Looking for vegetables that start with H? This handy alphabet foods guide covers the familiar, the useful and a few unusual finds you might spot in markets, world food shops or recipe books.

Some of these H vegetables are everyday UK supermarket buys, such as hispi cabbage and haricot beans. Others, like hop shoots or hijiki, are more specialist. A few are technically fruits or legumes in botanical terms, but they are commonly cooked and eaten as vegetables, so they earn their place here.

Quick List of Vegetables That Start With H

Haricot Beans

Haricot beans are small white beans, best known in the UK as the bean used in tinned baked beans. They are mild, creamy and cheap, especially when bought dried or in supermarket own-brand tins.

They are excellent for bulking out meals without spending much. Add them to tomato pasta sauce, vegetable soup, casseroles or a sausage traybake. If using dried haricot beans, soak and cook them properly according to the packet instructions. Tinned haricot beans only need draining and rinsing before use, unless they are already in sauce.

Money-saving tip

Swap half the meat in chilli, cottage pie or stew for haricot beans. You still get a filling meal, but the cost per portion drops nicely.

Haricot Verts

Haricot verts are slim French green beans. They are usually more delicate than standard green beans and cook quickly, making them ideal for simple side dishes.

Steam or boil them for a few minutes until tender but not floppy, then toss with a little butter, lemon, garlic or toasted breadcrumbs. They are also lovely in niçoise-style salads, stir-fries and warm potato salads.

Budget note

Fresh haricot verts can be pricey out of season. Frozen fine green beans are often better value and reduce waste because you can cook just what you need.

Hispi Cabbage

Hispi cabbage, also called sweetheart cabbage or pointed cabbage, is one of the most useful vegetables beginning with H. It has a sweet flavour, tender leaves and a pointed shape. It cooks faster than dense white cabbage and works well in both raw and cooked dishes.

Shred it finely for slaw, slice it into wedges and roast it, or stir-fry it with garlic and soy sauce. It is also good with bacon, lentils, noodles, potatoes and creamy sauces.

How to make hispi cabbage go further

• Use the outer leaves in soups or stir-fries rather than throwing them away.
• Shred half for a raw slaw and roast the other half later in the week.
• Add sliced hispi to noodles or fried rice to stretch a small amount of protein.

Horseradish

Horseradish is a strong, peppery root vegetable. It is most famous as horseradish sauce, usually served with roast beef, but it can do much more than sit beside a Sunday dinner.

Fresh horseradish root can be grated into sauces, mayonnaise, mashed potato, coleslaw or salad dressings. It has a sharp heat that fades with cooking, so it is often added raw or near the end of preparation. Jarred horseradish sauce is convenient and lasts well in the fridge once opened, following the storage instructions on the label.

Easy uses for horseradish

• Stir into Greek yoghurt for a quick dip.
• Add a spoonful to mashed potato.
• Mix with mayo for roast beef sandwiches.
• Use in a dressing for beetroot, smoked mackerel or potato salad.

Hokkaido Pumpkin

Hokkaido pumpkin is a small orange winter squash, often sold as red kuri squash. It has a sweet, nutty flavour and a firm texture that softens beautifully when roasted. One of its best features is that the skin is edible when cooked, which saves prep time and reduces waste.

Cut it into wedges, scoop out the seeds and roast with oil, salt and spices. It is also excellent in soups, coconut curries, risottos and pasta bakes.

Cheap meal idea

Roast Hokkaido pumpkin with onions and carrots, then blend with stock for a low-cost soup. Add lentils if you want it more filling.

Hubbard Squash

Hubbard squash is a large winter squash with dense, sweet flesh. It is less common in standard UK supermarkets than butternut squash, but you may find it at farm shops, markets or veg box suppliers.

Because it is big, Hubbard squash is handy for batch cooking. Roast chunks for dinner, turn leftovers into soup, and freeze cooked purée for later. The tough skin can be awkward to cut, so use a sturdy knife on a stable board and take your time.

