The ULTIMATE list of orange colour vegetables. Includes PHOTOS, fun facts and uses, from pure orange veggies to those with yellow, red, or other color combo! 🧡
Quick Disclaimer
Some vegetables included here may not be entirely orange, but they all have some kind of orange hue. I’ve added them because the perception of color can be subjective.
I’m also using the general definition of vegetables as edible parts of plants. I mean, this post has got to live up to the title of the most comprehensive list on the Internet, right? 😉
Alright, let’s dive right into the world of orange foods!
5 Orange Root Vegetables
1. Carrots
Fun fact(s): Carrots were originally purple, red, and yellow before the orange and beta carotene-rich variety became popular in the 17th century.
Uses: Great for snacking, roasting, soups, stews, bowls (like in my sticky teriyaki bowl), spring rolls, sushi (like in my kimchi vegetables sushi) and also juicing.
2. Yellow Onion
Fun fact(s): Crying while cutting onions happens because they release a sulfuric compound that irritates the eyes!
Uses: A versatile base for most savory dishes, from soups (like in this green olive soup), sautés (like in this bulgogi noodle stir fry), and of course, caramelized onions and mushrooms.
3. Sweet Potatoes
Fun fact(s): Orange sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, promoting good vision, skin, and dental health. It also boosts our immune system. And if you’d like to know the full health benefits, check out this Healthline article!
Uses: Ideal for baking, roasting, mashing, or adding to soups and casseroles!
4. Orange Golden Beets
Fun fact(s): Orange beetroot contains less pigment than red varieties, so it won’t stain as much as the red ones!
Uses: Perfect for roasting, pickling, or grating into salads. You can pretty much substitute red beetroot with orange beetroots, so you might also like this vegan beet tartare!
5. Orange Radish
Fun fact(s): Orange radishes are a rare variety so be sure to try one when you see it!
Uses: Ideal for salads, pickling, or as a crunchy topping like in my rainbow poke bowl!
7 Other Orange Vegetables (Other Than Pumpkins and Peppers)
1. Orange Tomatoes
Fun fact(s): Orange tomatoes tend to be milder and sweeter than red tomatoes due to their lower acidity.
Uses: Great for salads, sauces, or roasting to add a sweet flavor and colorful twist. To highlight their beautiful color, I recommend serving them raw like in this 10-minute tomato carpaccio!
2. Orange Cherry Tomatoes
Fun fact(s): Similar to regular orange tomatoes, they are less acidic and sweeter, making them perfect to introduce to picky eaters!
Uses: Ideal for snacking, salads, roasting, veggie toppings (like in my gochujang noodles) or making fresh salsas. Basically, use them the way you would use red cherry tomatoes!
3. Orange Cauliflower
Fun fact(s): Orange cauliflower contains higher levels of beta-carotene than white cauliflower.
Uses: Ideal for roasting, steaming, or using in soups and casseroles for a nutritious, colorful addition.
4. Orange Swiss Chard
Fun fact(s): The color of the stems can range from orange to pink and even purple, which is why it’s both in my list of pink veggies and purple veggies!
Uses: Excellent for sautés, salads, or as a colorful addition to soups and stews.
5. Rhubarb
Fun fact(s): Remember that you should only eat the rhubarb stalks as the leaves can be toxic and should not be eaten!
Uses: Great for pies, crumbles, jams, and sauces; often paired with strawberries for a classic dessert.
6. Popcorn Corn
Fun fact(s): Popcorn is NOT just any dried corn, but it is a special variety of corn with kernels that pop when heated! Speaking of corn, did you know that blue corn exists? Go check it out, along with 16 other blue colored vegetables here!
Uses: The name explains itself, huh? Popcorn can be air-popped using a popcorn maker, microwaved, or cooked on the stovetop!
7. Chanterelle Mushrooms
Fun fact(s): Chanterelle mushrooms have a distinctive trumpet shape and are prized for their fruity and highly aromatic flavor!
Uses: Perfect for sautéing, adding to risottos, soups, or simply enjoyed as a side dish to really highlight its flavor.
9 Orange Pumpkins and Squash
1. Delicata Squash
Fun fact(s): Delicata squash has thin and edible skin with orange flesh, making it one of the easiest squashes to prepare and eat!
Uses: Great for roasting, stuffing, or slicing into rings for salads.
2. Acorn Squash
Fun fact(s): As the name suggests, acorn squash has an acorn-like shape, but just bigger!
Uses: Ideal for roasting, stuffing, or baking with sweet or savory fillings.
3. Butternut Squash
Fun fact(s): As with most (if not all) winter squashes, butternut squash is botanically considered a fruit since it starts from a flower and contains seeds inside!
Uses: They are commonly roasted, pureed into soups or pumpkin pies, or used in casseroles and salads.
4. Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkins
Fun fact(s): Known for its use as a decorative Halloween pumpkin, the bright orange jack-o’-lantern pumpkins are grown primarily for carving, not eating. BUT, they’re still edible!
