Rum is the first thing that comes into most of our minds when asked for a drink that starts with and R and rice may well be the first food! In this article, you may be surprised by how many foods start with an R.
The List: 47 Foods That Start With R
1. Raab
Raab is a delicious warm bajra (pearl millet) flour health drink infused with ginger and ajwain. It’s used to boost your immune system relieve constipation, and flush out toxins. Bajra is a good source of protein, iron, folic acid, fiber, and carbohydrates. This enjoyable gluten-free food is great for those looking to improve their health.
2. Rack of lamb
Rack of lamb is a tender, juicy, and flavorful English food commonly served during the holidays or other special occasions. There’s a variety of ways to cook this popular cut of lamb, but it is usually baked in an oven and served with trimmed bone ends. Lamb is a good source of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins, which is a perfect addition to your diet if you are aiming to build muscle.
3. Radish
Radishes are edible root vegetables under the family Brassicaceae – which, in botany terms, are herbs or shrubs with swollen taproots for food storage. These crunchy roots are typically shades of pink, red, and white and originally grew in China.
If you are looking for an excellent source of catechin, pyrogallol, vanillic acid, and vitamin C, radishes are an excellent source. They’re often used in Korean dishes like kimchi and also as a refreshing salad ingredient
4. Ragu
The Italian meat-based sauce called ragu is a top-selling spaghetti sauce made with ground meat mixed with sauteed minced vegetables and tomatoes in with broth, meat stock, wine, milk, tomato liquid, or cream. The dish is made complete with either beef, chicken, pork, duck, lamb, veal, or goose as its ground meat. One of the most popular dishes that can be made using ragu is bolognese.
5. Rainbow trout
This delicious healthy dish is a carnivorous fish known as Oncorhynchus mykiss in the scientific community which is native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. You can either bake, steam, pan fry or smoke this food, rich in protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids, which helps with blood pressure and muscle strength.
6. Raita
Combining thick yogurt with raw or cooked fruits, vegetables, and spices creates a sweet or savory and spicy Indian side dish called raita. This protein and calcium-rich food aids in digestion and weight loss which is perfect if you are trying to lose some pounds and strengthen your bones. Raita is usually served as a side dish to biryani, kebab, and pilaf.
7. Rambak petis
This Javanese appetizer made of deep-fried cow skin is served with sweet soy sauce with fermented prawn paste sauce called petis. Rambak petis is an excellent source of collagen which is an important component for bones and skin. It also contains iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc, making it a healthy food option.
8. Rambutan
Species of Nephelium lappaceum have a Malaysian-Indonesian origin and are widely cultivated in Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Thailand. The fruit of rambutan is usually eaten as a snack by itself but it can also be used in smoothies, fruit juice ice cream, or even in a curry. If you are looking for a healthy snack which consists of vitamin C, calcium magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamin A, and fiber, rambutan is one to consider.
9. Ramen
Gaining its current popularity through TV shows in other parts of the globe, ramen’s popularity in Japan bloomed due to the Chinese cuisine appreciation by Japanese troops returning to Japan from China. This hearty meal is often served in China and Korea and is now taking over the world with its varieties including Tonkotsu ramen, shoyu ramen, and shio ramen, which are usually served with egg, pork, and gyoza on the side. You may also want to try instant ramen if you’re in a hurry.
10. Raspberry
The species of Rubus idaeus, commonly known as raspberries, originated in Turkey, and are usually found in Mediterranean Europe. This R-letter food is an edible drupe that has been used as a snack by itself, a main ingredient for smoothies, fruit juice, ice cream, and jams, or as a garnish for cakes and salads. Raspberry is an excellent low-calorie food that is rich in important nutrients such as fiber, protein, manganese, vitamin A, B, C, K and E, iron, magnesium, potassium, fiber, and calcium.
11. Ratatouille
Made famous by a Walt Disney movie, ratatouille is a French dish mainly made from stewed vegetables including tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and onions. You can either cook the vegetables separately before combining them to slowly cook together or cook the vegetables all at once. Either way works fine if you achieve a smooth and creamy dish.