Best flavours to pair with Hubbard squash

• Sage, thyme and rosemary
• Garlic and chilli
• Coconut milk and curry spices
• Maple syrup or honey for roasting
• Goat’s cheese, feta or blue cheese

Hakurei Turnip

Hakurei turnips are small, smooth white Japanese turnips with a mild, slightly sweet flavour. Unlike larger winter turnips, they are lovely raw. You can slice them thinly into salads, quick pickle them, or eat them with dips.

The leaves are edible too. Cook them like spring greens or add them to soups and stir-fries. If you get Hakurei turnips in a veg box, do not bin the tops unless they are damaged.

Quick serving idea

Slice Hakurei turnips thinly, add a pinch of salt, a splash of rice vinegar or cider vinegar, and a tiny bit of sugar. Leave for 15 minutes for a speedy pickle.

Heart of Palm

Heart of palm is the tender inner core harvested from certain palm plants. In the UK it is usually sold in tins or jars. It has a mild flavour and a soft but slightly crisp texture.

Heart of palm is often used in salads, but it has become popular in plant-based cooking because its flaky texture can mimic seafood-style dishes. It can be sliced into salads, chopped into sandwich fillings or used in vegan crab cake-style patties.

Shopping tip

Look for heart of palm in larger supermarkets, health food shops or world food aisles. Compare the drained weight as well as the tin price, as jars and tins can vary a lot.

Habanero Pepper

Habanero peppers are small chilli peppers with a fruity flavour and serious heat. They are usually orange, red or yellow, and a little goes a long way.

Use habaneros in hot sauces, marinades, salsas and Caribbean-style dishes. Wear gloves if chopping lots of hot chillies, avoid touching your eyes, and wash your hands, knife and board thoroughly afterwards.

How to use habanero without overpowering dinner

• Start with a tiny amount and add more if needed.
• Remove seeds and inner membranes for a slightly milder result.
• Balance the heat with fruit, lime, yoghurt or coconut milk.
• Freeze spare chillies whole so they do not go wrinkly in the fridge.

Habanada Pepper

Habanada peppers look and taste similar to habaneros but without the fierce heat. They have a fruity, tropical flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked.

They are not as widely available as standard peppers or chillies, but gardeners and specialist growers may know them. If you spot them at a market, try roasting them or chopping them into salsa for flavour without fire.

Hijiki

Hijiki is a dark edible sea vegetable used in Japanese cooking. It is usually sold dried and needs soaking before cooking. It has a savoury, sea-like flavour and is commonly simmered with vegetables, soy sauce and mirin-style seasonings.

As with seaweed generally, follow packet instructions and enjoy it as part of a varied diet rather than in huge amounts. Dried sea vegetables expand when soaked, so a small packet can last for several meals.

Simple ways to use hijiki

• Add small amounts to rice bowls.
• Mix with carrots, edamame and sesame seeds.
• Use in Japanese-inspired side dishes.
• Combine with noodles and lightly dressed vegetables.

Hop Shoots

Hop shoots are the young shoots of the hop plant, better known for its role in brewing beer. They are a seasonal delicacy and not something you will often see in a regular supermarket.

When available, hop shoots can be cooked a little like asparagus. They suit gentle sautéing with butter, adding to omelettes, folding through risotto or serving with eggs. They are delicate, so avoid heavy sauces that hide their flavour.

Foraging note

Only eat wild plants if you are completely certain of their identification and that they have been gathered legally and safely. If in doubt, buy from a reputable grower instead.

Hyacinth Beans

Hyacinth beans, also known as lablab beans, are eaten in parts of Asia and Africa. The pods, beans and leaves can be used in cooking, but preparation matters because some varieties need thorough cooking.

In the UK, you are most likely to find them in specialist grocers, dried bean selections or seed catalogues for growing. If buying them as food, follow the cooking instructions carefully. Do not assume they can be eaten raw.

Cooking ideas

• Add cooked beans to curries.
• Use tender young pods in stir-fries if sold for eating.
• Combine with tomatoes, onions and spices for a hearty stew.

Hamburg Parsley

Hamburg parsley, or root parsley, is grown for its pale edible root rather than its leaves. It looks a little like a small parsnip but tastes more like parsley crossed with celeriac.

