains as well as sugar or molasses. The resulting drink can be served warm or cold. Kvar is a great source of calcium, potassium, niacin, and various B vitamins. It’s also a good source of minerals such as iron, phosphorus, and zinc.
Kombucha
Kombucha is grafted tea fermented by a gelatinous, black-colored SCOBY. Kombucha contains between 20 to 35 percent sugar, which is very low in calories. It’s also a good source of probiotics and vitamins.
Kombucha
Kombu (Dulse)
This edible seaweed has a light reddish-brown color that comes from the presence of flavonoids and tannins. The Dulse plant grows well in saltwater and can survive in both fresh and brackish water.
It also withstands long periods of cold weather, making it an excellent option for those living on a boat or on an island far away from supermarkets.
Snack Foods that start with K
Kale Chips
Kale chips are very popular snacks to include in one’s diet. Among the many benefits of kale are its antioxidant properties. One serving of kale provides over 30 percent of the recommended daily intake for vitamin A, up to 50 percent for vitamin C, and more than 90 percent for calcium. Pairing kale with olive oil can increase the nutritional impact of this leafy green.
Kakua (Macadamia Nut)
This nut is named after the Hawaiian god of agriculture. Ka’kua is commonly served as a snack with chocolate. It’s also commonly enjoyed as a topping for ice creams and cereal. One serving of kaka has about 50 percent of the recommended daily intake for calcium, 35 percent for iron, and more than 50 percent for dietary fiber.
Kakua (Macadamia Nut)
Kombu Chips
These dried seaweed chips are very popular among health-conscious individuals looking to increase their intake of iodine. Kombu is high in umami flavors, minerals, and numerous vitamins including A, C, and D.
Kombucha Strawberry
Many individuals who enjoy Kombucha also enjoy the taste of strawberries. They’re a great treat to add to your diet, especially since they provide about 6 percent of the recommended daily intake for calcium and 27 percent for potassium.
Kim Pork
This meat is actually a type of pork that can be found in Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan. Kimpork can be sauteed with vegetables or eaten raw on toast. One serving has about 3 grams of fat and 4 grams of protein per serving size.
Kimpork also provides significant amounts of dietary fiber, alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid), B vitamins, and vitamin C.
Kim Pork
Kizami (Cuttlefish)
This very popular seafood is made into a broth called Wanjiru and eaten with rice. It’s a dish that’s packed with nutrients and flavor, which makes it a great staple of any meal. One serving size of kizami has less than one gram of fat but more than 16 grams of protein.
It also provides about 5 grams of dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, and B1, in addition to iodine and iron. Kizami is also naturally high in sodium (salt).
Kombu Miso
Miso is a fermented soybean paste that can be found in a variety of delicious recipes. Kombu miso is one of the most nutritious and tasty mixtures. It’s made by combining kombu (seaweed) and fermenting it in hot water.
The result is an extremely rich and nutty-tasting food that provides many essential nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, B vitamins, potassium, calcium, and fiber among others.
Kombu Miso
Kaffir Lime Leaves
These leaves are also known to have multiple medicinal uses including stimulating digestion and aiding in weight loss. Kaffir lime leaves are actually fairly low in calories, each serving contains about 7 grams of carbohydrates. They’re a great source of vitamin C, calcium, and iron.
Kudamilagai (Jackfruit Seed Pod)
India is known for this snack. Jackfruit is believed to have originated in South and Southeast Asian countries, although it’s also grown commercially in Africa and Brazil. The jackfruit seed pod is quite bitter but it’s also highly nutritious, providing moderate amounts of proteins, B vitamins, and minerals such as potassium, manganese, and copper. Besides being high in dietary fiber, this product is also low in saturated fat.
Kave (Coconut Pops)
These high-energy snacks are made by grinding coconut meat up into a paste. This paste is then sometimes combined with grains or additives such as sugar or syrup. The resulting coconut pops are designed to be eaten when they’re still fresh and tasty.
Coconut pops provide decent amounts of fiber and several vitamins including B vitamins, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
Kave (Coconut Pops)
Cocktail Recipes that start with K
Kahlua
This is a traditional coffee drink that’s been mixed with milk or other liquid and liqueurs. Kahlua has been mixed with other liquors such as brandy and vanilla to create many delicious drinks, such as the Kahlua-Creme. The Kahlua drink was first created by the French-American chef of the Astor House in Los Angeles, CA in 1892.
