Baked Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Delicious zucchini blossoms filled with ricotta and prosciutto cotto can be enjoyed baked instead of fried! Dredged in egg wash and breadcrumbs, these zucchini blossoms are baked until golden and crisp. Enjoy as antipasto or side dish.

Like most people, I do love a good fried zucchini blossom! But whether you're trying to avoid deep frying for health reasons or it's 30 degrees Celsius and it's too hot to even want to fry anything in your kitchen, this is the recipe for you.

These ricotta stuffed zucchini blossoms also contain prosciutto cotto, grated Pecorino Romano cheese and fresh basil in the filling. They are the perfect combination of a creamy texture and salty flavor on the inside and a crisp exterior due to the breadcrumb coating.Here in Montreal, the season for zucchini blossoms (or zucchini flowers) is quite brief. Unfortunately I did not have much luck with zucchini in my garden this year. So, I was planning on heading out to the market this week to purchase zucchini blossoms for this recipe.

But as luck would have it, my neighbor rang my doorbell with a box full of zucchini blossoms. Can you imagine a more generous gift?

How long do zucchini blossoms keep once they are picked?

Zucchini blossoms are best prepared within a day or two that they are picked, ideally the day itself. The longer they stay in the fridge the more they will wilt and shrivel up.

The zucchini blossoms I had to work with were a day old and therefore a bit more challenging to fill but with the help of my son, we managed quite well. I shared tips further below on how we stuffed them without too much difficulty.

I stored my zucchini blossoms in the refrigerator on a paper towel covered tray and covered with additional paper towels to absorb any moisture until I was ready to stuff them.

Step by Step Instructions

You'll find the complete detailed recipe card at the end of the post. Here are step by step instructions with images.

Prepare the zucchini blossoms: Trim the tiny thin green leaves at the base of the blossoms and pull out the yellow pistil in the centre of the blossom.

Since my zucchini blossoms were closed it was inevitable that I would create a vertical rip in the blossom in the process of removing the pistil. That's ok, you will see further below that the filling will not ooze out while baking. Rinse and place on paper towels to dry.

Prepare the filling: In a bowl combine ricotta; thinly sliced prosciutto cotto (cooked ham); grated Pecorino Romano cheese; an egg; freshly chopped basil; an egg; and salt and pepper. 

To stuff the zucchini blossoms: I placed my filling in a freezer bag with the tip cut off (or a pastry bag) to pipe the filling into the blossoms. Alternately, use a spoon or even your fingers to place some filling in each blossom.

Pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling in the bottom half of the blossom. Twirl the top of the blossoms to seal them. Repeat with the remaining blossoms.

To dredge: Prepare 2 bowls, one with a beaten egg and the second with dried unseasoned breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to each bowl. Carefully dredge each filled blossom first in the egg wash, allowing excess egg to drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumbs.

Placed on a baking dish generously greased with olive oil.Drizzle the top lightly with olive oil.

To bake: Bake in a 400 degree F preheated oven for 20 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve hot.

Tips and suggestions:

• Ideally, prepare the zucchini blossoms the day they are picked as they tend to wilt and shrivel quickly.
• Vary filling ingredients according to your taste: added cubed mozzarella or eliminate the prosciutto cotto for a vegetarian version.
• You can easily double or triple this recipe if you have access to lots of zucchini blossoms.
• Leftover stuffed zucchini flowers can be reheated in the oven, but then again it's not likely you'll have any leftover!

Here are more zucchini flower recipes for you to try:

• Zucchini Blossoms with Eggs
• Zucchini Blossom and Ricotta Filo Tart

If you try this recipe for Baked Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms let me know how much you enjoyed them by rating them in the recipe card below. Feel free to Pin the recipe for later. Buon appetito!

Tried this recipe?Mention @mangiabedda or tag #mangiabedda!

Baked Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms Recipe

Delicious zucchini blossoms filled with ricotta and prosciutto cotto can be enjoyed baked instead of fried! Dredged in egg wash and breadcrumbs, these zucchini blossoms are baked until golden and crisp. Enjoy as an antipasto or side dish.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: antipasto, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: stuffed zucchini blossoms, baked zucchini blossoms

Servings: 12 blossoms

Calories: 107kcal

Author: Nadia Fazio

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 large zucchini blossoms

For the filling

• ▢ 1 cup ricotta
• ▢ 2 slices prosciutto cotto (cooked ham) about 60 grams
• ▢ 2 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• ▢ handful fresh basil leaves chopped
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ pepper to taste

For dredging

• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ ½ cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
• ▢ pinch each salt and pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoon olive oil for greasing the pan and drizzling on top

Instructions

Prepare the zucchini blossoms

• Trim the thin green leaves at the base of the blossom and pull out the yellow pistil at the center of the blossom. At this point, it's almost inevitable that you will create a vertical rip in the blossom in the process of removing the pistil. Rinse and place on paper towels to dry.
• Preheat oven at 400 degrees F and prepare a large rectangular baking dish by generously greasing it with olive oil.

Prepare the filling

• In a bowl combine ricotta; thinly sliced prosciutto cotto (cooked ham); grated Pecorino Romano cheese; an egg; freshly chopped basil; an egg; and salt and pepper.

To stuff the blossoms

• I placed my filling in a freezer bag with the tip cut off (or a pastry bag) to pipe the filling into the blossoms. Alternately, use a spoon or even your fingers to place some filling in each blossom.
• Pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling in the bottom half of the blossom. Twirl the top of the blossoms to seal them. Repeat with the remaining blossoms.

To dredge:

• Prepare 2 bowls, one with a beaten egg and the second with dried unseasoned breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to each bowl. Carefully dredge each filled blossom first in the egg wash, allowing excess egg to drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumbs.
• Placed on the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the top of the blossoms lightly with olive oil.
• Bake for 20 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve hot.

Notes

 

• Ideally, prepare the zucchini blossoms the day they are baked as they tend to wilt and shrivel quickly.
• Vary your filling ingredients according to your taste: added cubed mozzarella or eliminate the prosciutto cotto for a vegetarian version.
• You can easily double or triple this recipe if you have access to lots of zucchini blossoms!
• Leftovers can be reheated in the oven.
• Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to ingredients used and exact portion size. 

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg