Foods That Start With M

Prepare for a delicious journey with **scrumptious** foods that begin with M. Uncover treats like **mangoes**, **macarons**, and plenty more. Explore the complete food glossary for additional tasty surprises!

Macadamia nuts

Round, white nut with a very hard shell, native to Australia.

It is a group of fruit family Proteaceae, which are also known as Queensland nuts, Hawaii nuts, or bush nuts.

These nuts are very high in monounsaturated fat, which is a healthy fat that can reduce the risk of heart diseases.

They are also a great source of vitamins B, manganese, iron, and magnesium.

Macaroni

A type of tubular-shaped pasta. It is made from semolina and water.

In Italian, macaroni (maccheroni) refers to all types of elongated pasta.

Outside of Italy, macaroni is often used as a universal term for all varieties of pasta.

Macaroon

Round crispy cookie, crispy on the outside with a soft, chewy center.

Macaroons can be made of almonds or coconuts and flavored with chocolate, liqueurs, coffee vanilla, and other spices.

Macaron

Baked dessert, made of two meringue biscuits filled with chocolate, fruit, or nut-flavored filling.

The biscuit is very soft and tender, with a slightly firm crust.

It is made of almond flour, egg whites, sugar, and food coloring.

The filling can be made of chocolate ganache, jam, or buttercream.

This is a traditional dessert in French and Italian cuisines.

Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese or macaroni and cheese is a meal composed of baked macaroni and cheese.

This dish can be found in the cuisines of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, although many varieties can be found worldwide.

Other than macaroni, any other short-cut pasta can be used instead.

When it comes to cheese, cheddar is most commonly used, but any type of melting cheese can replace it (Parmesan, Gouda, etc).

Mackerel

Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae.

They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment.

Mackerel species typically have vertical stripes on their backs and deeply forked tails.

Many are restricted in their distribution ranges and live in separate populations or fish stocks based on geography.

Some stocks migrate in large schools along the coast to suitable spawning grounds, where they spawn in fairly shallow waters.

After spawning they return the way they came in smaller schools to suitable feeding grounds, often near an area of upwelling.

From there they may move offshore into deeper waters and spend the winter in relative inactivity.

Other stocks migrate across oceans.

Mafe

Mafé, also spelled maafe, is a West African dish consisting of meat in a peanut or peanut butter sauce served over rice or couscous.

It originated in Mali and spread across the region, particularly in Senegal and the Gambia, during the colonial period, when efforts were undertaken to increase the production of groundnuts.

Some versions of the dish resemble a stew and contain such ingredients as tomato, onion, garlic, cabbage, peppers, and spices.

Other variations consist simply of meat and a generous serving of rich, thick peanut sauce.

Beef and lamb are most commonly used, but chicken and fish are featured in some recipes.

Mango

Tropical fruit of the genus Mangifera, native to South Africa.

It is cultivated in other tropical areas in numerous varieties.

Mangos can be red, orange, yellow, or red, with smooth, waxy skin and juicy flesh.

The taste of this fruit is sweet and a bit sour and tart.

They are usually added to pies, ice cream, cocktails, and smoothies.

Maple Syrup

Thick syrup made from the sap of maple trees, originally produced in North America.

Red, sugar, or black maple trees are mostly used for making this sweet syrup.

Maple syrup is often served with pancakes, French toasts, or waffles. It can also be used in baking as a sweetener.

Margarine

A spread made of vegetable oil mixed with water.

It originated in France in the 19^th century.

It is used as a vegan substitute for butter.

Margarine has a creamy and soft texture and tastes similar to butter.

It can be eaten spread on a slice of toast or used in baking for preparing pastries, cakes, and biscuits.

It consists of 70 % fat and more than 20 % water, and it is high in sodium.

Margheritta

Pizza made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil.

The original recipe was created in the late 19th century in Italy, named after Margherita of Savoy, the Queen of Italy.

Allegedly, these three pizza ingredients (red tomato, white mozzarella, and green basil), are supposed to symbolize the three colors of the Italian flag and honor Italian unification.

Marmalade

A type of fruit preserve that contains pieces of citrus fruit and rind, combined with sugar and water and cooked until set. Its texture is similar to jelly, but more chunky because it is made from whole fruit.

Marmalade is used as a spread or filling. Its name comes from Portugese word marmelada (marmelo means ‘ ‘quince’’ in Portugese).

Marshmallow

A soft, foamy candy made from sugar, water, and gelatin.

It comes in many shapes and flavors, with vanilla being the most common one.

They are named after marshmallow root, which was the original main ingredient used for the production of this confectionery.

Marshmallows can be eaten soaked in a hot beverage like hot chocolate, roasted under fire, or used for desserts like s’mores.

Marzipan

A sweet paste made of almonds and powdered sugar.

It is very similar to almond paste, but it is much sweeter, as it contains a higher amount of sugar.

The larger proportion of sugar makes marzipan much firmer, smoother, and easier to use.

This is especially important when it is used to cover cakes or make cake decorations.

It is can also be sold dipped in chocolate, used to make candies or baked pastries.

Mascarpone

Italian white, soft cream cheese, used in both sweet and savory meals.

It is best known for being the main ingredient in tiramisu cake and cheesecake.

This type of cow’s milk cheese is creamy, smooth, and easily spreadable.

Mashed Potatoes

Boiled potatoes, mixed with milk and butter, and mashed until creamy and smooth.

They can be seasoned with salt, freshly ground black pepper, chives, and other herbs.

Additional ingredients can be bacon, sour cream, and spring onions among various others.

Mashed potatoes are served as a side dish to meat and fish.

They are used also as a base for gnocchi.