Kava
Kava is a popular herbal drink that originated in the South Pacific Islands. This beverage can be found both as a fresh beverage and a dried powder that can also be ingested orally or via infusion.
It can be mixed with water or coconut milk, and sometimes fruit juice. It’s widely used for its health benefits. For example, it can relieve stress and anxiety when consumed regularly.
Kamehameha Rum Punch
This drink was named after King Kamehameha I of Hawaii, who lived from 1758 to 1819. The king was known for his love of alcohol, particularly whiskey and rum punch that he would drink throughout the day. Today, this cocktail is often made with honey wine to make it more palatable.
Kamehameha Rum Punch
Képi
This drink was invented for a cocktail contest in Hawaii. The creators of the drink decided to name it after the French word for a jacket, which is kepi. This drink uses both dark rum and wine to create its unique flavor.
Kahlua
Kahlua is a traditional coffee liqueur that’s been mixed with milk or other liquid and liqueurs such as chocolate or vanilla. There are many other coffee liqueurs out there including Café Kahlúa and Tia Maria, but Kahlua was the first to be created in 1872 by Nicolas León Blanchard, who named it after one of his friends called Charles Kahl.
Krush
This libation contains multiple liquors including vodka, rum, and whiskey. Krush is known for its fun party style and it’s also relatively high in calories. One serving size of Krush has about 100 calories, 7 grams of fat, and almost 32 grams of carbohydrates.
Krush
Kalimotxo
Kalimotxo means “cold mix” in Spanish. This drink originated in Spain and is usually made with a mixture of wine and cola or lemonade. It’s commonly served as a refreshing drink that’s high in alcohol content during the summer months or while celebrating special events such as the Running of the Bulls.
Kamikaze (Screwdriver)
This very popular drink is made with vodka and lemon juice that’s shaken vigorously. The name comes from the Japanese phrase “kamikaze”, which means “divine wind”. This world-famous cocktail is also known as a screwdriver in some cultures, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
It shouldn’t be confused with a shaker or a shot of vodka taken straight without mixing it with anything else earlier in the day called an eye-opener or a hair-of-the-dog (“scotch” in other countries).
Kefir
This drink is made from fermented milk that’s normally fermented with the kefir grains, which are Bulbasaur seeds. The milk will then be consumed as a drink like a yogurt or cheese, but it’s also used in cooking.
Koala
This cocktail is made from gin, grenadine, lemon juice, and soda water. It’s often served at parties or during the Christmas season. One serving size of Koala contains less than 100 calories but more than 3 grams of fat.
Koala cocktail
Drinks that start with K
Kamora
This cocktail contains rum, passion fruit juice, lime, and pineapple juice. It’s a typical drink to have in the Dominican Republic.
Kinky
This cocktail is made with amaretto, blue curacao, and peach schnapps. It’s usually served at parties or during celebrations such as Halloween. One serving size of Kinky contains approximately 140 calories, 5 grams of fat and more than 30 grams of carbohydrates.
Kut Ku
This drink is made from vodka and Kahlua. It’s a popular beverage that’s served during the Christmas and New Year holidays in Poland.
Kiowa
This drink is made with bourbon, peach schnapps, and fresh pineapple juice. It’s commonly served in New Orleans, Louisiana. One serving of Kiowa has about 200 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.
Kiowa
Kermis
This drink is made with peach schnapps, triple sec, and fresh orange juice. It’s a popular drink that’s normally served at parties or during the summer months in Finland. One serving size of Kirmess contains approximately 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, and more than 20 grams of carbohydrates.
Kuakini
This drink is made with tequila, blue curacao, and pineapple juice. It’s normally served at parties or during the Christmas season in Hawaii. One serving size of Kuakini has less than 90 calories but more than 2 grams of fat.
Kool-Aid Pickling Solution
This solution can be used to convert the color of pickles from light green to dark green. It works by using manganese dioxide as a food additive to create the dark coloring on pickles while also killing off bacteria that causes soiling and discoloration.
Kookaburra
This drink is made with tequila, fresh lime, and orange juice in a particular ratio. It’s intended to be served or mixed with cola. One serving of Kookaburra contains about 130 calories and 2 grams of fat.
Kookaburra
Kunu (Konu)
This drink consists of vodka, pear juice, and sugar syrup in a particular ratio. It’s normally served during the Christmas season in Croatia or during festivals such as Easter time in Thailand or New Zealand. One serving of Kunu contains about 100 calories but more than 1 gram of fat.
