If I am at a restaurant and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Flowers are on the menu. I will definitely order them. I absolutely LOVE them! When they are done right, they are incredible, however when they are done wrong they can be terrible.
The key to the perfect Stuffed Zucchini Flowers recipe is simplicity. Use the best quality ingredients you can get your hands on.
What do you stuff Zucchini flowers with?
Ricotta Cheese is a soft and creamy Italian cheese. It is made from the whey leftover from producing other cheeses like Mozzarella and Provolone. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavour and creamy texture and is perfect for stuffing zucchini blossoms.
As there are not many ingredients in this Zucchini Flower Filling, it’s important that you get a good quality Ricotta. Being a bit of a Ricotta snob I steer clear of supermarket Ricotta. I don’t like the flavour or texture. You may need to visit the deli section of your supermarket. Another option is a specialty delicatessen to get a decent Ricotta. Or, if you’d like to make your own from scratch, try my recipe for How to Make Fresh Ricotta. It’s creamy, light and simple to make at home
Enjoying this recipe? I send new Three Friends Cook recipes straight to subscribers.
Where to buy the best Ricotta Cheese in Sydney?
For those of you that live in Sydney my favourite place to buy Italian Cheese is Paesanella Cheese in Marrickville. They have the best Burrata, Buffalo Mozzarella, Fior di Latte, Stracciatella and some excellent hybrids like Pizzarella (perfect for Pizza).
Their Ricotta is the best I have ever had. If you go on a Sunday, the Italian ladies make the Hot Ricotta fresh at the back of the store and it’s so delicious and cheap! I often have it just spread on sourdough toast, sprinkled with a little sea salt and a drizzle of honey (Sunday morning heaven)!🤤
Ingredients in these delicious Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Flowers:
- Ricotta (the good stuff — or try making your own with my recipe for How to Make Fresh Ricotta)
- Parmesan
- Egg
- Lemon Zest
- Chilli Flakes
- Garlic
- Green Onion (Scallions)
- Basil
- Salt
Stuffing the Zucchini Flowers
Please take your time and be gentle – Zucchini flowers are delicate, that’s why they are such a delight to eat! They can tear very easily so take your time and give your zucchini blossoms the care they deserve.
The first thing you must do is remove the stamen from the zucchini flowers (see video at 1:30 mins). This is the pollen producing part of the flower and it is very bitter, so make sure to carefully remove it before stuffing the zucchini blossoms.
Piping Bag – I have used a teaspoons before to fill my zucchini flowers and if you don’t have a piping bag it can be done albeit a little messily. For best and easiest results, transfer the ricotta filling to a piping bag, it will make life so much easier.
Best batter for Crispy Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Nothing annoys me more, than when you order these beautiful delicate little flowers and they are coated in a thick stodgy batter! It completely ruins these dainty blooms overtaking the elegant flavours. For me the perfect batter is light, airy and fragile, it’s a barely there batter that’s job is to lend a fine, wispy crispness that complements the flowers but does not over take them.
Tempura batter is lighter and more aerated than a regular batter, this is due to the use of soda water, which makes the batter lighter, crisper and crunchier, the perfect coating for the delicate zucchini flower!
Ingredients for a tempura batter include: Egg, plain flour, corn flour and soda water.
Final thoughts
These delicious, dainty little morsels are surprisingly easy to make. They are fantastic as an entrée (appetizer) at a dinner party (2 to 3 per person is plenty). Alternatively they are great on a platter as finger food at a party, just serve sprinkled with sea salt flakes and fresh lemon and let summers bounty shine.
Happy Cooking!
For more Italian recipe inspiration visit our Italian Category
Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Ingredients
Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
- 10 fresh zucchini flowers
- 1 egg
- 250 grams ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 tbsp green onions (scallions) minced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- zest of 1 lemon
- sea salt to taste
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
Tempura Batter
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup corn flour
- 1/2 cup soda water
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
Prepare the Zucchini Flowers:
- Gently rinse then dry the zucchini flowers and carefully remove the stamen from inside each blossom. Be sure to handle them delicately to avoid tearing the petals.
Make the Ricotta Filling:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, parmesan, basil, green onion, minced garlic, lemon zest, salt, and chilli flakes. Stir until well combined. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
Stuff the Zucchini Flowers
- Spoon mixture into a piping bag or use a small spoon to carefully stuff each zucchini flower with the ricotta mixture, ensuring not to overfill them. Gently twist the petals to seal the filling inside.
Prepare the Batter:
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, all-purpose flour, corn flour and soda water until smooth, creating a light and airy batter.
Fry the Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
- In a large wok or skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Dip each stuffed zucchini flower into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off, then carefully place it into the hot oil. Fry the flowers in batches, ensuring they are not overcrowded in the pan. Cook until golden brown and crisp, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
Serve and Enjoy:
- Once golden and crispy, transfer the fried zucchini flowers to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Serve immediately while still warm, garnished with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes and fresh lemon wedges.
Video
Discover more from Three Friends Cook
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I love Zuchinni flowers, I always imagined they would be too hard to make at home. However, your recipe looks very easy. Thank you.