Meatball

Meatballs are small balls made of ground meat and seasoned with spices.

They can be fried, boiled, or baked.

They may also contain onions, breadcrumbs, and eggs.

Meatballs are cooked in a sauce, soups, and stews and can be added to sandwiches, pasta, or served with cooked vegetables.

In many cuisines around the world, they are prepared with some additional ingredients, including milk, cheese, peppers, garlic, and different spices.

Meatloaf

A dish made of ground meat shaped like a loaf, seasoned and baked.

To keep the meat moist but still compact, additional ingredients such as eggs, milk, and breadcrumbs may be added.

It can be made of a combination of meat, most commonly beef and pork, and it can be stuffed with cheese, ham, spinach, mushrooms, and other savory ingredients.

Melon

Large, round fruit with thick skin and soft, edible flesh, as well as highly nutritious seeds.

It is native to Africa or Southwest Asia and cultivated in various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae.

The flesh of melons is juicy and sweet and contains a high amount of water and healthy vitamins and minerals.

Some of the most commonly consumed types are watermelon, honeydew, and sweet melon.

Meringue

Type of delicate, airy confectionery, made of beaten egg whites sweetened with sugar.

It should form stiff peaks and be creamy and very light in texture with crisp exterior forming as it bakes.

Meringue is made in form of a  small candy or it can be a base for cakes or pies, including Pavlova, dacquoise,  Kyiv cake, lemon meringue pie, and many other desserts.

Milk Chocolate

A most commonly consumed type of chocolate,  made of cocoa beans, milk, and sugar.

It originated in the 19th century in Switzerland.

Based on the proportion of the main ingredients, it can be very sweet if it contains more sugar and milk, or more bitter and strong if more cocoa is used.

Milk chocolate is a good source of antioxidants, vitamins B2 and B12, iron, calcium, magnesium, and other valuable minerals.

It comes with less percentage of cocoa than dark chocolate, but unlike the latter, it contains milk.

Milkshake

The cold drink made of milk, ice cream, and fruits or flavored syrup.

The mixture is blended until thick and creamy.

It is usually made of cow’s milk, although soy milk and almond milk are also popular versions.

It was invented in the United States and today it can be found in restaurants, diners, and coffee shops around the world.

It is typically served with a straw.

Millet

Millets are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food.

Millets are important crops in the semiarid tropics of Asia and Africa (especially in India, Mali, Nigeria, and Niger), with 97% of millet production in developing countries.

The crop is favored due to its productivity and short growing season under dry, high-temperature conditions.

Millets are indigenous to many parts of the world.

The most widely grown millet is pearl millet, which is an important crop in India and parts of Africa.

Minced Meat

Minced meat or ground meat is a form of finely processed meat using a meat grinder.

It is used in a variety of meals: shaped into burger patties, meatloaf or meatballs, added to sauces or meat pies or cooked in chilies and stews.

Mint

Mint or mentha is an aromatic herb with a sweet, peppery flavor, best used in a fresh form, but can also be made into an extract or used dried.

This herb is a genus of the family Lamiaceae, cultivated in more than 20 species across Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and Australia.

It is used to flavor desserts, syrups, liqueurs, cocktails, and teas.

Miso Soup

Soup made from a miso paste (fermented soybean paste) and other ingredients including tofu and seaweed.

This is a traditional Japanese dish also known as Omiotsuke.

Miso paste is a popular ingredient in Japanese cuisine, with more than 80 % of its annual production being used in this soup.

Miso soup is usually served with rice as a breakfast meal.

Moilee

Fish moilee/Moily or fish molee (mean moilee) is a spicy fish and coconut dish of possible Portuguese or Indian origin.

It is common in India, Malaysia, and Singapore.

During the times of the British Empire, it spread into other places of South-East Asia, such as Singapore.

Mozarella

Italian round-shaped, white or light yellow cheese, mild in flavor and very soft in texture.

It is made from Italian buffalo’ milk.

This type of cheese is used in a Caprese salad, various types of pizza, and pasta.

It provides a good amount of protein and calcium, but it is high in calories and saturated fat.

Muffin

Baked dessert, made of flour, leavening agent, butter, eggs, and different flavorings, including melted chocolate, fruits, nut, and chocolate chips.

The batter is baked in a muffin tray and baked in the oven until doubled in size.

Muffins are served individually, as a breakfast meal, snack, or dessert.

Savory versions can also be made with cheese, vegetables, or ham filling.

Mung beans

The mung bean, alternatively known as the green gram, mash, moong, monggo, or munggo (Philippines) is a plant species in the legume family.

The mung bean is mainly cultivated in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.

It is used as an ingredient in both savory and sweet dishes.

The green gram is an annual vine with yellow flowers and fuzzy brown pods.

Mushrooms

Mushroom, the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting body (sporophore) of certain fungi, typically of the order Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota but also of some other groups. 

A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source.

Mustard

Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant (white/yellow mustard, Sinapis alba; brown mustard, Brassica juncea; or black mustard, Brassica nigra).

The seed itself has a strong, pungent, and somewhat bitter taste.

The taste of mustard condiments ranges from sweet to spicy.

Mutton

Mutton is sheep that is older than one; it is usually harvested at about three years old.

The meat has a deep red color and is much fattier than lamb.

The leg and shoulder are most commonly prepared, but the meat is tough, so it’s often stewed to help tenderize it.

Its flavor is strong and gamey.

Because of its intense taste, it’s not particularly popular in the United States.

Mutton fish

Mutton fish is a common snapper (Lutjanus analis) of the warmer parts of the western Atlantic that is usually olive green and sometimes nearly white or tinged with rosy red and that is an important food and sport fish.

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