Kurigof
This drink is made with vodka, peppermint schnapps, and cola. It’s served during the Christmas season in France. One serving of Kurigof has about 140 calories but more than 4 grams of carbohydrates.
Healthy Foods that start with K
Kwai Feh (Quai Fei)
This Chinese dish is made from ground or dried shellfish such as shrimp. The shellfish are breaded and served in a deep-fried or steamed manner. It’s often served with ginger sauce for dipping.
Kedgeree
Kedgeree is a dish that’s similar to Italian risotto as it consists of rice, fish and spices served together in a particular way. Kedgeree consists of smoked haddock, which is mixed with cleaned and cooked basmati rice along with butter, onion, curry powder, and parsley. In some recipes, the fish can be replaced with salmon.
Kedgeree
Keralan Fish Curry
This Indian dish is made from fish, coconut milk, curry leaves, and vegetable. The meat of the fish is commonly replaced with chicken and sometimes prawns. This curry has a soft texture and is served with steamed rice in Kerala, India.
Khichdi
Khichdi is a dish that’s popular in all regions of India but the most common version of this dish can be found in Gujarat state or sometimes known as “Kichuri”. This dish is made with rice and lentils in a particular ratio. It’s generally served as a breakfast meal.
Kewpie Mayonnaise
Kewpie mayonnaise is a creamy mixture of vegetable oils, eggs, and Japanese soy sauce. It’s one of the most popular condiments in Japan. It’s commonly eaten as a dipping sauce with Ebi furai (deep-fried prawns) or soba noodles. In addition to being used as a sauce, it can also be used as an ingredient in making pasta.
Khachapuri
This Georgian dish is made from cheese, eggs, and dough similar to bread or pizza crust. It’s served along with fresh tomato paste, butter, and garlicky greens on top that resemble spinach. One serving size of Khachapuri contains about 180 calories and 11 grams of fat.
Khachapuri
Keema
Keema is a dish that’s made from ground meat, onions, and mushrooms. It’s often served with white rice or a flatbread such as roti or naan in South Asian countries. One serving size of this dish contains about 220 calories and 14 grams of fat.
Kiwifruit
This fruit is known for its fuzzy green skin and bright yellow flesh. This fruit is oval-shaped and can be peeled like an apple without the seeds in the middle. One serving of this fruit contains about 45 calories but no fat.
Kebab
This dish is made with meat, vegetables, and starch. It often consists of lamb, beef, or chicken as the meat component and cooked vegetables as the vegetable component. The meat is generally marinated in yogurt or herbs to tenderize it before it is cooked. Sometimes the meat can be replaced with vegetarian options such as cheese or tofu.
Kebab
Khus-Khus (Khus)
Khus-khus or which is a dish that’s made from wheat that’s been coated with linseed oil and then eaten raw in some regions of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Served with cooked rice, this dish is delicious.
Vegetarian dishes that start with K
Kasha
This dish is made from buckwheat and is popular in Eastern Europe. It’s also known as kasha varnishkes in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. This dish is normally served with salt and enjoyed with Slavic bread such as piroshki.
Kqate
This food is made from the root of the common yam in Africa. This vegetable is commonly used as a side dish or fried like chips. It’s also known as yam pie or yam spaghetti. A medium-sized serving has just over 20 calories.
Koimari
This dish is made from seafood in Sri Lanka. It’s a spicy curry dish. The small serving size has around 100 calories and 0 grams of fat.
Khichdi
Khichdi is a dish that’s popular in all regions of India but the most common version of this dish can be found in Gujarat state or sometimes known as “Khichdi”. This dish is made with rice and lentils in a particular ratio. It’s generally served as a breakfast meal.
Khichdi
Kinpira Gobo (Kinpira Gobo)
This Japanese food consists of seasoned gobo root which is cooked with vegetables and brown sugar to sweeten it up.
Kharech (Khar)
This dish is made from Indian prepared wheat called cracked wheat. It’s cooked with fruit and vegetables or meat for a spicy curry dish. A small-sized serving of this dish contains 109 calories and 1 gram of fat.
Koulibiac (Koulbiac)
This Thai food is derived from pork that’s mixed with coconut milk, green chilies, spices, and fish sauce in a particular ratio. It takes some time for it to cook as the scotch eggs require to be seasoned before cooking. This dish can be served with white rice on top or together with steamed jasmine rice in some countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.
Koudelka
This Polish dish is made from cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, and ground meats. It’s also served with onion, ketchup or hot sauce. The serving size of this dish contains about 350 calories and 25 grams of fat.
