Vegetables are a huge part of French cuisine. So, if you wish to relish French delicacies, you should know about different vegetables in French.
French cuisine is hailed as one of the best in the world. Apart from its bread & cheese, it is known for using fresh vegetables.
No one said learning has to be boring. You can add flavor to your French learning experience by exploring food and the delicious ingredients they comprise of. You do not have to be highly invested in French cooking to learn about vegetables.
The correct French vocabulary can help you greatly in a French-speaking country, restaurant, supermarket, or kitchen. Also, you can significantly benefit from learning how to talk about vegetables in a conversation.
Thus today, I bring you this handy guide that will help you learn about any vegetable in French and ensure you can buy at a market or order at a restaurant.
What Is The Need To Learn Vegetables In French?
One of the most significant issues I faced while dining at a French restaurant was ordering the food. It took a lot of work for me to let others know what I wanted as I did not speak French then.
Sometimes I requested special instructions about certain vegetables not being in my food. Still, somehow, they magically used to appear on my plate.
It was infuriating & exhausting at the same time. But ever since I became a pro at the language and can name vegetables in French without breaking a sweat, dining at a French restaurant has become my favorite thing.
Over the years in my French learning journey, I have realized that a language is all about its little components. If you master one topic at a time, you can conquer more than anticipated.
Many beginner learners have questions like why they should learn to say vegetable names in French, as they do not comprise a crucial subject.
Well, the thing is, vocabulary is a huge part of any language. You need to be firm with your words to have conversations & form connections.
If you still have doubts, below I have a few reasons to tell you why you should learn about vegetables in French along with your native language.
A. Dining At French Restaurants Will Be A Blast
French cuisine is so famous across the globe that no matter where you are, there is at least one French restaurant nearby.
French food is the epitome of delicacy & flavors, and this confidence is the reason why French restaurants always have their menu in French regardless of their locations.
If you dine at a French restaurant and do not know French, it will be hard for you to decipher the menu. Things will get weird if you are a vegan or a vegetarian.
However, if you know the French names of the main ingredients, like vegetables, you can order your food like a pro. No more getting a non-vegetarian dish when you asked for a vegetarian one & vice versa.
Plus, if you are flawless with your reading & speaking a French menu, you will definitely impress diners around you, both French & non-French speakers.
So, the next time you want to impress your family, friends, or special someone, dine at a French restaurant to show off your French-speaking skills.
B. It will be easier to cook French food
Not everyone enjoys dining out every time they crave a particular food. If you prefer home-cooked meals, learning about French vegetables can make cooking French delicacies easy at home.
The best way to cook French food is to learn from the locals. If you are familiar with the language and all the food-related French vocabulary, you can easily follow famous French chefs & home cooks on the internet & turn your kitchen into a French gourmet.
C. You can finally enjoy French cooking shows
If you are a foodie like me, you can understand when I say watching cooking shows is my stress buster. I personally like English & French cooking shows.
As a French learner, knowing the vegetables to the pro level will allow you to watch & finally enjoy those cooking shows.
The French cooking shows are more sophisticated than you think. They tell you each step in detail and guide you while they are doing it. Becoming a regular watcher will enhance your French culinary skills as well as your listening skills.
To get you started on your French food journey, here I have some of my personal favorite shows for you to explore:
- School Of Chocolate
- Chef’s Table France
- Top chef France
- Martin sur la route
- The French Chef
- French Food At Home
D. Interacting With Francophone Becomes Easier
Food is one of the most common topics you can discuss, even with a stranger. So, if you know a friend or want to be friends with someone who speaks French, talking about food can be your window.
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You can talk about their favorite dishes, chatter about yours, talk about making a specific dish & more.
Knowing about vegetables in the native language of French people allows them to talk freely as they can be sure that you will understand.
Explore 100+ Tasty Vegetables In French – Learn The French Vocabulary
The French word for vegetable is “un légume” and vegetables is “les légumes” pronounced as “leh lay-goom”.
It is surprising for English speakers because legumes mean seeds that can be cooked & eaten in English. Peas, beans, & lentils are some examples.
But do not worry. With regular practice and consistency, you will conquer vegetable names in French in no time.
Below we have a comprehensive list of “légumes” in French. For easy digestion, we have divided the vegetables into distinctive categories.
This way, you can learn both singular & plural forms of the vegetables along with their family types. There are more than 100 vegetables for you to learn and boost your French learning.
1. “Root Vegetables” Names In French
Regarding using vegetables in French cuisine, root vegetables are the most popular among the natives.
Carrots & celery are among French people’s favorite root vegetables. It is the main reason they are abundantly used in French stews.
