Roasted Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Bacon, Mushroom & Ricotta

When farmers markets are loaded with these blossoms, we’re making stuffed zucchini flowers. Roasted and flavorful these are always a perfect Summertime treat. Stuffed squash blossoms are a fantastic appetizer to share.  

Love for Zucchini Blossoms

When we were first dating way back in 1996, our collective fascination and love for food was intense. Even aside from our busy 6-days-a-week work schedules, we still found time to obsess over ingredients that most of our friends found peculiar. Rather than head to the bar or night club, we were sizzling up the kitchen with late night dinner and new recipes.

Peak zucchini flowers season at the farmer market was always exciting because  zucchini flowers  were often hard to find at grocery stores. One of our favorite dishes to make were stuffing zucchini flowers with what ever we could find in our fridge. Rarely did we ever not have something to stuff them with because with a little creative thinking, almost anything can be stuffed in a zucchini flower. We had shared one of our favorite ways to prepare zucchini flowers with vietnamese pork. Another favorite are these blossoms stuffed with creamy ricotta, bacon and mushrooms.

Difference between Male vs Female Zucchini Flowers?

A zucchini plant has both male and female flowers. The male flowers have a stem at the base of the flower, where as a female flower has the bulging stem, which is the ovary. If this ovary get pollinated in the female flower, then it eventually grows into the zucchini. The reproductive parts of the flower are also different, thus becomes an explanation of the birds and the bees. Either way, both types of flowers can be stuffed and eaten. Both are delicious.  If you’re a science nerd, here’s more of a detailed explanation.

How to Stuff Zucchini Flowers or Blossoms?

• Remove the inside stamen of the male flowers or pistil of the female flowers. If you accidentally tear one side of the zucchini flower that’s ok. The flower seal around the filling.
• Gently stuff about 1 teaspoon of filling into the flower. If the flower is torn, just gently press the flower up against the filling and the flower will stick to help close it up.
• Don’t overstuff the zucchini blossom. Just stuff enough to where you can still handle the flower without it falling apart.
• All the recipe details are in the recipe box below.

Roasting vs Deep Frying Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

Rather than deep battered and deep fried, the bacon and mushroom zucchini flowers are simply roasted in the oven with a touch of olive oil. Done. The roasting brings out the flavors of the zucchini blossoms without all the grease. That’s all it needs for the delicious stuffing to ooze out and make us crave more of what makes Summer so wonderful.

Video Making the Roasted Zucchini Flowers with Ricotta, Bacon, & Mushrooms

We’re not tired of zucchini yet, stay tuned for more recipes! Here’s our current Zucchini Recipe Collection.

-diane and todd

Oven Roast Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Bacon, Mushroom & Ricotta

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

When we were first dating, one of our favorite dishes to make were stuffed zucchini flowers. Back then, the stuffing was always vegetarian with cheese. Our latest variation has bacon and mushrooms which is always a favorite because it’s loaded with flavor and texture. You can experiment and try different types of fillings!

Male flowers do not have the little zucchini attached. It's the female flowers that have both the flower and the small zucchini together. So if you're cooking male flowers, they might cook quicker.

4.41 from 5 votes

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Ingredients

• 12-14 zucchini blossoms , center pistil or stamens removed
• 4 slices bacon
• 4 ounces mushrooms (113g) , small dice
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary (10ml)
• ½ cup ricotta (123g)
• 1 egg yolk
• kosher salt or sea salt , to taste
• fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• olive oil , for drizzling

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400° F (205°C). Lightly oil and approximately 9x9 baking dish or line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Cook the bacon, then remove from pan. In the same pan, keeping 2 tablespoons worth of bacon fat (absorb excess fat with paper towel), add the mushrooms and rosemary and cook until browned, 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
• Cut up the bacon into small pieces. Combine the ricotta, bacon, mushrooms, and egg yolk together. Season with salt if desired.
• Gently open the blossoms and stuff with the ricotta/bacon/mushroom mixture, about 1-2 teaspoons per flower depending on the size of the flower. Wrap the petals back around the stuffing. Lay stuffed zucchini flowers on prepared sheet pan or baking dish and drizzle or lightly spray with olive oil.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned. Serve warm.

Video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 167kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 175mg, Potassium: 176mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 319IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 1mg

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack, Vegetables

Cuisine: American, Italian

Calories: 167

Try our–>  Crispy Vietnamese Pork Stuffed Zucchini Flowers 

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• Australian lamination cake
• Fresh Pomegranate Juice
•  Asian chopped chicken salad 
• Savory tomato crisp
• another zucchini flower recipe inspiration for ya.
• This stuffed squash blossoms recipe story was originally shared in 2015 and republished in 2021 with a new video.