20 Green Vegetables Names in English with Properties

Green Vegetables Names in English! Hey there, ESL students! I noticed you might be having a little trouble with some of the English names for green vegetables. No worries – I’m here to help! In this post, I’ll go over some of the most common English names for green veggies. So keep reading, and before you know it, you’ll be a vegetable pro! 🙂

In this lesson we will study green leafy vegetable names in English. It is a very exciting subject for everybody who likes eating. The green leafy vegetables are very healthy because they contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients. They can be eaten cooked or raw, always together with meat.

The English names of the green leafy vegetables follow each other in alphabetical order.

List of Green Vegetable Names

Broccoli

It is a green leafy vegetable, with long stems and green heads. It is eaten cooked.

Cabbage

It is a leafy, roundish vegetable with green leaves. The cabbage can be eaten raw or cooked, always together with meat. It has many names in English depending on the country. In Italy it is called “cavolo cappuccio”.

Spinach

Spinach is a green leafy vegetable that belongs to the same family of the beetroot, therefore it doesn’t contain lactic acid but tartaric acid which gives it an astringent taste. It can be eaten raw or cooked, often together with ricotta cheese or dried ham cubes.

Arugula

Arugula is a green leafy vegetable that belongs to the same family of the turnip, therefore it doesn’t contain lactic acid but malic acid which gives it an sour taste. It can be eaten raw or cooked.

Watercress

It is a green leafy vegetable with thin stems and very delicate leaves. You can eat it raw or cook, always together with meat. Watercress has some blisters on the stem which confer some spicy flavor to the food during cooking process.

Lettuce

Lettuce is a complex green leafy vegetable that grows more slowly than others of its species. Its head presents small leaves packed into close spirals, while its stalk is delicately slender and consists of a series of ribs. Lettuce is eaten raw or cooked.

Kale

Kale is a green leafy vegetable that tastes like cabbage, but it has long and slender leaves. It can be eaten raw or cooked, always together with meat.

Fennel

It is a green leafy vegetable very appreciated in the northern Italian regions because it grows easily even during winter months. The fennel contains a lot of fructose and can be eaten raw or cooked (with some drops of water).

Okra

Okra is a green leafy vegetable that has pods filled with seeds and can be eaten cooked, always together with meat. It belongs to the same family of the pumpkin and its name comes from African language meaning “lady’s fingers”.

Artichoke

Artichoke is a green leafy vegetable that grows in the countryside of Sicily and it has a strong and pleasant taste. It can be eaten cooked, always together with meat.

Cress

It is a green leafy vegetable growing near clear waters and it belongs to the same family of the radish and horseradish. The most famous variety is watercress . It can be eaten raw or cooked.

Endive

Endive is a complex green leafy vegetable that grows more slowly than others of its species because it prefers shady places like the roof garden. Its leaves are gathered in rosettes which become looser as they mature. Endive tastes very bitter when raw but tasty when cooked (it contains wild chicory).

Asparagus

Asparagus is a green leafy vegetable that grows during spring. It has a white stalk with small, soft and pointy leaves. You can eat it raw or cooked (it is usually boiled by placing it in boiling water for two minutes).

Calabash

Calabash is the name of a green leafy vegetable that grows in Africa. It can be cooked, always together with meat.

Eggplant

Eggplant has a green color and it tastes like a baked potato if consumed boiled or fried. It can be eaten cooked, often together with meat or ricotta cheese. In Italy it is called “melanzana”.

Celery

It is a green leafy vegetable with long and solid stalks and it grows in the northern region of Italy. It can be eaten cooked, always together with meat.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a bright yellow-orange vegetable belonging to the same family as cabbage and broccoli. It can be eaten boiled or cooked (it must be dried first).

Beetroot

In Italian language the beetroot is known as “barbabietola”. It is a red-colored vegetable that contains in abundance water, minerals like potassium, magnesium and sodium (good for people with high blood pressure), iron and vitamin C. Its juice can be used to dye clothes or to prepare syrup.

Leak

It is a green leafy vegetable that can be eaten cooked, with meat or in a mixed salad. In English language it is known as “porro”.

Mint

Mint is a little green leafy vegetable that has a powerful and fresh flavor. It can be eaten raw or cooked (not boiled).

Cucumber

Cucumber is a green vegetable rich in water (95%!) and it can be eaten raw or cooked. It belongs to the same family of the courgette, zucchini and pattypan.

Microgreens

Microgreens are green color tasty vegetable that are less developed than microgreens . They can be eaten raw or cooked, always with meat.

Pea

Peas are small green vegetables with a very high protein content, rich minerals and vitamins. In the U.S.A., peas are known as “English peas” even if they come from Mexico!

Perilla

Perilla is a green leafy vegetable belonging to the mint family. It is very appreciated in Japan where it has different names like “beefsteak plant” or “shiso”. It can be eaten raw or cooked, always together with meat.

Zucchini

Zucchini is a green vegetable belonging to the same family of courgette, zucchini and pattypan. Zucchini flowers are appreciated by many people who consider them “a delicacy”. In Italy it is called “zucchina” or “cocozelle”.

Ridge gourd

It is a green leafy vegetable belonging to the same family of pumpkin and cucumber. It can be eaten boiled or cooked.

Edamame

It is the name of a green-colored vegetable grown on short bushes. It has a nutty flavor and it comes from Japan where it has always been appreciated by their population. It can be eaten boiled or cooked, always together with meat.

Chard

Chard is a green leafy vegetable belonging to the same family of beetroot. It is eaten cooked, often together with meat or ricotta cheese.

Spinach

Spinach is a green leafy vegetable belonging to the same family of chard and beets. It can be eaten raw or cooked (it contains water, vitamins C and A). In Italy it is called “spinacio”.