Below is a list of some of the most popular root veggies you should know in French.
- Carrot- Carotte
- Parsnip- Panais
- Turnip- Navet
- Beet- Betterave
- Celeriac- Céleri-Rave
- Daikon- Daïkon
- Parsley Root- Racine de persil
- Radish- Radis
- Salsify Root- Racine de salsifis
- Swede- Rutabaga
- Horseradish- Raifort
- Yucca- Yucca
- Fennel- Fenouil
- Ginger- Gingembre
- Jicama- Pois Patate
- Water Chestnut- Châtaigne d’eau
2. “Bulb Vegetables” Names In French
The bulb or aromatic vegetables are specially used to flavor food. They are called so because they are round like a bulb, and this bulb part of the vegetable is eaten, not the leaves.
So, bulb vegetables are a must if you wish to bring in a kick in your casseroles, broths, soups, and courts-bouillons.
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Here is a list of some of the most popular bulb vegetables you should know in French.
- Onion- L’oignon
- Red Onion- L’oignonrouge
- Garlic- L’ail
- Shallot- L’échalote
- Chives- La ciboulette
- Scallions- L’oignonvert
- FennelBulb- La tête de fenouil
- Leek- Le poireau
- The Elephant Garlic
- The Pearl Onion- L’oignon perlé
- The Wild Garlic- L’ail sauvage
- The Ball-HeadedOnion- L’oignon à tête sphérique
- The Water Chestnut- La châtaigne D’eau
3. “Tuber Vegetables” Names In French
Tuber vegetables are like root vegetables growing under the ground. And in French, they can be translated to “legumes tubéreux”
However, they are slightly different because they grow at the base of the root, mainly from the stem or the tissue. Also, you can get multiple tubers from one plant. Potatoes, cassava, and yams are some of the most popular tubers.
Below is a list of some of the most popular tubers you should know in French.
- Potatoes- Pommes de terre
- Sweet Potatoes – Patates douces
- Yams – Ignames
- Jerusalem Artichokes –Topinambours/Artichaut de Jérusalem
- Taro – Taros
- Cassava – Manioc
- Jicama – Ignamedu Mexique
- Ube – Ube (Same in French)
- Oca – Oca (Same in French)
4. “Flower Vegetables” Names In French
Green leafy vegetables or Brassica vegetables are among the most nutritious vegetables you can eat.
Not only this, they hold exceptional medicinal properties and provide impressive benefits like protecting against cancer. You must include these green veggies in your diet and learn their French alternatives to increase your vocabulary.
- The Broccoli- Le brocoli
- The Cauliflower- Le chou-fleur
- The Romanesco- Le chou romanesco
- The Artichoke- L’artichaut
- The ChoySum- Lechou cantonais
- The Agati- L’agati
- The Asian Pigeonwing- Le pigeonnierasiatique
- The Lotus- Le lotus
- The Zucchini- La courgette
- The Squash Blossom- La fleur de courge
- The Banana Heart / Blossom- Le cœurde bananier
- The Caper- La câpre
- The Daylily- L’hémérocalle- Les Hémérocalles
- The Jade Vine- La vigne de jade – Les Vignes De Jade
- The Loroco- Le loroco
- The Moringa- Le moringa- Les Moringas
- Pumpkin Flower- La fleur de citrouille
5. “Stems & Shoots Vegetables” Names In French
Vegetables are generally classified based on the part of the plant that we can eat. Stem vegetables are the ones whose stem part is used for cooking, like asparagus, celery, and more.
Most people, especially kids, are not a fan of stem vegetables. However, they are highly nutritional and sometimes can be the star of the dish & sometimes a complimenting flavor.
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So, if you wish to avoid having certain stem veggies in your French food, you need to learn their French names below:
- Asparagus- L’asperge
- White Asparagus- L’aspergeblanche
- Celery- Le céleri
- HeartOf Palm- Le cœur de palmier
- BambooShoots- Les pousses de bambous
- Kohlrabi- Le Chou-Rave
- Rhubarb- La Rhubarbe
- Lemongrass- La Citronnelle
6. “Fruit Vegetables” Names In French
We all know that there are certain fruits out there that we group among vegetables. Many still don’t know that the tomato is a fruit disguising itself as a vegetable for centuries. Like the tomato, several other fruits are used as vegetables, whether in cooking a dish or salad.
