Air-Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms
We are growing pumpkins this year in our little garden, so in addition to the tentacle-like vines and the single pumpkin the seeds have produced so far, we also have a surfeit of delicious yellow squash blossoms. I was leaving them for the bees but now that so many other flowers have popped up for their enjoyment, I figured it was okay to take some for ourselves. I love crispy, rich stuffed squash blossoms, but I wanted to make some that did not require frying. Enter the air fryer! In addition to using far less oil, using an air fryer will not heat up your kitchen during squash blossom season.
Even though this requires a few steps, I think the end result is worth it: Delicate flowers filled with a rich, cheesy middle and coated with a crispy, simple batter. Dipped in marinara, it is the perfect summer indulgence. Even though it looks kind of fancy, it is very quick and easy to make.
Keep in mind that different flowers are different sizes. This recipe was developed using our pumpkin flowers, which are bigger than zucchini or yellow squash flowers, and this means if you are using smaller blossoms, you may have leftover filling or want to use more flowers. I’d also recommend cooking similar sized blossoms in the air fryer in the same batch so they are done at around the same time.
If you’re not growing squash, the best place to find blossoms is at a farmers market.
12 squash blossoms (pumpkin, zucchini, etc.), washed, stamens and stems removed
½ cup vegan ricotta (we used Kite Hill)
¼ cup vegan mozzarella
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons vegan parmesan
1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
⅓ - ½ cup Eat JUST egg
¼ cup all purpose flour or gluten-free all purpose flour
Marinara for dipping
Spray or brush your air fryer tray with oil to prevent sticking. Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees. Place the JUST egg and flour in separate bowls for dipping. Season the flour with a little salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, mix together the cheeses, fresh herbs, nutritional yeast, crushed pepper flakes, salt and pepper. It will be thick and paste-like.
Gently open your blossoms so they are as spread out as possible without damaging the petals. Using a small spoon, fill the fattest part of the cavity, near where the stamens were, allowing enough room to twist the leaves without the filling seeping out. This will be 1 teaspoon to a tablespoon depending on the size of your blossoms. Do not overfill, tempting though it may be, because they will explode.
Once you have filled all the blossoms, dip them one at a time in the JUST egg, then coat with flour in the second bowl. I find dripping off the egg and shaking off excess flour to be helpful. This is messy, gloppy work but it’s worth it for crispy battered blossoms! I used one hand for the dipping in egg and used chopsticks in the other hand for gently coating them in flour. Last, twist the petals and press them ever so gently together.
Place on your oiled air fryer tray and put in your pre-heated air fryer. Bake for six minutes, carefully turn with tongs and air fry for another five minutes. You will likely have to do this in several batches.
Serve with marinara and fresh basil!
If you are waiting for all to be ready, you can keep some of the blossoms warm in a 300 degree oven until they are complete.
We are growing pumpkins this year in our little garden, so in addition to the tentacle-like vines and the single pumpkin the seeds have produced so far, we also have a surfeit of delicious yellow squash blossoms. I was leaving them for the bees but now that so many other flowers have popped up for their enjoyment, I figured it was okay to take some for ourselves. I love crispy, rich stuffed squash blossoms, but I wanted to make some that did not require frying. Enter the air fryer! In addition to using far less oil, using an air fryer will not heat up your kitchen during squash blossom season.
Even though this requires a few steps, I think the end result is worth it: Delicate flowers filled with a rich, cheesy middle and coated with a crispy, simple batter. Dipped in marinara, it is the perfect summer indulgence. Even though it looks kind of fancy, it is very quick and easy to make.
Keep in mind that different flowers are different sizes. This recipe was developed using our pumpkin flowers, which are bigger than zucchini or yellow squash flowers, and this means if you are using smaller blossoms, you may have leftover filling or want to use more flowers. I’d also recommend cooking similar sized blossoms in the air fryer in the same batch so they are done at around the same time.
If you’re not growing squash, the best place to find blossoms is at a farmers market.
12 squash blossoms (pumpkin, zucchini, etc.), washed, stamens and stems removed
½ cup vegan ricotta (we used Kite Hill)
¼ cup vegan mozzarella
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons vegan parmesan
1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
⅓ - ½ cup Eat JUST egg
¼ cup all purpose flour or gluten-free all purpose flour
Marinara for dipping
Spray or brush your air fryer tray with oil to prevent sticking. Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees. Place the JUST egg and flour in separate bowls for dipping. Season the flour with a little salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, mix together the cheeses, fresh herbs, nutritional yeast, crushed pepper flakes, salt and pepper. It will be thick and paste-like.
Gently open your blossoms so they are as spread out as possible without damaging the petals. Using a small spoon, fill the fattest part of the cavity, near where the stamens were, allowing enough room to twist the leaves without the filling seeping out. This will be 1 teaspoon to a tablespoon depending on the size of your blossoms. Do not overfill, tempting though it may be, because they will explode.
Once you have filled all the blossoms, dip them one at a time in the JUST egg, then coat with flour in the second bowl. I find dripping off the egg and shaking off excess flour to be helpful. This is messy, gloppy work but it’s worth it for crispy battered blossoms! I used one hand for the dipping in egg and used chopsticks in the other hand for gently coating them in flour. Last, twist the petals and press them ever so gently together.
Place on your oiled air fryer tray and put in your pre-heated air fryer. Bake for six minutes, carefully turn with tongs and air fry for another five minutes. You will likely have to do this in several batches.
Serve with marinara and fresh basil!
If you are waiting for all to be ready, you can keep some of the blossoms warm in a 300 degree oven until they are complete.
Vegan, Recipe, Side Dish, Unique, Squash, Squash Blossoms, Pumpkin, Garden, Farmers Market, Air Fried, Air Fryer