| Family | Botanical name | Local name(s) | Plant part used as vegetable | Residence status in Malawi | Published native range |
| Malvaceae | Abelmoschus esculentus | Thelele lobala | Leaves and fruits | Indigenous | South Asian, Ethiopian and West African [21] |
| Amaryllidaceae | Allium cepa L. | Anyezi | Leaves and bulb | Non-indigenous vegetable | Middle East [22] |
| Amaryllidaceae | Allium sativum | Galiki | Tuber | Non-indigenous vegetable | Northern China [23] |
| Amaranthaceae | Amaranthus retroflexus L. | Bonongwe | Leaves | Indigenous | Africa, Asia, America [24] |
| Amaranthaceae | Amaranthus sp | Bonongwe | Leaves | Indigenous | Africa, Asia, America [24] |
| Asteraceae | Bidens pilosa | Chisoso | Leaves | Indigenous | South America [25] . Cosmopolitan to global tropics |
| Brassicaceae | Brassica napus L. | Tanaposi (Mpiru) | Leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | Mediterranean region (Europe) [26] |
| Brassicaceae | Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. | Kabichi/abichi | Leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | Europe [27] |
| Brassicaceae | Brassica rapa var. rapifera | Repu | Leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | China [26] |
| Brassicaceae | Brassica rapa | Repu | Leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | China [26] |
| Brassicaceae | Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis | Chinise | leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | Southern China [23] |
| Brassicaceae | Brassica oleracea | Kabichi | Leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | Mediterranean region (Europe) [26] |
| Fabaceae | Cajanus cajan | Nandolo | Seeds | Non-indigenous vegetable | India and south Asia [28] |
| Solanaceae | Capsicum annuum | Tsabola/ Kambuzi/Piripiri | Fruit | Non-indigenous vegetable | Central America [29] |
| Fabaceae | Cicer arietinum | Chana | Seeds | Indigenous | West Africa [30] |
| Cleomaceae | Cleome gynandra | Luni | Leaves | Indigenous | Africa and Asia [31] |
| Araceae | Colocasia esculenta | Masimbi (Tum.) | Tuber | Non-indigenous vegetable | Southeast Asia [32] |
| Malvaceae | Corchorus olitorius | Denje | Leaves | Indigenous | Africa (Egypt) and the middle East [33] |
| Cucurbitaceae | Cucurbita maxima | Maungu | Leaves and fruits | Non-indigenous vegetable | North America [29] |
| Cucurbitaceae | Cucurbita moschata | Dzungu (Maungu) | Leaves and fruits | Non-indigenous vegetable | North America [29] |
| Cucurbitaceae | Cucurbita pepo | Dzungu (Maungu) | Leaves and fruits | Non-indigenous vegetable | North America [29] |
| Asteraceae | Galinsoga parviflora | Mwamunaligone | Leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | Andes region in South America [34] |
| Convolvulaceae | Ipomea batatas | Mbatata, Kholowa | Root tubers | Non-indigenous vegetable | South and Central America [29] |
| Asteraceae | Lactuca sativa | Letesi | Leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | South-West Asia [35] |
| Euphorbiaceae | Manihot esculenta | Chinangwa | Leaves and root tubers | Non-indigenous vegetable | Brazil [29] |
| Molingaceae | Moringa oleifera | Chammwamba | Leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | North-West India [36] |
| Fabaceae | Mucuna pruriens | Kalongonda | Seeds | Non-indigenous | Northeast and Eastern India [37] |
| Nymphaeaceae | Nymphaea petersiana | Nyika | Tubers | Indigenous | Africa, India and Australia [38] |
| Fabaceae | Phaseolus vulgaris | Nyemba | Leaves and fresh seeds | Non-indigenous vegetable | North and Central America [39] |
| Solanaceae | Solanum tuberosum L. | Mbatatesi | Tubers | Non-indigenous vegetable | Peru [29] |
| Solanaceae | Solanum lycorpesicum | Matimati (Tomato) | Fruits and leaves | Non-indigenous vegetable | South and Central America [29] |
| Solanaceae | Solanum nigrum | Msaka | Leaves and fruits | Indigenous | Africa, Cosmopolitan [40] |
| Fabaceae | Vigna unguiculata | Khobwe, Nkhunde (Tum.) | Leaves and seeds | Indigenous | Eastern and Southern Africa [41] |
| Zingiberaceae | Zingiber officinale | Jinja | Tubers | Non-indigenous vegetable | South-East Asia [42] |