12. Ravioli
This delicious rich-tasting unique-shaped Italian R-letter food is a dumpling stuffed with a filling made from ricotta, meat, vegetables, and cheese sealed in between an egg pasta dough. Ravioli is often served with pasta sauce made from tomato or cream and bread which can either be Italian or garlic. You have a lot of ravioli varieties to choose from including a soup, casserole, lasagna, and nachos.
13. Rawon
Rawon is one of the most famous foods in Indonesian cuisine. It is basically a beef soup which is mainly seasoned by the black keluak nut, creating a dark nutty soup. Rawon is usually served over steamed rice and garnished with chili sauce, bean sprouts, boiled egg, and fried onions. This R-letter food has multiple variants including the devils rawon which is served from midnight to dawn as a late-night meal.
14. Red cabbage
Red cabbage has a southern European origin and is currently cultivated all over Europe. This R-letter food is famous for its bright and crisp red or purple-colored leaves which change in color depending on the soil’s acidity level. You can never go wrong with red cabbage as an ingredient for your coleslaw salad, sandwiches, or even tacos due to its vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, and zinc content to help build your muscles and fiber for your digestive needs.
15. Red onions
Red onions, scientifically known as Allium cepa, can be mainly found in Turda, Romania; Tropea, Italy; and Wethersfield, Connecticut, USA. This tear-jerking food with purplish-red skin and white flesh, contain amino acid sulfoxides which is converted into a super-annoying chemical released into the air when cutting, causing tears. This R-letter food is a healthy ingredient for salads, salsas, and other food due to its antioxidants and compounds that helps fight inflammation.
16. Red wine vinegar
This vinegar is widely used in Southern and Central Europe and is a result of fermenting red wine using a starter culture and acidic bacteria, converting the wine into acetic acid. It’s pronounced tangy, rounded taste is perfect for salad dressings, marinades, pickles, and sweet-and-sour dishes. Red wine vinegar is known to lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol through its antioxidants.
17. Redcurrant
Redcurrant is native in western Europe and is used for soft wine flavor and color. It’s use as a dessert fruit was dated back in the 17th century. This R-letter food is part of the gooseberry family which are cultivated for their edible fruits which can be transformed to jellies, pudding, cakes, and tarts or an ingredient for salads, garnishes, or drinks. This low-glycemic food can fill at least 77% of the vitamin C daily requirements with one cup!
18. Redfish
Sciaenops ocellatus, commonly known as redfish, are usually found in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. This R-letter white-fleshed fish can be cooked in multiple ways including baking, frying, grilling, and pan-frying. This fish is an excellent low-saturated fat food that is rich in vitamin B6 and B12, calcium, and protein.
19. Refried beans
Refried beans are a Mexican staple food usually made of cooked and mashed beans. You can either use it as a side dish to steak and chicken, use as an appetizer and salad, or mix with Mexican rice or pico de gallo and guacamole for your tortilla. This is an excellent choice of source of fiber, iron, magnesium, and zinc but it should be taken in moderation due to its high sodium content.
20. Remoulade
This mayonnaise-based European cold sauce is like tartar sauce, but it is more yellowish, flavored with curry and paprika, and mixed with chopped pickles, horseradish, and anchovies. Remoulade is usually served with seafood, cold meats, or fried foods.
21. Rendang
Rendang is a dish made from the meat of beef, chicken, duck, water buffalo, jackfruit, or cassava with coconut milk-based special sauce mixed with cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and galangal. It is a slow-cooked dish, often served at celebrations such as weddings.
This Sumatra Indonesian Minang dish has influenced southeast Asian cuisines of Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Brunei. If you are looking for a hearty Southeast Asian dish, rendang is an excellent choice.
22. Rhubarb
Rhubarb, also known as pie plant, has a Chinese origin and is cultivated in temperate cool areas for its large edible leaf stalks which are served in restaurants as roasted stalks with orange and crystallized puff pastry, poached stalks with melon granita, or as a sweet soup simmered with orange juice. Due to its sour flavor, rhubarb is usually cooked with lots of sugar. It can also be made into pies, jams, and sauces using its tart-flavored green stems.
23. Ribberull
The Norwegian Ribberbull is a seasoned meat roll made from boned, flattened, rolled, and sewn pork ribs which are then pressed and steamed. Its flavor is enhanced by its seasoned filling made from a mixture of pepper, spices, nuts, and dried fruits, spread over the meat before rolling. In some traditions, Ribberbull is arranged carefully with liver, wild fennel, fat, and skin and is roasted for 8 hours using wood. You can also opt not to use liver or fennel depending on your liking.