Kofta
This Indian food is made from minced meat (lamb, chicken, or beef) that’s mixed with spices in a particular ratio. The mixture is then shaped into balls and cooked slowly over low heat on top of skewers (skewered) until they’re charred and tender inside. This dish is popularly eaten by the Muslim community in India as it serves as a soup or can be eaten with naan bread or rice as a curry dish.
Kofta
Katsu
This Japanese dish is made from seasoned pork cutlets that are breaded in panko bread crumbs and deep-fried. The dish is served with rice and often has a dipping sauce similar to mayonnaise or ketchup. It tastes best when eaten when melted with the rice.
This dish has been one of Japan’s most popular dishes for more than 100 years with its popularity only increased recently after World War II. A serving size contains around 300 calories and 1 gram of fat along with 20 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.
Desserts that start with K
Krupuk
This Indonesian dessert is made from coconut milk, egg whites, and sugar. It’s also known as lapis (or sometimes called semanggi) in Indonesia. This dish is also one of the most popular desserts in Malaysia and Brunei. One serving size contains about 90 calories and no fat but about 10 grams of carbs.
Kachumbar
This Greek dessert is made from meringue that’s covered with syrup, nuts, fruits, or chocolate. This dish is commonly served with ice cream on top or chocolate sauce as a dipping sauce for the meringue (sugar shell).
Kulfi
This Indian dessert is made from milk, cream, and sugar. It’s served in a ball or scooped into a cone shape and topped with fruit, nuts, or chocolate syrup.
Kulfi
Kuchen
This German dish is made from various ingredients such as fruit, nuts, chocolate chips or sprinkles along with cake mix or crumbled cakes. It’s served in an individual-sized cake pan and sometimes cooked in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). One serving of this dish contains around 300 calories depending on your choice of ingredients but no fat.
Kakanin
This Philippine dessert is made from glutinous rice that’s covered with sugar and wrapped in a special leaf called bilo-bilo leaves. The serving size of this dessert contains just over 100 calories but no fat.
Kadaife (Kadaifi)
This cake can be made from yeast or butter and is shaped into bundles that are sprinkled with powdered sugar as the final step. This Greek dessert can be served in individual portions to be eaten as such or as a part of another dish such as a soup.
Kheer
This Indian dessert is made from milk, jaggery (a type of unrefined sugar) or cream, and ice. It’s normally served chilled and sometimes with fruit. One serving size contains around 110 calories but mostly depending on your choice of ingredients.
Kheer
Kümmelkuchen
This German dessert is made from unleavened bread dough that’s shaped into small cakes and then drizzled with honey before being sprinkled with powdered sugar or rolled in whipped cream or served in a fluted bowl.
This dish can be enjoyed alone or as part of another dish such as German pudding (known as Engelpudding). The serving size of this dish has about 300 calories and no fat.
Kiwi Fruit Fluff (Kiwi Fruit Fluff)
This dessert is made from just pitted kiwi fruit as the primary ingredient along with yogurt, milk, sugar, and eggs. It’s often served chilled but can be eaten warm as a snack or dessert.
The liquid is then removed from the kiwi fruit before it’s cooked by cooking it in a saucepan with milk or other ingredients like lemon juice and cream for about 15 minutes at high heat. Breakfast or dessert can be served with this dish. The dish has about 90 calories and almost no fat but 6 grams of carbs.
Kopi Luwak (Kopi Luwak)
This Indonesian dessert is made from the coffee beans that are roasted in an unusual way that includes eating them along with the wild animals (such as civets) that consume them. This recipe uses the excrement of these wild animals as a natural fertilizer to increase the amount of caffeine in the beans which are then used to make this coffee bean extract known as “kopi luwak”. The extract is then ground and mixed with sugar, water, and also sometimes Pandan (a type of pandan leaf).
Final Thoughts on Foods that start with K
This food guide for foods that begin with the letter K included a variety of different foods ranging from a variety of different countries such as India, Syria, Germany, Russia, and Poland. This list has some of the most popular foods that start with the letter K in each respective country. I hope that you enjoyed this guide as well as the other food guides I have written in my blog.
You can see the details of the foods corresponding to each letter in the table below:
Jiyeon Wilson is the author and developer of Food 4 Kitchen’s delicious recipes. She shares kitchen appliances that make cooking easier and more convenient. Also edits articles on delicious and healthy recipes.
