Summer is in full swing! That means one of my favorite edible flowers is popping up in my garden… squash blossoms! These bright yellow, star shaped flowers are not only beautiful, but also delicious when cooked for just a couple minutes. Read on for a mouth watering recipe that takes only five minutes to make!
Squash blossoms are the flower of the squash plant— in the case of the plants growing in my backyard— zucchinis!— though there are other varieties as well. These pretty flowers generally pop up from late spring to early fall (along the same time as summer squash). They can be a bit tricky to find in some areas, as the flowers are somewhat delicate (not an ideal product to ship long distances).
Look for them at your local farmers market (this is by far the best and most likely place you will find them!). Ask your local farmer if you don’t see them around. You can also check your local health food store. Hell, you can even ask your gardening neighbors, or grow some yourself! I can attest that zucchini plants are pretty darn easy to grow (just make sure to leave some female flowers so you can enjoy some actual squash too)! However you acquire them, you’ll want to buy your blossoms fresh and aim to consume them within a couple days. Don’t worry, they make up for their delicate nature with beauty and taste!
There’s plenty of ways to get fancy with squash blossoms that really aren’t that complicated to make. Get inspired with their use in traditional Mexican, Italian, Spanish, and Greek cuisines. One of my favorite dishes is squash blossom stuffed quesadillas (que the drooling). Literally just add some blossoms inside your favorite cheesy quesadilla and BOOM! Delicious! Try sliding them inside a breakfast omelette for a fun start to your day! Another classic preparation is battered and fried blossoms (think “flower fritters!” And remember to use high quality oil for any frying!). You can even stuff your blossoms with ricotta cheese, twist them closed and roast ‘em. Heaven! The blossoms themselves have a subtly sweet flavor (similar to zucchini) so they take on other flavors nicely.
Today, however, I’d like to share the absolute simplest way to prepare squash blossoms (other than consuming them raw, which, yes, you can also do!). This will take all intimidation out of cooking with a new flower, and it literally takes just a couple minutes to prepare a dish that feels like a total delicacy, so I’m all for it!
Introducing, Garlic Sautéed Squash Blossoms!
Ingredients:
~6 squash blossoms (or how ever many you can get your hands on!)
High quality fat like olive oil,* butter, or avocado oil (*note- I normally don’t recommend cooking with olive oil due to its low smoking point, but it’s only heated for a couple minutes here so I think it’s okay)
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Heat up oil in frying pan on low heat.
Add squash blossoms, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lots of garlic powder. Gently saute for approximately 4 minutes.
Serve and eat immediately! Makes a lovely snack, or serve them on top of another dish (like an omelette) to show off their prettiness.
Enjoy your squash blossoms, darlings! Let me know any other ways you like preparing them in the comments below. :)