Squash blossoms are edible squash flowers. You’ll put a little cheese filling inside each one, coat it in a thin batter, and fry it until crisp. Small tears are fine—you don’t need perfect flowers.
Makes 10–12 blossoms.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- ¾ cup whole-milk ricotta
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan, or a vegetarian alternative
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, mint, or chives
- Finely grated yellow peel of ½ lemon—avoid the bitter white layer underneath
- Black pepper and a small pinch of salt
For the batter and frying:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup very cold sparkling water
- A pinch of salt
- Neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
1. Clean the flowers
Gently separate the tips of the petals and look inside. Near the bottom, you’ll see a little yellow or orange nub or stalk: this is the flower’s central reproductive part. Pinch it off gently with your fingertips, supporting the flower’s base so you don’t pull the whole flower apart.
Check for insects and dirt. Wipe with a damp paper towel, or give gritty flowers a gentle, brief rinse. Don’t soak them. If rinsed, let them dry on towels, checking that no water remains trapped inside before frying.
Keep the petals and green base intact. You can trim a long stem down to about an inch to make a little handle.
2. Mix the filling
Stir all the filling ingredients together in a bowl. If your ricotta has liquid pooled around it, pour that off first. The filling should sit in a soft mound on a spoon rather than run off.
3. Fill each flower
Hold a flower in one hand and gently open the petals with the other. Use a small teaspoon to tuck filling into the hollow inside.
Start with 1–2 teaspoons per flower; large flowers may hold a tablespoon. Leave the upper part of the petals empty so you can gather them together and gently twist the tips closed. No toothpicks needed.
If a petal tears, overlap it with another petal to cover the filling.
4. Heat the oil
Pour about ½ inch of oil into a sturdy skillet with fairly high sides. Heat over medium heat to 350°F, ideally checking with a cooking thermometer.
Without a thermometer, drop in a tiny bit of batter once you’ve mixed it: it should sizzle promptly and float, without immediately turning brown. The oil should not smoke.
Have tongs and a plate lined with paper towels ready.
5. Make the batter just before frying
Stir the flour, cold sparkling water, and salt together until mostly combined. A few lumps are fine. It should be thin enough to coat a flower lightly; if it looks like thick pancake batter, add another splash of sparkling water.
6. Coat and fry in small batches
Hold a filled flower by its stem or base, support it with a spoon, and gently turn it in the batter. Let excess batter drip back into the bowl.
Lower it carefully into the oil, away from you. Fry only 3–4 at a time, leaving space between them.
Cook for 1–2 minutes on the first side, then gently turn with tongs and cook for another 1–2 minutes. They’re ready when the coating looks set, lightly golden, and crisp. Don’t wait for deep brown.
7. Salt and eat immediately
Lift onto the paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve with lemon wedges while hot—the filling will be creamy and the petals crisp.