Plus, it varies a lot in sizes from small to medium ones (like in the picture above) to huge ones!
Uses: Cook your Jack-o-lantern pumpkins the same way you would cook your other pumpkins!
5. Kabocha Squash
Fun fact(s): Kabocha squash is often referred to as “Japanese pumpkin” and has a sweet, chestnut-like flavor. Kabocha squashes also lower blood pressure and could reduce heart disease risks, as explained in this WebMD article!
Uses: Perfect for roasting, adding to soups, or making tempura!
6. Red Kabocha Squash
Fun fact(s): Red Kabocha squash has a slightly nuttier and sweeter flavor than its green counterpart. Texture-wise, they’re quite similar though!
Uses: Use them the same way you would use your regular green kabocha!
7. Orange Spaghetti Squash
Fun fact(s): When cooked, spaghetti squash naturally forms stringy yellow/orange strands that resemble spaghetti noodles. It quickly became one of my favorite veggies when I first found out!
Uses: Excellent as a low-carb pasta substitute or baked to maintain that stringy texture.
8. Carnival Squash
Fun fact(s): Carnaval squash has orange, yellow, and green patterns on its skin, which fade into mostly orange, yellow, and cream as the squash ripens. This makes it a pretty table décor!
Uses: Like most of the pumpkin vegetable group, they’re great for roasting, stuffing, or mashing.
9. Red Kuri Squash / Hokkaido Pumpkin
Fun fact(s): Red kuri squash has a smooth, teardrop shape with red-orange skin and a sweet, chestnut-like flavor. It is one of the most common pumpkin varieties here in the Netherlands!
Uses: Its sweet, chestnut-like flavor makes it great for soups, roasting, or in pies and purees. The skin is thin and edible when cooked.
4 Orange Peppers
1. Orange Bell Peppers
Fun fact(s): Orange bell peppers are simply green bell peppers that have ripened further, but are not quite as ripe as red bell peppers.
Uses: They’re perfect for salads, stir-fries, roasting, or eating raw for a sweet crunch. When roasted, you could also use them in sandwiches, like in my vegan finger sandwiches here!
2. Orange Pointed Pepper
Fun fact(s): Similar to pointed red peppers (which btw appeared on my List of Red Veggies), orange pointed peppers often have thinner walls than regular orange bell peppers, which makes them ideal for quick cooking.
Uses: Excellent for grilling, roasting, or adding to salads and stir-fries.
3. Orange Mini Peppers
Fun fact(s): Orange mini peppers are essentially small, sweet bell peppers and are known for their crunchy texture and sweet taste.
Uses: Their small size makes them perfect for stuffing or using as bite-sized appetizers, served along dips such as hummus or raspberry chipotle cream cheese!
4. Orange Habanero Peppers
Fun fact(s): As the most common color of Habanero peppers, these orange peppers range from 150,000 to 350,000 in the Scoville Heat Units, making it 5 to 7 times spicier than cayenne pepper!
Uses: With their fruity and citrusy flavor, they are ideal for adding heat and flavor to salsas, sauces, and spicy dishes.
3 Orange Pulses and Grains
1. Red Lentils
Fun fact(s): Red lentils cook faster than other lentil varieties because they are often split and dehulled. Moreover, they’re rich in protein and fiber, making them a popular choice in plant-based dishes!
Uses: Ideal for soups, stews, curries, and thickening sauces due to their quick cooking time and soft texture. This one is less known, but you can also make flatbreads/lentil ‘pancakes’ using just red lentils and water!
2. Red Rice
Fun fact(s): It’s packed with fiber, protein, and antioxidants, making it more nutritious than white rice, as explained in this Healthline article.
Uses: Perfect for adding to rice bowls or as a side dish with stir fries and curries.
3. Wheat Grains
Fun fact(s): Wheat grains are used to make many many products, including bread, pasta, and oats!
Uses: They can be cooked as a whole grain, but they are most often ground into rolled oats or flour for a variety of dishes. Once ground, you can make stuff like berries overnight oats, granola cups, or this cake-like baked oats which taste very similar to mug cakes!
2 Orange Spices
1. Turmeric
Fun fact(s): Turmeric is known for its vibrant yellow-orange color, which is used to naturally dye both fabrics and food.
Uses: It is commonly used in curries, golden milk, and as a spice to add warmth and color to savory dishes!
2. Cayenne Pepper
Fun fact(s): Cayenne pepper powder is obtained by grinding dried cayenne peppers. The processing makes them look closer to orange instead of the original red color.
Uses: Adds heat to dishes like soups, sauces, and rubs for meat or vegetables. They might also be used in spicy drinks to add a bit of interest!
FAQ
Final Words
So there you go, 30 orange vegetables! If you enjoy this one, you would also like this List of Yellow Veggies💛 or Red Veggies❤️.
And if you’re looking for another color, I got you! Check out my List of White Vegetables or List of White Fruits🤍, Black Vegetables🖤, Brown Vegetables🤎, Purple Vegetables💜, or Pink Vegetables🩷 in my Pretty Produce series!
