Fiori Di Zucca (Vegan Stuffed Zucchini Flowers)

In this recipe, I’ll share one of my favorite appetizer recipes from Italy: Fiori di Zucca. These stuffed zucchini flowers are, when in season, served as a delicate starter dish in restaurants all over Italy. Traditionally, stuffed zucchini flowers are not suited for a vegan diet, as they are often filled with cheese or meats. I have created a vegan recipe for Fiori di Zucca, which puts a spin on this classic recipe. Zucchini and cashew are the basis of the filling in my recipe which spotlights the flavor of zucchini.

What is Fiori Di Zucca? 

Fiori di Zucca is a classic Italian dish made with the edible flowers of the zucchini plant. Sadly, In many regions of the world, it is not even known that these flowers are edible and delicious. As only the female flower of the plant can grow into a fruit, the male flower can be used as the star ingredient for this dish. The zucchini flowers can be stuffed with a variety of fillings. Most commonly, they are filled with Ricotta and fried. 

Ingredients for this Stuffed Zucchini Flower Recipe: 

• Zucchini blossoms (Fiori di Zucca) 
• Zucchini
• Cashews
• White wine vinegar 
• Dijon mustard
• Olive oil 
• Salt & pepper
• Optional: Lemon zest
• Optional: Nutritional yeast

The ingredient list for this recipe is quite short. The star of the show is the zucchini blossoms. Try to get your hands on as fresh Fiori di Zucca as possible. They don’t last long and should be in good shape. If they are too old, filling them will become difficult, and they won’t hold their shape well. 

To make the filling, I am using zucchini and cashew nuts to make a delicious cream. White wine vinegar, mustard, olive oil, and salt and pepper will balance the cream and give it a delicious flavor. For some extra freshness, you can add a bit of lemon zest. If you want a more cheesy taste, you can add nutritional yeast. 

Stuffed Zucchini Flower Recipe:

This stuffed zucchini flower recipe is easy overall, but it needs a bit of preparation and manual labor. I like to bake the Fiori di Zucca instead of frying them. They taste less greasy and get deliciously crispy like this as well. 

Preparing the Filling: 

Firstly, the cashews should be nice and soft to transform into a delicious cream. You can soak them overnight in cold water for the best results. Otherwise, soak them in hot water for about an hour.

Preparing the Fiori di Zucca: 

This part is the most labor-intensive part of the recipe. Remove the pistil and pollen from the inside of each flower without breaking the blossom. Removing the pistil can be best done by twisting. With a damp towel, clean the flowers from any dirt.

Making the Zucchini Flower Stuffing: 

With the cashews soaked, the next step is to oven-roast the zucchini. For this, preheat your oven to 180° C (356° F). Cube the zucchini and toss it with some olive oil and salt. Now, you can roast them for about 20 minutes. Roasting them will intensify their flavor a lot! 

Transfer the roasted zucchini to your blender, and add the soaked cashews. Next, add the remaining olive oil to the blender, followed by the mustard, salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar. You can also add the lemon zest or nutritional yeast during this stage.

Blend the ingredients until you have a thick, creamy sauce. Check for seasoning. 

Stuffing the Zucchini Blossoms: 

I like to use a piping bag to add the cream to the Fiori di Zucca. You can fill the cream into a plastic bag and cut off an edge to press it into the blossom. Lay the stuffed flowers onto a backing sheet. The oil from the filling will help make the flowers deliciously crispy. 

Baking and Serving the Fiori di Zucca: 

Lastly, bake the flowers at 200° Celsius (400° Fahrenheit) until deliciously golden brown. You can serve them just as they are or garnish them with finely chopped fresh herbs. 

I hope you enjoyed this vegan Fiori di Zucca recipe. I find this recipe so enjoyable. The crunchy, fresh flowers filled with this flavorful, rich cream are something special. Let me know what you think in the comments. 

Some more Recipe Recommendations: 

• Pappa al Pomodoro
• Panzanella 
• Penne all’Arrabbiata 
• Spaghetti alla Puttanesca 
• Spaghetti alla Nerano
• Spinach Risotto

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