Spanish Translation of Popular Food Names – Free Vocabulary Guide

I was once told that if you want to be a real Chef, you should not let anyone buy the ingredients of your creations for you. Because the plate is your canvas, your paints will be your ingredients, your knives will be your brushes, and those who will buy your works of art will be your guests. And if there is a golden rule when cooking, it is that the ingredients must be fresh and of good quality, that’s where the local market comes in, and the ritual begins: see, smell, touch and taste! Or so you thought, until you run into a barrier: language.

Spanish has become an increasingly common language and present in everyone’s life, whether you find yourself in a market with Latinos, or you’re living in a Spanish-speaking country for a while. The food in Spanish sometimes has names that may sound or look similar to English, but other times they won’t resemble it at all, or their pronunciation will change to almost become a new word.

If you work in a restaurant, it’s important to know the names of common foods in both English and Spanish. This way, you can communicate with your customers and coworkers more effectively. But fear not, we’ve brought for you a few lists of food in Spanish, so you won’t freeze up again thinking “how do you say carrot in Spanish?” the next time you find yourself shopping or at the restaurant.

Now, if you’re ready to know things like what’s comino in Español, here are some essential food terms to know:

Meats

When you are shopping or preparing a recipe, you create this mental list that you cross off. Today will be the same and for our first food list in Spanish we will start with meats, that almost fundamental part of any dish, especially in Latin cuisine where you can’t have arroz con pollo without pollo (in case you were wondering what’s chicken in Spanish, this would be it).

Red Meats/Carnes Rojas

Spanish	English
Res	Beef
Vaca	Cow
Buey	Ox
Caballo	Horse
Cabra / Chivo	Goat
Cerdo (solomillo)	Pork (sirloin)
Cordero (adulto)	Lamb (adult)
Ovejo	Sheep
Pato	Duck
Ternera	Veal
Toro	Bull

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White Meats/Carnes Blancas

Spanish	English
Cerdo (lomo)	Pork (loin)
Codorniz	Quail
Conejo	Rabbit
Cordero (joven)	Lamb (young)
Mariscos	Seafood
Pavo	Turkey
Pescado	Fish
Pollo	Chicken

Charcuterie/Charcutería

Spanish	English
Jamón	Ham
Chorizo	Hard pork sausage
Fuet	Catalan sausage
Salchichón	Salami-type sausage
Mortadela	Mortadella
Salchicha	Sausage
Morcilla	Blood sausage
Panceta, tocino, tocineta	Bacon

Sauces

I love food in Spanish, English, and any other language you can think of. Something I don’t love is a dish that could have been perfect and wasn’t, and a poorly prepared sauce can ruin any dish. On the other hand, if it is a sauce that is made with the right thickness, color, aroma and flavor, that service will be on a level of gods. If you are reading recipes in Spanish language, and you don’t want to fail when preparing your sauces, take note:

Spanish	English
Salsa fría	Cold sauce
Salsa caliente	Hot / Warm sauce
Salsa oscura	Brown sauce
Salsa blanca	Blond / White sauce
Vinagreta	Vinaigrette
Alemana	Allemande / German
Roug / boloñesa	Bolognese
Yogur	Yogurt
Bechamel	Béchamel
Barbacoa	Barbecue
Holandesa	Hollandaise
Velouté	Velouté
Española	Espagnole
Tomate	Tomato
Mayonesa	Mayonnaise
A la pimienta	Pepper
Queso	Cheese
Pesto	Pesto
Picante	Hot / Spicy
Kétchup, cátchup o cátsup	Ketchup
Mostaza	Mustard
Soya	Soy
Inglesa	Worcestershire

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Ingredients

Although most chefs and cooks like to elaborate the ingredients that help them prepare their recipes, there are some that not only come from nature, but also come already manufactured. They are of high quality and make the job easier, resulting in significant time savings. So, without a doubt, like this Spanish food vocab, they go straight to the checklist of every restaurant.

