Summer just got a little more special with our recipe for stuffed zucchini flowers. The savory blend of creamy goat cheese, fresh herbs, and spinach goes beautifully with the crispy Panko breadcrumb coating.
This elegant appetizer showcases the edible flowers of summer squash and is sure to impress your guests.
It also gives us a chance to use a part of the zucchini plant not often seen in recipes.
Keep reading to find out how to make this delightful recipe.
What do zucchini flowers taste like?
Zucchini flowers, also known as squash blossoms, are the flowers of young zucchini plants.
They are edible and have a delicate and mildly sweet flavor with subtle vegetable notes. Their taste is often described as something like summer squash.
When you cook them, the blossoms develop a tender texture, much the same as cooked greens, and their flavor becomes more pronounced. The filling or seasoning used in a stuffed squash blossoms recipe can influence their overall taste.
Today, I’ve added even more savory notes with the addition of spinach and herbs, as well as creamy goat cheese. The petals are soft and delicate and and almost melt in your mouth once they’re fried.
Panko breadcrumbs give the blossoms a crispier texture compared to regular breadcrumbs, making this recipe very light and crunchy – perfect for snacking!
I have used goat cheese because of its great flavor. Ricotta also works well but is a bit milder.
Is there a substitute for zucchini flowers?
Since zucchini blossoms are flowers from zucchini plants, any other blossoms that stem from different squash varieties will work as a substitute.
If you don’t grow any type of squash, you could replace the squash blossoms with pumpkin flowers. Their appearance is identical to the squash blossoms, and they are orange and yellow, too.
Making stuffed zucchini flowers
Carefully inspect the squash blossoms, removing any dirt or insects. Gently rinse them under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
In addition to the blossoms, you will need these ingredients:
- Squash blossoms
- Fresh goat cheese
- Spinach leaves
- Fresh rosemary, parsley and thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- All-purpose flour
- Garlic powder
- Eggs
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
The recipe is quite easy to do.
Combine the goat cheese with the fresh herbs and seasoning and mix together in a bowl. Then, chop the spinach and sauté it for about 2-3 minutes until wilted and cooled.
Add it to the goat cheese mixture and mix until well combined.
How to prepare zucchini flowers
Carefully open each squash blossom and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the goat cheese and spinach mixture into the center. Gently twist the petals to enclose the filling.
Repeat with the other blossoms.
To make the batter for zucchini flowers, you’ll make a breading station with three bowls. Place the flour and garlic powder in the first, beaten eggs in the second and Panko breadcrumbs in the third.
Carefully dip each stuffed squash blossom into the flour mixture, and then shake off any excess.
Dip the blossom into the beaten eggs, and finally, coat it evenly with Panko breadcrumbs.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet oven medium heat. Carefully place the coated squash blossoms into the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy.
Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
I used a combination of rosemary, thyme, and parsley and it added a wonderful aromatic flavor to the filling of the squash blossoms. Feel free to experiment with your favorite herbs.
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Discover the delicious world of stuffed squash blossoms in our latest blog post! 🌼 Learn how to make these crispy, creamy delights bursting with flavor. Perfect for summer gatherings! Get the recipe on The Gardening Cook.… Click To TweetPin this recipe for stuffed zucchini blossoms
Would you like a reminder of this recipe for filled squash flowers? Just pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
You can also watch our video about growing zucchini on YouTube!
For another stuffed vegetable recipe, be sure to try my stuffed eggplant with ground beef. It is so nutritious and your family will love it.
Stuffed Zucchini Flowers Recipe - Fried Squash Blossoms
Squash blossoms have a delicate and sweet taste. This recipe adds to their flavor by filling them with creamy goat cheese, fresh herbs and savory spinach.
A light coating with flour, eggs and Panko gives them a crunchy coating.
Ingredients
- 12 squash blossoms
- 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Carefully inspect the squash blossoms, removing any dirt or insects. Gently rinse them under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the goat cheese, chopped rosemary, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped spinach leaves and sauté until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Once the spinach has cooled, add it to the goat cheese mixture and stir until evenly incorporated.
- Carefully open each squash blossom and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the goat cheese and spinach mixture into the center. Gently twist the petals to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining blossoms.
- In three separate shallow bowls, prepare your breading station. In the first bowl, combine the flour and garlic powder. In the second bowl, beat the eggs. In the third bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs.
- Dip each stuffed squash blossom into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the beaten eggs, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, coat it evenly with panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully place the coated squash blossoms into the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried squash blossoms to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
- Serve the fried squash blossoms immediately. Enjoy them as a delightful appetizer or side dish!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 167Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 159mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 7g
Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.