24. Ribollita
Ribollita is an Italian bread soup which originated from Tuscany in the Middle Ages. Its historical recipe was made mainly to make use of stale bread by mixing it with herbs and vegetables. This famous delicious Italian soup is mainly composed of Lacinato kale and beans traditionally which is perfect for those on a vegan diet.
25. Rica-rica
This Indonesian cuisine is a hot spice mixture made popular by the Manado cuisine. The spicy rica-rica spice mixture is composed of green and red chili peppers, shallots, bird’s eye chili, ginger, garlic, and a little bit of salt and sugar which are either chopped or grounded and fried in coconut oil and flavored with lime leaf and lemongrass. Indonesians usually use rica-rica as a seasoning for chicken, seafood or game for a hot and spicy meal.
26. Rice
This is the staple food of Asians. Rice was originally cultivated in China and spread to ancient Greece. Rice is commonly used by Asians as the main carbohydrate in their diet and served alongside dishes such as kimchi, meat, chicken, and soup. Rice also provides more than 15 essential vitamins and minerals including, folic acid, vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. There are multiple varieties of rice and multiple ways to cook it. A few of the most famous rice-based dishes are sushi, maki, sushi bake, and porridge.
27. Rice noodles
Rice noodles are simply noodles made from rice flour and water. Like rice, rice noodles also have a Chinese origin, and it is dated back to the Qin dynasty, making it part of Chinese cuisine for over 2000 years. Depending on traditional ways of a region, rice noodles are served in a variety of ways, but it is usually mixed with sauces. Among the famous rice noodle dishes are Pad Thai, Pho, summer rolls, and noodle broth.
28. Rinderbraten
This German dish, meaning “beef roast”, is prepared with a huge, rolled beef with fat from pork stuffing and spiced up with red pepper, salt, brown sugar, pimento, and cloves. With beef as the main ingredient of this dish, Rinderbraten is an excellent source of protein. However, Rinderbraten should be eaten in moderation as beef also contains high cholesterol and saturated fats.
29. Risotto
This creamy rice Italian dish cooked in broth is made with short-grain Italian arborio rice which is cultivated in the northern Italian region. Broth used in risotto can be from meat, fish, or vegetables. You can also add butter, onion, white wine, or even parmesan cheese to your risotto.
This is a good substitute to your usual rice as arborio rice has lower calorie content than other rice variants. However, it is important to also consider the lower vitamin and mineral content of arborio rice than whole grains.
30. Roast dinner
Roast dinner is a popular choice of dish on Sundays across the globe. This yummy idea is a traditional British meal made from a centerpiece of roasted meat, stuffing, Yorkshire pudding and served with roasted potatoes, vegetables, and gravy. Roast dinner would not be complete without the different sauces such as apple, mint, or redcurrant jelly, depending on the meat.
31. Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh is a clarified-butter-rich curried meat dish that will surely entice your palates just by its aroma spiced up using cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, paprika, garlic, onion, and ginger. Kashmiris traditionally use lamb as the meat, but you can also use mutton or goat and add alkanet flower and Kashmiri chillies for flavoring and coloring.
32. Rollatini
Rollatini is another way to cook your eggplants. This baked eggplant slice which is either dusted with wheat flour or breaded with ricotta cheese is of an Italian origin. Meat-lovers also have the option to use veal, chicken, or fish in this recipe instead of eggplant. This R-letter word is best served with either a tomato sauce or basil pesto sauce with a side of spinach or parsley.
33. Rollmops
The lean and long shreddy fibers of the flank steak is the main ingredient for this R-letter dish. Rollmops or also known as “old clothes” may take a long time to cook and will still be tough to eat despite long hours of braising but it is a very good traditional food choice.
34. Ropa vieja
Cuba is known for its good food and ropa vieja takes pride in placing under the umbrella of Cuban national dishes despite originating from Spain. This Cuban dish also earned the name of “old clothes” due the characteristics of the meat used in this dish. You can braise the meat for a long time, but most people prefer chuck roasting the meat to enjoy its fat, tenderness, and richness.