Spanish	English
Agua	Water
Huevos	Eggs
Sal	Salt
Azúcar (blanca y morena)	Sugar (White, Brown)
Miel	Honey
Mantequilla (con y sin sal)	Butter (salted, unsalted)
Nata / Crema de leche	Cream
Gelificantes (agar agar, cmc)	Gelling agent
Aceite de… maíz, oliva, canola, soya	Corn, olive, canola, soybean… Oil
Vinagre de… manzana, vino, alcohol	Apple cider, wine, alcohol… Vinegar
Humo líquido	Liquid smoke
Pasta de tomate	Tomato paste
Harina (con y sin leudante)	Leavening / Non-leavening flour
Fécula de maíz	Corn starch
Vinos	Wines
Quesos	Cheeses
Leche	Milk
Frutos secos	Dried fruit
Mermeladas	Jams
Trufa (negra y blanca)	Truffle (black and white)
Fresco / De temporada	Fresh / Seasonal
Granos y cereales	Grains and cereals
Ajonjolí / Sésamo	Sesame
Arroz	Rice
Arvejas	Peas
Avena	Oats
Cebada	Barley
Centeno	Rye
Fororo	Fororo
Frijol blanco	White Beans
Frijol negro	Black beans
Frijol ojos Negros	Black-eyed peas
Frijol rojo	Red bean
Garbanzos	Chickpeas
Girasol	Sunflower seed
Guisante	Pea
Lentejas	Lentils
Linaza	Flaxseed
Maíz amarillo	Yellow corn
Maíz blanco	White corn
Maní	Peanut
Soja	Soybeans
Trigo	Wheat
Quinchoncho	Chinchoncho

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Fruits & Vegetables

Since humans have been human, there have always been discussions about the differences in the classification between vegetables and fruits (don’t get me started on tomatoes). The truth of the matter is that they are the standard-bearers of the contours and are responsible for 80% of the flavor they bring to the final result of the recipes. If you want to know the name of this food in Spanish, they are:

Spanish	English
Fruta	Fruit
Verdura, hortaliza	Vegetable
Tubérculo	Tuber
Ají	Chili
Ajo	Garlic
Cilantro	Cilantro
Hongos	Mushrooms
Lechuga	Lettuce
Cebolla	Onion
Cebolleta	Chives
Pimentón	Pepper
Cereza	Cherry
Tomate	Tomato
Tamarindo	Tamarind
Albaricoque	Apricot
Fresa	Strawberry
Mango	Mango
Durazno	Peach
Melón	Melon
Pera	Pear
Lechosa / papaya	Milk fruit / Papaya
Limón, lima	Lemmon, Lime
Banana / Cambur	Banana
Piña	Pineapple
Apio	Celery
Zanahoria	Carrot
Papa	Potato
Yuca	Cassava

Spices

Recipes in Spanish and English share something, that ace up their sleeve… Spices. They give that nuance, that unexpected touch that surprises the taste buds. Now, you may be wondering: How do you say spices in Spanish? The answer is “Especias” (never “Especies”, which means Species). But if you’re looking for something more specific, don’t miss this list:

Spanish	English
Azafrán	Saffron
Cacao	Cocoa
Canela	Cinnamon
Cardamomo	Cardamom
Clavos de olor	Cloves
Comino	Cumin
Cúrcuma	Turmeric
Curry	Curry
Jengibre	Ginger
Laurel	Bay leaf
Nuez moscada	Nutmeg
Orégano (entero, molido, en polvo)	Oregano (whole, ground, powder)
Pimienta (roja, negra, rosada, blanca, verde)	(Red, Black, Pink, White, Green) Pepper
Paprika (picante, dulce, ahumado)	Paprika (spicy, sweet, smoked)
Albahaca	Basil
Hierbabuena	Peppermint
Menta	Mint
Romero	Rosemary
Eneldo	Dill
Estragón	Tarragon
Salvia	Sage
Tomillo	Thyme
Perejil	Parsley

Being able to communicate with your customers and coworkers is essential in the restaurant business, whether you work in the front or back of the house. By learning some key food terms in Spanish, you’ll be one step closer to being bilingual and an important part of the team. Plus, don’t forget to impress your boss next time they ask you how to say “carrot” in Spanish!