Fried Zucchini Flowers

Make the most of every part of your zucchini plant by making these fun, crispy, and shockingly simple fried zucchini flowers. 

What Are Zucchini Flowers? 

Squash blossoms, as they're also known, are the edible flowers that grow on the zucchini plant. With their vibrant yellow hue and elegant petals, they’re actually quite pretty! The tender, slightly sweet blossoms can be eaten raw or cooked. When fried, they are deliciously crispy. 

How to Fry Zucchini Flowers

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you fry zucchini flowers at home: 

1. Clean and dry the flowers well. 
2. Make the batter. 
3. Dip the flowers in the batter, then deep-fry until golden and crispy. 
4. Drain the fried zucchini flowers on paper towels and season with salt. 

Test Kitchen Tips

“If you can get your hands on some squash blossoms this summer, you should do it,” says culinary producer and test kitchen expert Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. NicoleMcMom). “It’s the perfect ‘something special’ to add to your next dinner party.” Here are some of Nicole’s best tips and tricks for perfectly frying zucchini flowers at home: 

• Nicole recommends spreading the petals apart a bit before you dip the flowers into the batter, as this will ensure the crunchiest results. 
• For a more decadent approach, you can stuff the zucchini flowers before you fry them. Nicole piped a creamy mixture of ricotta, lemon zest, and Parmesan into each flower, but you can get creative with your filling. 

Variations for Zucchini Flowers

If you are looking to change up the way you normally fry up squash blossoms, here are some tips and recipes to help you out:

• After the flowers are fried, other great toppings and seasonings to add include black pepper, basil and garlic, parsley, and cheese such as Parmesan, mozzarella, or ricotta.
• Make a fresh pesto, and use it as a dipping sauce for your zucchini flowers. It is the perfect combination of light, sweet, and summery.
• Make some pasta! This Pasta ai Fiori di Zucca (Pasta with Zucchini Blossoms) tastes like the perfect summer dish and is a great way to use penne noodles in the cabinet.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

• "I had just 4 zucchini flowers on my plant, so I halved the recipe and it was perfect!" says Allrecipes community member TCapri. "I just used a small cast iron pan so the oil was deeper and turned them...A fun way to use the flowers."
• "Tasted just like my Nonnas," says one Allrecipes community member. "I added two tablespoons of Parmesan cheese to the batter and a sprinkle on top while they're warm."
• "Was a great batter recipe! I added chopped chives, thyme, black pepper, and a pinch of paprika to batter. At the end, I sprinkled Romano cheese on top," says Nanners Ritz.
  

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams