Greek Stuffed Squash Blossoms

As a child, I spent my summers in Chania, Crete. I loved watching my grandma make these amazing stuffed blossoms with ease & great skill.

The flowers would be harvested from my uncle’s vegetable garden in the morning. She would fill them with a mix of herbs, rice, and juicy grated tomatoes. Then they would simmer in low heat for an hour or so and would be served as a delicious summer lunch for the whole family to enjoy. The taste was light and so fresh.

What Are Squash Blossoms & what do they taste like?

The blossoms are the edible flower of the squash/zucchini plant. Their color is bright yellow with green and white striations. They can be eaten raw in a salad or cooked. The blossoms need to be gently washed with cold water before any consumption. They have a delicate squash flavor and a velvet-like texture.

Did you know that there are Female & Male Squash Blossoms?

• Squash produces male and female blossoms on the same plant. Both male and female flowers are necessary for successful pollination.
• Female blossoms usually grow close to the center of the plant. Female squash blossoms have a squash fruit at their base.
• Male squash blossoms have long skinny stalks and are all over the plant. There are more males than females, and they begin blooming earlier.
• Male flowers are usually the ones to harvest for use in delicious dishes worldwide so that the females can set fruit.

How to cook the blossoms the Cretan way

This stuffed squash blossoms recipe is fairly easy to make, and as long as you find fresh blossoms in your local farm stand, success is guaranteed. I also find that it is a meditative experience to wash and dry the blossoms, then fill each one with the light-as-air rice mixture. 

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Place the blossoms on a kitchen towel.  Gently open the blossom and cut the little stem inside, using kitchen shears or a sharp pair of scissors. Cut the outside stem also. Fill a large bowl with water and place it next to the blossoms.

2. Emerge each blossom into the water, give it a small swirl for a sec,ond and take it out. Shake it very gently and place it on the kitchen towel to dry.

Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl. (If you are using the San Marzano tomatoes, place them in a bowl first and squeeze them with your hands to get all the juices out and turn them into much smaller pieces). Season with salt and pepper.

3. Gently open one squash blossom and, using a small spoon, place some of the mixture inside.

4. Close each blossom petal in a criss-cross pattern if you can. Wrap the last petal carefully under the blossom and place it on a large pot.

5. Repeat filling the rest of the blossoms, placing each in a circular motion inside the pot. Make sure they snuggly fit with each other. Add 2 cups of water.

6. Place a plate upside down on the blossoms to lock their position. Simmer in low heat for 1 hour. Gently lift the plate (careful, it’s hot!) to check if they are fully cooked.

Tips and tricks

• Do you have a farmer that can supply you with the blossoms? Ask them if they can bring you the male zucchini flower, those that end up in a stem and not in the zucchini itself. The male flowers are open at the top, like a funnel, tender and flexible and therefore ideal for filling. Sometimes they are sold in bunches, like bouquets. But if you can’t find males, choose the more tender, smaller female flowers.
• If you do not use the zucchini flowers immediately, keep them for 2-3 days as follows: Without washing them, carefully remove the stem inside each flower. Place one flower inside the other, just like the ice cream cones. Wrap the flowers in paper towels or a paper bag and keep them in a cool and dark place.

Side dishes for stuffed squash blossoms

• Crispy fried country potatoes.
• Fried zucchini coins.
• Horiatiki tomato salad.
• Stuffed grape leaves- dolmadakia.
• Greek Codfish Cakes With Lemon Caper Aioli.