Ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossoms are very popular all over Mexico. A recipe my mom told me on the phone some years ago inspired these fried stuffed squash blossoms. These delicate bites are amazingly delicious and so very easy to make.
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Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Cooking with Squash blossoms is more common in Central Mexico during the rainy season. However, you can find them almost everywhere in the country, where people like to use them for the famous squash blossom quesadillas and other dishes like this stuffed squash blossoms. According to Pre-Hispanic codices, Squash blossoms were part of the Mexican gastronomy before the Spaniards arrived in Mexico.
But, before I continue, let me tell you these flowers are delicate and soft with a very mild flavor resembling the squash. And, in case you have more questions about these natural wonders, read more about them below.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms.
Before I share my recipe, here are a few questions I would like to answer about this Squash Blossoms.
When is the squash blossoms season?
Depending on the climate zone where you live, the plant starts blooming around late spring up to late summer. We are talking between May and October. However, in warmer weather, they will still thrive during the late days of the fall season. Another way is to grow your own plant; yes is pretty easy.
If you decide to grow your own plant, here is a tip. Squash plants produce more male flowers than needed; male flowers have long, thin stems compared to female flowers. Leave two or three male flowers for the female blossoms for pollination, and you will still get tons of squash. Remember that you can do this recipe with all kinds of blossoms, like squash and zucchini blossom.
What does squash blossom taste like?
These delicate flowers have a mild flavor; in fact, the only flavor you may taste is that they taste like squash. The texture is soft and can be eaten raw, which makes them very versatile for many meals, like this stuffed squash blossoms recipe.
Where to buy Squash Blossoms?
I know it takes work to find squash blossoms everywhere. Check your Organic Market, like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, go to your farmer markets, and ask the vendors to bring you some the next time; if they sell zucchini, chances are they have plenty of blossoms in their vegetable garden or the Latin Stores. I was surprised you can buy them online at Amazon and whole foods.
How to store squash blossoms?
When you bring them from the store or the farmers market, and before cooking the blossoms, rinse them with fresh water, pad dry them with a kitchen towel, and remove the stamen. I usually store them in the fridge in a plastic container with a lid, with a lot of room for the blossoms. Do not overcrowd them. They last about 3-4 days in good shape. Tip: sometimes, I recycle the strawberries container and line it with a paper towel to store the blossoms there. Works great!
How to cook with squash blossoms?
Besides making this stuffed squash blossoms recipe, they are usually a part of a dish; you can add them to salads, quesadillas, soups, stews, tamales, pasta, and even pizzas. And in case I didn’t mention before, you can eat them raw and use them as a garnish for soups. Just remember to treat them gently and cook for a quick –short time or add them almost at the end of your cooking.
How to cook with squash blossoms?
Besides making this stuffed squash blossoms recipe, they are usually a part of a dish; you can add them to salads, quesadillas, soups, stews, tamales, pasta, and even pizzas. And in case I didn’t mention before, you can eat them raw and use them as a garnish for soups. Just remember to treat them gently and cook for a quick –short time or add them almost at the end of your cooking.
How to make Stuffed Squash Blossoms Mexican Style
Ingredients:
- Squash Blossoms
- White onion
- Serrano pepper (optional)
- Chopped parsley
- Ricotta cheese
- One egg
- Flour
- Beer
- Salt and pepper
- Oil for frying (Any neutral oil)
Instruccions:
Clean de Blossoms
- Wash the flowers and dry them with a kitchen towel very carefully. Remove the pistil with the tip of the kitchen Scissors. (Please check the ingredients list below)
Make the Filling
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the onion and pepper, and sauté for one or two minutes, only until the onion looks transparent.
- Add the onion and pepper mixture to a bowl with the ricotta cheese and chopped parsley. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Stuffed and Fry the Blossoms
- Open the petals of the flower carefully and stuff the flowers very carefully with the help of a small spoon or a piping bag.
- The already-filled flowers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before frying.
- To prepare the batter, mix in a bowl one large egg, ⅓ cup of flour, and ¼ cup of clear beer. (If you do not have a beer, use milk and a ⅓-teaspoon of baking powder.) Mix everything well.
- Heat the oil to medium-low temperature since the flowers are very delicate.
