Zucchini flowers are one of my favorite summer foods! They have a very delicate zucchini flavor and can be stuffed, fried, stuffed and fried, added to pastas and pizzas, tossed in a salad—the possibilities are endless!
One of my favorite ways to prepare zucchini flowers is by stuffing them with herbed ricotta, dipping them in a light batter and frying them. The perfect summer bite!
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What are zucchini flowers?
Zucchini flowers grow on (you guessed it!) the zucchini plant and can be harvested throughout the growing season. But what do you do if you don't grow zucchini? You're in luck! You can find zucchini flowers at farmer's markets and even some grocery stores. You may even be able to score some from a zucchini growing friend!
Once you do get your hands on some of these delicious flowers, be sure to cook them the same day, or maaaaybe the next. They're delicate little guys and can get wilted if not used right away. That shouldn't be a problem though, you'll want to make these stuffed zucchini flowers ASAP.
How do I prepare zucchini flowers?
Before cooking, take a peek inside the flower to check for bugs. There probably won't be any in there but checking can't hurt. Once you're in the clear on the bug front, 86 those stamens! Stamens are those little stem like things that are poking up inside the flower and you can just rip them off. Now you're ready to cook!
This is a simple recipe with just a few easy steps. First you'll make the ricotta mixture. I usually end up adding chives, lemon zest and parsley but mint and basil are great choices as well. Feel free to customize to your liking! Next, you'll make a batter from just flour, salt and club soda. I love this batter because it's super light and doesn't overwhelm the flavor of the zucchini flowers.
How do I cook zucchini flowers?
The cooking is easy—the flowers go into the batter and then some hot oil for a quick fry. Once in the oil, you'll flip them once to make sure they're perfectly golden and crispy on both sides, then transfer them to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle a little flaky salt on each flower while they're hot out of the oil, that way the salt will stick. I like to fry 3-4 flowers at a time to make sure the pot doesn't get overcrowded. Repeat the steps until all the flowers are fried and serve them up with more chives and a lemon wedge or two.
These zucchini flowers make the perfect appetizer, preferably eaten outside and with a glass of wine!
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Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Ingredients
- 10 Zucchini flowers
- 1 Cup all purpose flour
- 1 Cup club soda
- ¼ Teaspoon kosher salt
- Oil for frying
- Flaky sea salt for serving
- Chives for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving
Herbed Ricotta
- ⅓ Cup ricotta
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped
- ½ Teaspoon lemon zest
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, chives and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Carefully open the blossoms and remove the stamens inside. Using your fingers or a small spoon, fill the blossoms with the ricotta mixture.
- Make the batter. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, salt and club soda together until well combined. The batter should be slightly foamy.
- In a large pot or skillet, heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees. Dip each ricotta stuffed zucchini flower into the batter and add them to the hot oil, one at a time, making sure not to crowd the pot. Fry the flowers for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. With a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the flowers to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat with the remaining flowers.
- Serve right away with more chives and lemon wedges.
- Enjoy summer!
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