Name That Vegetable: Can You Name All 30?

Can you name these vegetables without peeking at the answers?

Try it with the adults in your family.

Let the kids play too.

A parent-versus-kid showdown could make the next grocery trip more interesting.

Here’s the deal: this is a self-quiz. The countdown loosely moves from familiar to more obscure, but the order is an editorial choice, not a measured rarity ranking. Availability varies by store, region, and season.

Guess from each heading’s clue and image, then scroll to the answer below it. Give yourself one point for each correct name, including an alternative name. Stick around for the conclusion’s just-for-fun score guide, so you can decide whether to brag or keep quiet at dinner.

Here are 30 vegetables to test yourself on.

30. Pale, ivory, and carrot-shaped?

Answer: Parsnip. Do you know this one? It looks like a pale, ivory carrot that got left in the fridge too long, but that’s just what it’s supposed to look like.

Parsnips sweeten after frost or prolonged cold storage as stored starches convert to sugars.

Steam them instead of boiling to concentrate that sweetness without turning them to mush. Stick to ones no longer than about 8 inches. Bigger parsnips get woody in the middle, and nobody wants that texture.

Try them roasted with honey or maple syrup, pureed into a silky soup, or tossed into a stew with ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

29. A waxed root with a purple top?

Answer: Rutabaga. Waxed, purple-topped, and constantly mistaken for a turnip. It’s actually a cross between a cabbage and a turnip, which explains the earthy, slightly sweet flavor that confuses people every time.

Peel it thick. That waxed skin is tougher than it looks, and a regular peeler will fight you the whole way. Cube it up after that.

Mash it as a potato swap, roast it in a root vegetable medley, or throw it into soups and stews where it’ll soak up whatever else is in the pot.

28. Green-white outside, hot pink inside?

Answer: Watermelon Radish. This one’s a magic trick. Plain green-white on the outside, then you slice it open and it’s shockingly hot pink inside.

Peppery and sweet, and the flavor mellows out as the radish gets bigger. Peel the thin skin and slice it paper-thin if you want that color to actually show up on the plate.

Eat it raw in salads for the visual pop, quick-pickle it, or shave it onto a grain bowl.

27. A bulb with stalks pointing every which way?

Answer: Kohlrabi. Pale green or purple, sitting above the soil with stalks shooting out of it in every direction. It genuinely looks like something from another planet.

The name is literally German for “cabbage-turnip,” and it’s a cabbage family member through and through. Crisp and slightly peppery raw, softer and milder once cooked.

Scrub it, then cut away the tough outer layer with a knife. A peeler cannot handle this job, so don’t even try.

Cut it into raw matchsticks for slaw, roast it alongside other root vegetables, or stir-fry it.

26. A knobby, hairy brown ball?

Answer: Celeriac. Also called celery root, and it looks the part: a knobby, hairy brown ball that nobody would guess tastes this good.

It tastes like celery crossed with parsley, and turns potato-like once cooked. Slice off the knobby skin with a knife rather than a peeler.

Crunchy raw, silky when pureed. The classic move is celeriac remoulade, a raw French salad, but it also works mashed as a potato substitute or blended into a soup.

25. Charcoal skin and snow-white flesh?

Answer: Black Radish. Charcoal-black skin hiding snow-white flesh. Sharp, almost horseradish-like when raw, but it sweetens and mellows once cooked.

Peel it and shred or dice it for salads, or roast it with butter to take the edge off. Grate it into a slaw, roast it as a side, or slice it thin for a quick pickle.

24. Chartreuse spirals?

Answer: Romanesco. This is the “is that even real” item of the whole list. Chartreuse, fractal-spiraled, and it looks like something a CGI artist invented for a sci-fi movie.

It’s not a growing accident either. That spiral pattern is a self-similar, fractal-like natural form, which is a fun fact worth dropping the next time someone asks what it is.

Treat it exactly like cauliflower. It steams and roasts fast and holds its shape and color better than cauliflower does.

Roast it with olive oil and a parmesan-style vegetarian cheese, toss it with pasta, or eat it raw with hummus.

23. A knobby tuber that resembles ginger?

Answer: Sunchoke. Also known as the Jerusalem artichoke, which is a name built on two lies. It’s not from Jerusalem, and it’s not an artichoke. It’s actually a sunflower tuber.

Crisp and nutty raw, artichoke-like once cooked. Fair warning: sunchokes contain inulin, which can cause some gas. Its actual nickname is “fartichoke,” which should tell you everything.

Scrub it well. The skin is thin enough that you don’t need to peel it. Slice it thin raw, or roast it like a potato.

Roasted “chokes,” pureed into soup, or thin raw slices with hummus all work.

22. A thin brown root that looks like a stick?

Answer: Salsify. Also called the oyster plant, and for good reason. This long, thin, dirt-brown root looks like a stick you’d find in your yard, but cooked, it tastes faintly of oysters and artichoke.

Peel it and get it into acidulated water immediately. Lemon or vinegar water stops it from browning while you work. Boil it, sauté it in butter, or puree it.