It can be roasted, mashed, added to stews or used in soups. The leaves are also edible and can be used like parsley, though they may be stronger and coarser than the bunches sold as herbs.

How to cook Hamburg parsley

• Roast with carrots, parsnips and potatoes.
• Dice into chicken or vegetable soup.
• Mash with butter and black pepper.
• Grate into fritters or root vegetable cakes.

Horta

Horta is not one single vegetable. It is a Greek term often used for wild or cultivated leafy greens, boiled and dressed simply with olive oil, lemon and salt. Depending on the region and season, horta might include dandelion greens, chicory, amaranth leaves or other edible greens.

At home, you can make a horta-style dish with affordable greens such as spring greens, chard, kale, spinach or beetroot tops. It is a brilliant way to use up leafy veg that is starting to wilt.

Basic horta-style greens

Wash the greens well, simmer until tender, drain, then dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with bread, fish, beans or roast chicken.

Other H Foods Often Used Like Vegetables

Some H foods are not strictly vegetables, but they appear in savoury cooking and may turn up when people search for vegetables beginning with H.

• Heirloom tomatoes: Botanically fruits, but used as salad vegetables. Great with salt, olive oil and basil.
• Hass avocado: A fruit, but commonly used in savoury meals, salads and toast toppings.
• Honey fungus: A wild mushroom group. Only eat wild mushrooms if identified by an expert, as mistakes can be dangerous.
• Herbs: Not vegetables in the usual sense, but herbs beginning with H include hyssop and holy basil.

Best H Vegetables for Saving Money

If you are shopping on a budget, some vegetables that start with H are much more useful than others. Specialist items are fun, but the best value often comes from simple ingredients that stretch meals.

How to Store Vegetables Beginning With H

• Haricot beans: Keep dried beans in an airtight container in a cool cupboard. Store opened tinned beans in the fridge in a covered non-metal container and use within the time stated on the tin.
• Hispi cabbage: Keep in the fridge, ideally in the veg drawer. Use cut cabbage within a few days for best texture.
• Horseradish root: Wrap and refrigerate. Jarred sauce should be refrigerated after opening if the label says so.
• Hokkaido pumpkin and Hubbard squash: Store whole squash somewhere cool, dry and well ventilated. Once cut, refrigerate and use promptly.
• Fresh chillies: Keep in the fridge or freeze whole for longer storage.
• Dried hijiki: Store sealed in a cool, dry cupboard and follow the packet’s best-before guidance.

FAQs About Vegetables That Start With H

What is a common vegetable that starts with H?

Hispi cabbage is one of the most common vegetables that starts with H in the UK. Haricot beans and horseradish are also easy to find in supermarkets.

Are haricot beans a vegetable?

Haricot beans are legumes, but they are often grouped with vegetables in cooking because they are savoury, plant-based and used in soups, stews and side dishes.

What is the healthiest vegetable beginning with H?

There is no single healthiest choice. Hispi cabbage, haricot beans, Hokkaido pumpkin and leafy horta-style greens can all be part of a balanced diet. The best option depends on the meal and what you will actually eat.

What H vegetable is best for roast dinners?

Horseradish is the classic choice with roast beef, while Hokkaido pumpkin, Hubbard squash and Hamburg parsley can all be roasted as side dishes.

Which vegetables that start with H are good for soups?

Haricot beans, Hokkaido pumpkin, Hubbard squash, Hamburg parsley and hispi cabbage all work well in soups. Haricot beans add body, while squash gives a naturally creamy texture when blended.

Are there any spicy vegetables that start with H?

Yes. Habanero peppers are very spicy chillies with a fruity flavour. If you want the flavour without the heat, look for habanada peppers, though they are harder to find.

What H vegetables are good for small gardens?

Hispi cabbage, Hamburg parsley, chillies such as habanero, and some beans can be grown in UK gardens with the right conditions. If space is tight, chillies in pots are a practical option.

Can I freeze H vegetables?

Many of them freeze well. Cooked haricot beans, roasted squash, chopped chillies and blanched greens can be frozen. Hispi cabbage is best fresh for salads, but it can be frozen after blanching if you plan to use it in cooked dishes.