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A traditional appetizer in Italy, fried zucchini flowers are slightly crispy and mild in flavor. These are the perfect summer appetizer!
Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a food project — to enjoy cooking for cooking’s sake. These pan-fried zucchini flowers fit the bill perfectly.
A traditional appetizer in Italy, fried zucchini flowers are slightly crispy and mild in flavor. They’re not very filling, so it’s easy to make a batch of them and eat them all right away. These are definitely a treat to enjoy with a friend or loved one!
Tips for cooking with zucchini flowers
When making zucchini flower recipes, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Make sure to use male zucchini flowers. Male flowers have a stem, whereas female zucchini flowers are attached to the squash itself. You can probably find these flowers at your local farmers market or at a specialty health food store. Our garden happened to be producing more blossoms than zucchini, so we decided to harvest and fry some up for this recipe. If you’re at a farmer’s market, make sure to buy zucchini flowers and not flowers from another squash, since zucchini flowers are milder in flavor.
- Be extra gentle. Carefully wash the zucchini flowers under running water, and lay them out to dry (don’t wring them or put them in a salad spinner!). A light coating of egg and flour is all that’s needed to make the flowers delightfully crisp, and will keep the flower intact during the frying process.
Type of oil for frying
We’ve found that vegetable oil works best for this zucchini flower recipe because it’s light in flavor and has a decently high smoke point. “Healthier” oils like coconut or olive oil are too strong in flavor for this recipe.
When you begin frying the zucchini flowers, make sure to turn on the fan above your stove and open a few windows if possible. The extra smoke is totally worth it once you taste them!
Serving fried zucchini flowers
These zucchini flowers should be eaten right away, as they don’t store well. Alex and I like the flowers plain, but I bet they’d taste amazing dipped into some romesco sauce or tzatziki—it’d be like a Mediterranean-fusion appetizer this way!
More zucchini recipes
Pick from more of our top zucchini recipes:
- Try main dishes like Easy Zucchini Boats, Perfect Zucchini Lasagna or Creamy Zucchini Pasta.
- Make Perfect Sauteed Zucchini or Zucchini Fritters.
- Bake up Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Brownies or Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
Dietary notes
This fried zucchini flowers recipe is vegetarian.
Zucchini flowers are available at some grocery stores, especially during zucchini season (summer) or farmers markets. You can also try growing your own zucchini plants – the flowers are the male blossoms and can be picked without affecting fruit production.
Open flowers are still edible, but they won’t be as delicate and may be a bit more difficult to handle. We suggest avoiding them for this recipe.
Unfortunately, pan-fried zucchini flowers are best enjoyed fresh. The batter can become soggy if prepped too far in advance.
Pan-Fried Zucchini Flowers
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 flowers 1x
Description
A traditional appetizer in Italy, fried zucchini flowers are slightly crispy and mild in flavor. These are the perfect summer appetizer!
Ingredients
- 12 male zucchini blossoms (the ones on the stems, not on the zucchini)
- 4 cups frying oil
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 egg
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- If the zucchini blossoms are from your garden, cut them stem down to about 1 inch. Gently wash them inside and out, removing all dirt and bugs. Place the blossoms on a towel to air dry.
- Fill a saucepan or skillet (we used cast iron) with 1 inch of frying oil. Heat the oil to 350-375°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, that’s hot but not smoking.
- On a plate, place ¾ cup flour and season with some salt and pepper. Nearby, crack an egg into a bowl and whisk it a bit with a fork.
- With assembly line efficiency, dip each blossom into the egg (letting the excess drip off), roll in the flour, and carefully place the blossom into the hot oil.
- Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the blossoms are golden brown. Remove to a paper towel and enjoy them while still warm!
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
I made my flowers with Bisquick instead of flower yummy
Have always wanted to try these!