A creamy salsify puree makes a solid potato-mash alternative. It also works stirred into stews as a thickener or sautéed with butter as a simple side.

21. A green fruit in a papery husk?

Answer: Tomatillo. Small, green, wrapped in a papery husk, and constantly mistaken for an unripe tomato. It’s actually a tomato relative in its own right, and it’s a staple of Mexican cooking to look for at Latin grocers.

Remove the sticky husk and rinse it off. Use it raw or roasted. Roasting mellows out the tartness if raw is too sharp for you.

Salsa verde is the obvious move, but roasted tomatillo also makes a great enchilada sauce or gets diced into a bean chili.

20. Papery brown skin and crisp white flesh?

Answer: Jicama. Brown, papery skin wrapped around white, starchy-crisp flesh. People call it the “Mexican potato” or “Mexican water chestnut,” and either nickname gets the texture right.

Peel it with a knife or a sturdy peeler. It’s best eaten raw since it stays crisp and never browns, unlike most cut produce.

Jicama sticks with lime and chili-salt are the classic snack. It also works as a salad topper, or sliced thin as a raw taco-shell substitute.

19. A squat, dark-green pumpkin?

Answer: Kabocha Squash. A squat, dark-green, Japanese-style pumpkin to look for at Asian grocers or farmers markets. Sweet, chestnut-like, with edible skin once it’s roasted.

No need to peel it. Just roast the wedges skin-on and let the oven do the work.

Roasted kabocha wedges, kabocha soup, or kabocha tempura-style fritters all showcase the sweetness.

18. Cream-and-green stripes on a small squash?

Answer: Delicata Squash. Cream-and-green striped, and smaller than most winter squash. The skin is thin enough to eat, so peeling isn’t necessary.

Halve it, scoop out the seeds, and roast it in half-moons. Simple as that.

Roasted delicata rings, stuffed delicata halves, or delicata cubes tossed into a grain bowl.

17. Vivid violet flesh?

Answer: Purple Sweet Potato. On Okinawan sweet potatoes, plain tan skin hides vivid violet flesh underneath, which is a genuine double-take moment at the grocery store. Stokes Purple sweet potatoes have purple skin and purple flesh.

Drier, denser, and “winey”-sweeter than the orange sweet potato most people grew up on. It’s not dyed. That color is entirely natural.

Cook it the same way you’d cook an orange sweet potato, but give it a slightly longer roast.

Purple mash, roasted wedges, or naturally purple-colored baked goods that need zero food coloring.

16. Flat, spiny cactus paddles?

Answer: Nopales. Flat, spiny cactus paddles that taste grassy and tangy, somewhere between a green bean and okra once you get past the thorns.

Scrape off the spines and eyes with a knife first. Grill it or boil it, and rinse away the natural sliminess if it bothers you.

Dice it into salads with tomato and onion, grill it as a taco filling, or simmer it into stews.

15. Green pods up to two feet long?

Answer: Yardlong Beans. Also called Chinese long beans, and the name isn’t exaggerating much. These green beans grow up to 2 feet long and show up coiled in bunches at Asian markets.

Chewier and starchier than a regular green bean, and the flavor actually improves with cooking. Trim the ends and cut into 1-2 inch pieces before stir-frying or braising.

A garlic stir-fry is the easy move, or braise them in a black-bean-style vegetarian sauce, or toss them into a noodle dish.

14. Thick green stems and small white flowers?

Answer: Chinese Broccoli. Also known as gai lan. Dark green, thick-stemmed, with small white flowers, and noticeably more bitter and mineral-forward than the broccoli most American kitchens use.

Peel the tough base of the stem before cooking. Steam it or stir-fry it with garlic.

A garlic stir-fry, blanched with an oyster-sauce-style vegetarian substitute, or tossed into a noodle bowl.

13. Hollow stems and leafy greens?

Answer: Water Spinach. Also called kangkong or ong choy. Hollow-stemmed and leafy, and easy to write off as “just spinach” if you’re not paying attention.

Follow the supplier’s cooking directions for water spinach. The CDC describes an intestinal fluke risk from contaminated aquatic plants in parts of Asia, rather than a blanket warning about all water spinach. Once cooked, toss it with garlic or add it to a noodle soup.

12. Pale, conical, layered shoots?

Answer: Bamboo Shoots. Pale, conical, and layered, with a crisp texture closer to asparagus than anything else on this list. Look for fresh ones seasonally at Asian markets, or check the canned and jarred vegetable shelves.

For the dishes below, use commercially prepared canned bamboo shoots and follow the label directions.

Stir-fries, soups, or spring roll filling are the standard uses.

11. A huge, pale-green gourd?

Answer: Winter Melon. Also called wax gourd. It’s huge, pale green, and watermelon-shaped, usually sold by the wedge or slice at Asian markets since a whole one is enormous.

Mild, savory flesh that takes on whatever flavor it’s cooked in. Peel it, deseed it, then simmer it so it can soak up the broth.

