5 Popular and Exotic Vegetables That Start with Q

Queen Anne’s lace is a biennial wildflower from the carrot family, introduced from Europe. The plant features a sweet root akin to a carrot, while the flowers emit a pleasant, sweet aroma.

This plant is characterized by green, feathery leaves and clusters of white flowers that resemble lace, featuring a distinctive dark spot in the center. When the flowers start to form seeds, they curl up into a unique cup shape.

Used in various culinary ways, the root is often consumed raw, boiled, or roasted, while the flowers are a sweet addition to salads, soups, or desserts. The seeds of Queen Anne’s lace have also been utilized for flavoring and traditional birth control methods.

Queensland blue squash is a type of winter squash created in Australia and introduced to the United States in 1932. It is known for its mild, semi-sweet, and nutty flavor, enhanced by a hint of lemon.

This squash features a hard, blue-green-grey rind and firm, golden flesh inside. Furthermore, the squash possesses a flattened, boxy shape with deep ribs, and typically weighs between 10 and 20 pounds.

Queensland blue squash is versatile as a culinary ingredient, suitable for boiling, roasting, or even eating raw. It works well in both sweet and savory dishes, including pies, soups, salads, and casseroles, making it a favorite for various recipes.

Quinoa leaves are the edible greens from the quinoa plant, a staple crop native to the Andean region of South America. These leaves offer a mild, slightly bitter, and nutty flavor, reminiscent of spinach or kale.

Often, they are known for their tender and crisp texture, particularly when they are young. They display a broad, lobed appearance and can vary in color from green to red or purple, depending on the variety.

For cooking, these leaves are enjoyed fresh or cooked. They are a fine addition to salads, soups, stews, curries, or stir-fries to enhance the flavor profile.

Quelites are a group of edible wild greens integral to Mexican cuisine, originating from various plant species native to Mexico. These greens offer a range of herbal flavors, including minty, anise, peppery, or bitter, depending on the plant type.

Characterized by their tender and crisp texture, especially when young, quelites feature green, lobed, or fern-like leaves. Their appearance and taste vary widely among the different species.

These greens are highly versatile for sautéing wilting, frying, or blanching. They’re commonly incorporated into soups, stews, quesadillas, sauces, moles, and many Mexican dishes.

Qing jiang cai, known as Shanghai bok choy, green onion, or scallion, is a Chinese leafy green, boasting a mild onion flavor and refreshing taste.

It features tender and crisp white stems, complemented by green, flat, and hollow leaves. Also, the veggie is white, with bulbous stems, and a juicy texture.

Qing jiang cai can be enjoyed both raw and cooked, finding its way into salads, dumpling fillings, stir-fries, and as a garnish for soups.