These Stuffed Squash Blossom Poppers with my Charred Tomatillo Salsa give a Mexican flavor a traditional Italian appetizer. Serve it with my Charred corn with grilled summer vegetables salad for lunch.
I love squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta cheese and served with a marinara sauce the Italian way. But, in this recipe, I decided it would be fun to give these stuffed squash blossoms a new-spicy-perspective!
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Key Takeaways:
- Mexican Twist on Italian Classics: These stuffed squash blossom poppers blend the traditional Italian appetizer with bold Mexican flavors, featuring cream cheese, cotija, cilantro, lime, jalapeños, and crispy bacon.
- Squash Blossom Sourcing: The freshest squash blossoms are homegrown, but farmer’s markets are a great alternative. Harvest blossoms in the early morning when they’re open.
- Choosing Male vs. Female Blossoms: Male blossoms are commonly used, but female blossoms with small attached squash are also delicious when breaded and fried. Remove the stamen from female flowers to avoid bitterness.
- Preparation Tips: For the stuffing, mix cream cheese, cotija, cilantro, lime, jalapeños (with seeds for heat), and crispy bacon. Bread the stuffed blossoms with egg and panko before frying or air frying.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve fresh and hot with homemade Charred Tomatillo Salsa Verde. It’s a flavorful appetizer or side dish perfect for any occasion.
- Engage with the Creator: Follow Doctor Jo on social media for garden updates, exclusive recipes, and daily inspiration. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
Where Can You Find Squash Blossoms?
The best place to find squash blossoms is to grow them. Now I realize that often isn’t practical, as the zucchini plant is huge. It is easy to grow, but it does require a big area. If growing squash isn’t for you, then a farmers market is the best place to locate fresh squash blossoms.
If you grow squash, pick the blossoms in the early morning when they are open. Once the day gets hot, the flowers close up and are much harder to stuff. Also, you may interrupt the nap of a bee or beetle. Not Cool!!
Which Blossom Should I Pick?
Most cooks will only harvest male blooms. I harvest both male and female flowers because I always have way more squash than I can eat or give away. The female blossoms have a large stamen inside the flower that can be bitter. So, if you use the female blooms, remove the stamen before stuffing. A bonus of picking the female blossoms is they often have a tiny tender squash attached that is delicious when breaded and fried with the stuffed squash blossom. I also use yellow squash, acorn, butternut, pumpkin and gourd blossoms for stuffing.
Here is How To Stuff the Blossoms.
Before you can stuff the flowers you need some stuffing. Fred (my husband) says everything – well, not everything – but most foods are better with bacon. So if you are making this for a “Fred,” fry up a generous amount of bacon until very crispy.
For the stuffing, you want some cream cheese and hard Mexican cheese like crumbled cotija. It wouldn’t be Mexican without cilantro and lime. Add some finely diced jalapenos include the seeds if you like your poppers to “POP”! The seeds are what make the popper spicy and hot. Crumble Fred’s crispy bacon and add to the mix. Some salt will enhance the flavors. Stuff the blossoms and bread the stuffed blossom by rolling in egg and then panko. Pan fry in oil. Fry in an air fryer for a healthier version. If you use the air fryer, spritz with a little oil to help them crisp up and brown.
Serve fresh and hot with my Charred Tomatillo Salsa Verde. Great as an appetizer or side dish.
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FAQ:
Q: Where can I find squash blossoms if I don’t grow them?
A: The best place to find fresh squash blossoms is at a farmer’s market. If growing them at home, harvest in the early morning when the flowers are open for easy stuffing.
Q: What’s the difference between male and female squash blossoms?
A: Male blossoms are commonly used for stuffing, but female blossoms can also be used if you remove the stamen to avoid bitterness. Female flowers often have small tender squash attached, which are great for frying.
Q: Can I make these poppers healthier?
A: Yes! Instead of pan-frying, use an air fryer. Spritz the breaded blossoms with oil to achieve a crispy and golden finish.
Q: How can I adjust the spice level?
A: For more heat, include the seeds of the jalapeños in the stuffing. If you prefer a milder flavor, remove the seeds before dicing the peppers.
Q: What can I serve with these squash blossom poppers?
A: Pair them with Charred Tomatillo Salsa Verde as a dip. They also complement a charred corn and grilled summer vegetables salad for a complete meal.
Q: How can I stay updated on new recipes?
A: Follow Doctor Jo on social media for daily updates on recipes, gardening tips, and kitchen experiments. Don’t forget to like, comment, and share your feedback!
Stuffed Squash Blossom Poppers
Equipment
- This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you
- Air-fryer for a healthier version
Ingredients
- 6 squash blossoms
- ½ cup cotija cheese Crumbled
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 jalapeno peppers Dice fine (remove seeds for mild flavor)
- ¼ cup bacon crumbles Fry 1/2 lb bacon until crispy and then crumble.
- ¼ cup cilantro Finely chopped
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1 eggs Beaten
- 2/3 cup bread crumbs Panko style
Instructions
- To change the number of serving: hover the mouse over the number of servings, a slider will pop up. The slider can be adjusted up or down. This will automatically recalculate and adjust the amount of each ingredient for you.
- Fry the bacon until crispy, then drain well and crumble.
- Mix together all the ingredients except the squash blossoms.
- Stuff each squash blossom with about 2 Tbsp of the mixture.
- Dip each stuffed blossom in the egg and then roll in the panko breadcrumbs until coated.
- Pan fry in oil until golden brown
- Serve with my Charred Tomatillo Salsa.
- Want a healthier version? Spritz with a little oil and fry in an air-fryer.
Notes
Nutrition
Charred Tomatillo Salsa (salsa verde)
Equipment
- This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you
Ingredients
- 1 lb tomatillos about 3-4 tomatillos
- 4 scallions
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- ½ cup cilantro packed
- ½ lime juiced
- ½ tsp sea salt optional
Instructions
- To change the number of serving: hover the mouse over the number of servings, a slider will pop up. The slider can be adjusted up or down. This will automatically recalculate and adjust the amount of each ingredient for you.
- Heat a grill pan for several minutes on high until it is very hot.
- Cut the tomatillos in half and place on the hot grill pan, cut side down.
- Grill until you have char marks on the cut side. (about 3 minutes)
- Turn tomatillos over and cook on the other side for about 3 minutes more.
- Remove the tomatillos and grill the jalapenos and scallions until charred.
- Coarsely chop one of the tomatillos and set aside. (for chunky salsa)
- Put the rest of the tomatillos, scallions, jalapenos, cilantro, lime, and salt in a food processor and pulse process until blended and mostly smooth.
- Add the coarsely chopped tomatillo and adjust lime and salt to your liking.
