Meloso
It refers to something moist and sticky, but in an appetising way. The perfect example is the melted cheese on a hot pizza that oozes out when you lift a slice.
The brownie was gooey in the middle.
El brownie estaba meloso por dentro.
Grasiento
This describes food that is too oily. You can tell because it leaves a greasy mark on the paper or because the taste of the oil is too overpowering.
The paper bag was greasy after the burger.
La bolsa de papel quedó grasienta después de la hamburguesa.
Crujiente
It is used for hard foods that make a crunching sound when you bite into them, such as a raw carrot. When you chew them, you can hear them crunching because of their hardness.
The salad is nice and crunchy.
La ensalada está rica y crujiente.
Desmenuzado
It describes something that crumbles easily into small pieces. This is typical of biscuits or certain cheeses such as feta or salted Cuban cheese.
The feta cheese was crumbly on top of the salad.
El queso feta estaba desmenuzado encima de la ensalada.
Cremoso
This refers to a smooth, thick texture that is usually milky in appearance. Foods such as Swiss chocolate, milkshakes or a latte are described as creamy because they leave a velvety sensation in the mouth.
I ordered a creamy latte.
Pedí un latte cremoso.
Jugoso
It means that something is soft and slightly moist. It’s the perfect description for a good chocolate cake, which, unlike dry bread, retains a certain amount of moisture that makes it delicious
Keep the chicken moist by not overcooking it.
Mantén el pollo jugoso evitando cocinarlo de más.
Crocante
It is used to describe something that is firm and dry on the outside, but breaks easily when bitten into, revealing a soft centre. A cold apple straight from the fridge is the best example of this texture.
The apple was cold and crisp
La manzana estaba fría y crocante.
Chicloso
Describes food that takes a long time to chew. This can be a positive thing, as in the case of toffee-style sweets, or a negative one, such as a tough steak that feels like rubber.
The steak was chewy and hard to bite.
El filete estaba chicloso y costaba masticarlo.
Pegajoso
Something that sticks to your hands or teeth and is difficult to remove. Caramels and many Mexican sweets often have this characteristic.
The candy is sticky and gets on your teeth.
El caramelo es pegajoso y se queda en los dientes.
Tierno
It is the opposite of chicloso when it comes to meat. It describes meat that is tender and falls apart easily in the mouth.
The meat is tender and easy to cut.
La carne está tierna y se corta fácilmente.
Recourses
Pronunciation
Audio featuring adjectives used to describe food