Classic winter melon soup is the go-to. It also works stir-fried or candied for dessert.

10. A warty, ridged green-to-yellow gourd?

Answer: Bitter Melon. Warty, ridged, and green-to-yellow, and genuinely, unmistakably bitter. That’s not a myth or an exaggeration. This one’s an acquired taste.

Halve it, scrape out the seeds and pith, then salt it and let it rest before stir-frying to pull some of that bitterness out.

Stir-fried with fermented black beans (vegetarian version), stuffed and braised, or sliced thin into an egg scramble.

9. Slices with a lacy ring of holes?

Answer: Lotus Root. Slice this one open and you’ll understand why it’s on this list. The cross-section reveals a lacy ring of holes that looks almost engineered.

Crunchy and mildly sweet, closer to a potato than anything else. Peel it, slice it, and soak it briefly in acidulated water before stir-frying, braising, or deep-frying it into chips.

Stir-fried lotus root with peppers, lotus root chips, or added to vegetable soup.

8. Hairy brown skin and purple-flecked flesh?

Answer: Taro Root. Hairy brown skin covering purple-flecked, white-to-lavender flesh. Here’s the non-negotiable part: taro must be cooked, never eaten raw. It contains calcium oxalate that needs heat to neutralize.

Peel it wearing gloves, since raw taro can irritate skin. Then boil, steam, roast, or mash it.

Mashed taro, taro fries, taro stirred into stews and curries, or a dairy-free taro milk tea-style dessert.

7. A waxed brown root with a starchy white interior?

Answer: Yuca. Also known as cassava. A long, waxed, brown-skinned root with a starchy white interior. Same rule as taro: yuca must be fully cooked, since raw or “bitter” varieties contain cyanogenic compounds.

Peel the thick skin, boil it, then remove the tough fibrous core before mashing or frying.

Yuca fries, garlicky mojo yuca, or ground into yuca bread and starch.

6. A hairy brown root with white or pink flesh?

Answer: Malanga. Also called yautía. Hairy brown root with white or pink flesh, and a staple in Latin and Caribbean markets. It shares taro’s cooking rule too, since it also contains calcium oxalate.

Peel it under running water, then boil or mash it with a vegetarian butter substitute, or fry it into chips.

Malanga fritters, mashed malanga, or malanga chips.

Quick pattern worth noticing: taro, malanga, and yuca all carry the exact same warning. Never eat any of them raw. Always cook them fully before eating.

5. Reddish-brown skin and dry white flesh?

Answer: Boniato. The Cuban white sweet potato. Rough, reddish-brown skin covers dry, white flesh with a chestnut-like flavor that surprises anyone expecting the usual orange sweet potato.

Boil it for about 30 minutes until tender, then peel it, or roast it instead.

Boniato with garlic-citrus mojo sauce, mashed, or cut into roasted wedges.

4. A huge, mottled green-orange squash?

Answer: Calabaza. Also called West Indian pumpkin. Huge, mottled green-orange, and sold by the wedge in Latin markets since the whole squash would never fit in most kitchens.

Peel the thick rind, then roast it or simmer it into stews and soups.

Calabaza soup, roasted calabaza wedges, or mashed as a pumpkin substitute.

3. A long, thin, dirt-brown root?

Answer: Burdock Root. Also called gobo. Long, thin, and dirt-brown, sold at Asian markets and some natural-foods stores. Earthy and slightly sweet once cooked.

Scrub or thinly peel the root first, slice it, then soak the slices briefly before roasting or braising.

Braised gobo with carrot in a kinpira-style vegetarian dish, added to soups, or roasted into chips.

2. Tightly coiled green fronds?

Answer: Fiddlehead Ferns. Tightly coiled, bright-green fern fronds, and a short-season specialty item you’ll mostly find at farmers markets in the Northeast and Northwest each spring. Asparagus-like, with a nutty edge.

Pay attention here: fiddleheads must be boiled or steamed thoroughly before any other cooking. Raw or undercooked fiddleheads have caused documented foodborne-illness outbreaks. This isn’t optional.

Sautéed with garlic and vegetarian butter, folded into a spring pasta, or pickled.

1. Silvery-green, celery-like stalks?

Answer: Cardoon. If you got this one, take your point. Look for cardoon at Italian specialty grocers or farmers markets in the fall.

Celery-like, silvery-green stalks from the same plant family as the artichoke, and slightly bitter with an artichoke-adjacent flavor. Strip the strings with a peeler, rub it with lemon, and parboil it to cut the bitterness before braising or frying.

Breaded and fried, baked into a gratin, or braised in tomato sauce.

The Bottom Line

Add up your score. There’s no measured average for this quiz, so the score guide below is just for fun, not a claim about how most people perform.

If you cracked 15, give yourself a round of applause. If you hit 20 or more, go ahead and tell everyone at dinner. You earned it.

Challenge your parents, grandparents, or kids to beat your score. Winner gets bragging rights. Everyone else gets a shopping list.