35. Rose
The rose is a popular garden flower, but it can also be used in various dishes due to its edible petals and sweet fragrance. The petals are often used to enhance the flavor of certain foods when added to sugar or butter, but it is still popularly used as a decorative plant used to garnish cakes and other desserts.
36. Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus, or rosemary, is a popular herb used in cooking and marinating meat due to its aroma that enhances the flavor of a dish. This R-letter food is native to the Mediterranean region and is an important ingredient to complete the flavor of soups, casseroles, salads, and stews. Rosemary is often used to spice up the flavor of chicken, lamb, pork, steaks, and fish which are served with grains, mushrooms, potatoes, and spinach.
37. Rosolli
A Finnish Christmas is not complete without the vegetable salad, rosolli, which is composed of cooked vegetables including beetroot, carrot, and potato, along with raw onion, and apple. You can make rosolli using traditional ingredients such as boiled egg. This versatile dish can either be served as a side dish or it can be served alone as an appetizer.
38. Rosti
This potato-based Swiss dish originated as a breakfast meal for the canton of Bern’s farmers. Currently, rosti is being enjoyed all over Switzerland and around the globe. You can also enjoy this dish by sauteing or shallow pan-frying potatoes and serving it as a side dish.
39. Rosticciana
This traditional Italian grilled dish is made from vinaigrette-dipped pork ribs seasoned with spices including rosemary. Rosticciana is traditionally grilled on charcoal or woodfire in the region of Tuscany together with chicken pieces, fennel sausages, and steak to create a large platter of grilled meat. To make this dish more dynamic, you can serve it with roasted potatoes, cannellini beans with olive oil, or a green salad.
40. Rotisserie chicken
One way to cook your marinated chicken is through direct heat on a rotisserie, where the chicken spins on a spit near the heat source. The result is a delicious rotisserie chicken dish that people of all ages love. This slowly cooked dish is very versatile as you can also use the leftovers in creating another dish such as soup, chicken salad, and even sandwiches!
41. Rou jia mo
This Chinese Street food is popular and widely consumed in China. Rou jia mo is basically a bread with braised meat which is part of the Shaanxi Province cuisine. Also called as Chinese hamburger in the United States, Rou jia mo’s pork filling is made from pork belly stewed with a mixture of soy sauce, cooking wine, and spices including sugar and ginger.
42. Roulade
Roulade is basically a sponge cake filled with a mixture of whipped and pastry cream, ganache, and fruit, creating a rolled sweet dessert. Depending on the cake filling used, Roulade is found in European cuisines and can come in multiple versions including chestnut-amaretto, almond-lemon, tiramisu, lemon, passion fruit, ginger-marmalade, mango-passion fruit, cranberry, and peach roulade.
43. Rouladen
This German beef rouladen is one of the famous dishes worldwide and is popular for its filling which is made from bacon, onions, mustard, and pickles which are browned and simmered in the gravy and enclosed when rolling the meat that features long and thin strips of meat. Rouladen can be enjoyed any time of the year in Germany, but it is usually served with otkohl and boiled potatoes or bread or potato dumplings during special occasions or gatherings such as Sunday dinners and Christmas Eve.
44. Ruan zha li ji
Ruan zha li ji is a traditional Beijing dish made from soft fried pork tenderloin strips. The traditional way of cooking this dish is to marinade the meat in wine and salt. The marinated tenderloin slices are then fried for 5 minutes and topped with sesame oil before serving.
45. Rujak
This Javanese salad dish commonly served in Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, is composed of colorful fruits and vegetables dressed with sweet and spicy sauce of palm sugar and aromatic spices.
46. Rum
Originally called as “kill-devil” or “rumbullion” in the West Indies, rum is a famous drink which is a result of the fermentation and oak barrel distillation of sugarcane molasses or juice. Currently, rums are mostly produced in the Caribbean and North and South American countries. Production of rum also occurs in sugar-producing countries such as the Philippines and Taiwan. This drink is a fun way to decrease your cholesterol level and enhance your heart’s health and strength.
47. Rundstuck
Dubbed as the original hamburger, rundstuck is a hot local German dish made from layered roast pork or beef slices on top of a crusty bun. This messy yet delicious dish is poured with hot gravy on top and served with mustard and pickles.
