- Zabaglione: (Italy) a warm dessert made from Marsala, egg yolks and sugar. Also called zabaione.
- Zadelciuane drstky: (Czech Republic) Thin strips of parboiled tripe sautéed in butter with chopped onions and garlic, flour added to make a roux, stock added with chopped ham and parsley and all simmered until cooked.
- Zamia: A type of palm tree from the pith of which a starch is extracted.
- Zander: (Germany) The freshwater pike-perch caught in European rivers and lakes and considered to be a delicacy. The flesh is firm and white with a stronger flavour than cod.
- Zarda palau: (Central Asia) an elaborate Afghan dish of boiled rice soaked in a heavy sugar syrup which is flavoured with strips of orange peel. Half the rice covers the base of an oven proof dish and the remainder surrounds the central pile of meat, which is pieces of chicken breast browned with onions and simmered with water for 20 minutes. The cooking liquor is poured over and the covered dish is casseroled at 150°C for 40 minutes. Finally the dish is decorated with the blanched pieces of orange peel removed from the syrup, browned almond slivers and pistachio nuts, and the rice is colored with a saffron infusion in water.
- Zatore: (Middle East) a herb and spice mix used in bread which usually includes sesame seeds, thyme and savory.
- Za’atar: Middle Eastern spice mixture, comprising equal quantities of sesame seeds, thyme and sumac with a little salt. Sprinkled over meats and vegetables mixed with oil and used as a spread on bread.
- Zatziki: (Greece) a dip based on finely chopped or grated deseeded cucumber.
- Zatzizi: A Georgian dish of chicken flavoured with herbs and served with mashed walnuts.
- Zavtrak: Russian breakfast traditionally tea, rolls, curd cheese and/ or buckwheat porridge and buttermilk.
- Zest: The colored outer layer of citrus fruit skin which contains the essential oil.
- Zester: A small very fine toothed metal grater often mounted on a wooden handle for grating the zest of citrus peel.
- Zeytinyagli sebzeler: (Turkey) Mixed vegetables, garlic and seasoning simmered slowly with very little water until tender. Served cold with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
- Zha yu qiu: (China) Deep-fried square pieces of fish in a hot and spicy sauce.
- Zhug: (Middle East) a typical spice mix from the Yemen used as a condiment and containing red peppers, red chillies, coriander leaves and seeds, garlic, green cardamom and lemon juice pounded into a paste.
- Zimino: (Italy) A soup or stew of fish with white wine, tomatoes, mushrooms and herbs.
- Zion juice: (Caribbean) a Jamaican Rastafarian juice made from raw carrots, boiled water and soya milk (2:2:1) processed to a thick drink then flavoured with coconut cream, nutmeg, rose water, and molasses or raw brown sugar to taste.
- Zucchini: (England, Italy) Courgette.
- Zucchini flowers: The large yellow flowers of the zucchini often stuffed and served as fritters or steamed in Italian and French cuisine, and are now produced year-round in Australia by some growers specifically for that purpose.
- Zuppa rustica: (Italy) A country soup containing potatoes, beans and sausages.
- Zushi: The seasoned rice used in preparing sushi.
- Zymase: Various enzymes which together induce the alcoholic fermentation of carbohydrates, usually obtained from living yeast but may be added apart from the yeast.
- Zakuski: Russian for ‘little bites’, light hot and cold dishes served with drinks (usually vodka) either before a meal or in a bar, somewhat like a Russian version of tapas.
- Zampone: An Italian dish of boned, stuffed and simmered pig’s trotter.
- Zuppa inglese: An Italian trifle.