- Once the oil is hot, grab each flower from its stem and dip it in the batter mixture to cover it completely.
- Place the flowers in the oil, and repeat this process with the other flowers in small batches in the pan.
Cook for a minute and a half or until you see a light brown color, turn and cook in the same way. Remove and place the ricotta stuffed squash blossoms on a plate covered with paper napkins or on a wire rack.
Serve with tomato sauce. Click this link for the tomato recipe.
More Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe for Stuffed squash blossoms, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. in español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Mexican Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Ingredients
- 16 Squash Blossoms
- 2 tablespoons chopped white onion
- 1 Serrano pepper minced optional
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1- cup ricotta cheese
- 1 Large egg
- ⅓- cup flour
- ¼ cup of beer
- Salt and pepper
- Oil for frying
Instructions
Clean de Blossoms
- Wash the flowers and dry them with a kitchen towel very carefully. Remove the pistil with the tip of the kitchen Scissors.
Make the Filling
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat, add the onion and pepper, and sauté for one or two minutes, only until the onion looks transparent.
- Add the onion and pepper mixture to a bowl with the ricotta cheese and chopped parsley. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Stuffed and Fry the Blossoms
- Open the petals of the flower carefully and stuff the flowers very carefully with the help of a small spoon or a piping bag.
- The already-filled flowers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before frying.
- To prepare the batter, mix in a bowl one large egg, ⅓ cup of flour, and ¼ cup of clear beer. (If you do not have a beer, use milk and a ⅓-teaspoon of baking powder.) Mix everything well.
- Heat the oil to medium-low temperature since the flowers are very delicate.
- Once the oil is hot, grab each flower from its stem and dip it in the batter mixture to cover it completely.
- Place the flowers in the oil, and repeat this process with the other flowers in small batches in the pan.
- Cook for a minute and a half or until you see a light brown color, turn and cook in the same way. Remove and place the ricotta stuffed squash blossoms on a plate covered with paper napkins or on a wire rack.
Notes
- If ricotta cheese is too bland for your taste, try adding half of the lemon juice or lemon zest to the mixture. Goat cheese is also a great alternative.
- You can use purple onions or green onions instead of white onions.
- For fresh herbs, if you do not have parsley, use cilantro, Epazote, or even oregano.
- Other batter ingredients that can be substituted are beer for a seltzer soda like club soda.
Pat sanchez
I can’t have eggs , what can I use instead
Mely Martínez
Hello Pat,
You can use a batter made of All-purpose flour mixed with water, and baking powder.
Jody
Awesome, a vegetarian delicacy. 🤓
Gabrielle Warner
Loved it! Delicious!
Barbara T Bradley
I love squash blossoms stuffed with feta and grated beets. Can't wait to try your fried version.
Mely Martínez
Hello Barbara,
I hope you enjoy it!
Happy cooking!
Stephanie
I didn't know what to expect, but this dish is utterly amazing!
Michael Green
What first brought me to your site was your recipe for sweet corn masa. My exwifes family in Tucson made these every year at Christmas. Of course they put a green chilli strip and cheddar cheese inside. I've been married three times all of my wives were Hispanic my third died from metastatic breast cancer after 21 years. So I've learned a lot about making Mexican food. I'm slso pretty good at it. But I've found your recipes extremely helpful recently, especially when I want to make something new. I do occasionally make modifications to the recipes, but they are extremely helpful. The current recipe for squash blossoms gave me an idea. I pretty much followed your recipe but fried some chorizo then cooled it and added it to the stuffing. My son's loved it. Thanks for the wonderful recipes and inspiration.
mmartinez
Hello Michael,
Thanks for visiting the website and cooking some of the recipes. That is the beauty of cooking, that you can adapt the recipes to your own liking. By the way, the brilliant idea of adding chorizo to the stuffing, I love it. Happy cooking!
Stephanie
I didn't know what to expect, but this dish is utterly amazing!
Erin
Made it tonight and it was great! Loved the beer batter. I did make some modifications used goat cheese instead of ricotta, substituted jalapeño and cilantro in place of serrano pepper and parsley. I also added Jamon serrano by rolling the goat cheese into the ham which made it easier to stuff. Served with green rice with saturated zucchini. Delish!