Below we have the popular fruit-vegetables names you should know in 2023:
- Tomato- La tomate
- Tomatillo- La Petite Tomate
- Cucumber- Le Concombre
- Eggplant- L’aubergine
- Plantain- Le Plantain
- Pumpkin- La Citrouille
- Bell Pepper- Le Poivron
- Cayenne Pepper- Le Poivre De Cayenne
- Habanero- L’habanero
- Jalapeño- Le Jalapeño
- Peperoncino- Le Peperoncino
- Okra- Le Gombo
- Spaghetti Squash- La Courge Spaghetti
- Chayote- La Chayotte
- Bitter Melon- La Margose
- Winter Melon- La Courge Cireuse
- Jackfruit- Le Jacquier
- Vanilla- La Vanille
- The Squash- La Courge- Les Courges
- The Fuzzy Melon- Le Melon Flou- Les Melons Flous
- The Bottle gourd – La courge
7. “Fungi & Mushrooms” Names In French
Mushrooms are not popular anywhere in the world like they are in France. Mushroom picking is a real deal in France. People like to do this activity with friends & family and enjoy the deliciousness of the vegetable.
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Also, there is even a “Mushroom Museum” in western France. But to enjoy the place, you should learn the French alternatives of its various varieties.
- Button Mushroom- Le Champignon De Paris
- Enoki Mushroom- Le Champignon Enoki- LuhSham
- Oyster Mushroom- Le Pleurote
- PorciniMushroom- Les Cèpes
- Black TrumpetMushroom- La Trompette De La Mort
- Portobello Mushroom- Le Champignon Portobello
- Shiitake Mushroom- Le Champignon Shiitake
- Blue Foot Mushroom- Le Pied Bleu
- Girolle Mushroom- La Girolle
- Hedgehog Mushroom- Le Pied-de-mouton
- Red Pine Mushroom- Le LactaireDélicieux
- Truffle- La Truffe
- The Mushroom- Le Champignon- Les Champignons
- The Fungus- Le Champignon- Les Champignons
- The Champignon- Le Champignon- Les Champignons
- The Milkcap- Le Bonnet De Lait- Les Laits
- The Morel- La Morille- Les Morilles
- The Changeable Pholiota- La Pholiote Changeante- Les Pholiotes Changeantes
- The Oyster Mushroom- Le Pleurote- Les Pleurotes
- The Black Trumpet- La Trompette Noire- Les Trompettes Noires
- The Enoki- L’énoki
8. “Green Leafy Vegetables” Names In French
When it comes to salad, green leafy vegetables are the star. Vegetables like lettuce are trendy for making side dishes like salad and are loved by both kids & adults equally.
Similar to lettuce, there are several other green leafy vegetables that you should know to enjoy French cuisine at a much better level.
- Lettuce- La Salade
- Iceberg Lettuce- La Salade Iceberg
- Romaine Lettuce- La Salade Romaine
- Lamb’sLettuce- La Mâche
- Kale- Le Chou Frisé
- Cabbage- Le Chou
- Spinach- L’épinard
- Arugula- La Roquette
- BokChoy- Le chou de Chine
- Brussels Sprouts- Les Choux De Bruxelles
- Radicchio- Le Radicchio
- Chard- Les Bettes
- Watercress- Le Cresson
- Collard Greens- Le Chou Vert
- Dandelion- Le Pissenlit
- Endive- L’endive
- MustardGreens- Les Feuilles De Moutarde
9. “Seeds Vegetables” Names In French
As stated before, the French word for vegetable is “legumes,” unlike in English, which means pulses. We consume many vegetables as seeds, like beans, peas, & more.
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Check out different seed legumes you can relish in French cuisine.
- Beans- Les Haricots
- Black Beans- Les Haricots Noirs
- Pinto Beans- Les Haricots Pinto
- Kidney Beans- Les Haricots Rouges
- Fava Beans- Les Fèves
- Green Beans- Les Haricots Verts
- Chickpea- Le Pois Chiche
- Edamame- L’edamame
- Peas- Les Pois
- Snow Peas- Les Pois Mangetout
- Snap Peas- Les Pois Gourmands
- Lentil- La Lentille
- Peanut- LaCacahuète
- Soybean- Le Soja
- Corn- Le Maïs
10. “Sea Vegetables” Names In French
Like land, we can also harvest vegetables from the water or sea. And if you like Asian cuisines, you may already know a few sea veggies.
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And now it is time you learn the French names of these vegetables so that next time you are in a French-speaking region, you can easily order your favorite Asian dishes without any problems.
Also, sea veggies have high calcium, iodine, folate & magnesium levels, making them highly healthy food.
- Nori- L’algue nori
- Wakame- Le Wakamé
- Green Laver- La laitue de mer.
- SeaLettuce- La Laitue De Mer
- Kelp- Le Varech
- SeaMoss- La Mousse De Mer
Different French Idioms About Vegetables – Traditional French Cuisine
If you are a serious French learner, you may have concluded that French people love idioms. These are used prominently by natives in everyday conversations to cleverly tell what they mean without being too wordy about the context.
There are idioms related to saying good morning or good night in French, but some involve vegetables.
If you are a beginner, you can skip these idioms for now. But if you are an intermediate or advanced French learner, you should explore them to boost your French knowledge.
- Game Over- C’est La Fin Des Haricots
- Mind Your Own Business- Occupe-Toi De Tes Oignons
- Your Fate Is Sealed- Les Carottes SontCuites
- To Be Punched- Se Prendre Une Châtaigne
- Someone Who Falls In Love Easily- Avoir Un Cœur D’artichaut
- This Is Awful!-C’est Un Navet
- To Argue With A Friend- Se Prendre Le Chou
- To Turn Red Like A Tomato- Être Rouge Comme Une Tomate
- To Be Completely Broke- Ne Pas Avoir Un Radis
- To Step On The Gas- Appuyer Sur Le Champignon
- To Have A Pea Brain- Avoir Un Pois Chiche Dans La Tête
- My Dear- Mon Chou
- To Wait For A Long Time- Poireauter
- To Make Up Stories- Raconter Des Salades
- To Swindle- Carroter
- To Increase Your Income- MettreDu Beurre Dans Les Épinards
- To Do Something Very Carefully- Faire Quelque Chose Aux Petits Oignons
- To Feel Great- Avoir La Patate
Top FAQs About Common Vegetables In French
How do you say vegetable in French?
The French word for vegetable is “un légume.” It might seem unsettling for English speakers because “legumes” generally means peas, beans & lentils.
So, if you want to order vegetables or vegetable dishes in a French restaurant, you need to learn how to pronounce one.
• Vegetable- “un légume”
• Vegetables- “les légumes”
What are some of the most Popular Traditional French Cuisine Made With Vegetables?
Most people believe that French cuisine is only about non-vegetarian ingredients. Well, it is not true. Vegetables have always been a significant part of French cooking.
Many delicious French vegetable recipes are relished not only by the natives but by most people across the globe.
In fact, you can explore several French cooking shows & celebrities and find how much variety French vegetarian food has.
Here we have some of the most famous French dishes (with vegetables as a hero) that you should try atleast once in your life.
• Ratatouille: Most people are familiar with this name as Disney worked like magic, bringing it to life with its character “Remy” and his love for “French food.”
I am a big Disney buff, and “Ratatouille” is one of my favorite animated movies.
Ratatouille is a famous summer vegetable stew cooked with zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs. It is a very colorful and flavorful dish that will be like a party for your mouth.
• Coq Au Vin: This is a traditional French dish comprising braised chicken & mushrooms cooked in red wine sauce. Many people like to flavor it with garlic, giving the dish a warm, hearty taste.
• Boeuf Bourguignon: This dish is a French beef stew mainly braised in red wine. The stew is made with onions, carrots, & garlic and garnished with mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon.
You will find that this dish is mainly served with grain, mashed potatoes, or pasta.
• Escargots De Bourgogne: This dish is made from snails and is a French delicacy. The snails are mainly cooked in butter, but wine sauce is sometimes used.
You will find the hint of garlic & fresh herbs in the dish that makes most French signature dishes.
• Quiche Lorraine: This non-vegetarian French tart is made from custard, cheese, meat, seafood, vegetables, and lardons or bacon.
Are there any other French words related to vegetables?
French vocabulary for vegetables is vast. But you should always begin by learning the names of different vegetables.
However, apart from the vegetable names, some terms are widely used with various vegetable vocabulary.
Check some of them below:
• Organic- Biologique
• Vegetarian- Végétarien
• Vegan- Végétalien
• Vegetarian with dairy, but not eggs- Lacto-végétarien
• Vegetarian with eggs, but not dairy- Ovo-végétarien
• Vegetarian with the addition of dairy and eggs- Lacto-ovo-végétarien
How to practice French vegetable names?
One of the best ways to practice vegetable names in French is to listen to different French vegetable songs.
There are several things for kids available on the internet, and you can benefit from them to a great extent.
Listening to music is fun. You will learn the names by singing and rhyming with ease.
You can easily find various vegetable songs & poems on the internet.
Apart from this, you can watch French cooking videos, cook different French dishes with vegetables, dine at a French restaurant, or play online games related to French vocabulary
Conclusion
Vegetables in French cuisine are an integral part of France’s food delicacies. They are mainly used to make broths, stews, desserts, and other foods.
Knowing vegetable names will allow you to strengthen your French vocabulary as well as enable you to enjoy the world of French food.
Explore different types of vegetables in French and learn how your favorites are pronounced by French speakers.
