Crispy, deep-fried ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers with lemon and chili flakes. An easy, elegant and irresistible appetizer.
Simple pleasures make me smile, and these ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers are one of the best. Crunchy and golden on the outside, filled with light ricotta, a touch of chili flakes and bright lemon zest, they make a perfect starter or aperitivo—especially with a cold glass of sparkling wine.
Back when I lived in Scotland, courgette flowers were rare and treasured. We grew our own and enjoyed this crispy, cheesy treat once or twice a year. Living in Italy now, I can buy a big packet anytime during summer—and I’ve been stuffing them non-stop. When you stuff zucchini flowers, cheese is essential—no argument there.
I rotate through mozzarella, gorgonzola, taleggio and ricotta—(I admit I can’t choose). Stronger cheeses pair beautifully with red wine, while milder cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta are ideal for a light snack or aperitivo with chilled prosecco.
At the moment I’m especially fond of ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers. Ricotta won’t melt and run while frying, so it stays soft and structured inside the crisp coating—no messy leaks, just a perfect cheesy bite. The addition of chili flakes and lemon zest lifts the flavour and balances the richness.
How to prepare zucchini flowers
Preparation is straightforward. Gently wipe any dirt from the flowers with a damp piece of kitchen paper. Reach inside and remove the inner yellow stem, discarding it. Do this carefully to avoid splitting the petals, since intact petals make sealing easier.
How to fry zucchini flowers
Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Test the temperature by dipping a small piece of bread or a short piece of stem coated in batter into the oil—if it floats and turns light golden, the oil is ready. If it browns immediately, the oil is too hot; lower the heat.
When oil is ready, hold the petals together and dip each flower into the batter so it is fully coated. Carefully place the flower into the oil away from yourself—lower the stem end first and release. Fry in small batches of three or four so the oil temperature remains steady; overcrowding will cool the oil and make the fritters soggy.
Fry until crisp and pale golden, about a minute or two, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle lightly with salt, squeeze over a little lemon juice and serve immediately.
If you try this or any other recipe from the blog, please leave a comment to let me know how it went—I love hearing from readers.
You might also like;
- La Cecina Toscana – Tuscan chickpea flatbread
- Bruschetta al pomodoro
- Italian marinated eggplant
- Prosecco strawberry slushie
- Taleggio white bean dip
Step By Step Photos Above
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Ricotta stuffed zucchini flowers
By Emily
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz (100g) zucchini flowers, (around 18)
- 8.8 oz (250g) ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 lemon zest
- pinch salt and pepper
- 4 (heaped) tbsp flour
- 1 cup (240ml) cold sparkling water
- 4 cups (1 litre) sunflower oil
Instructions
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Remove the inner stem from each zucchini flower and discard. Gently wipe away any dirt with a damp paper towel. In a bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, chili flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper.
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Using a teaspoon, fill each flower with about 1 to 1½ tsp of the ricotta mixture—adjust for flower size. Twist the petals lightly to help seal.
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Pour oil into a large, heavy-based saucepan and heat over medium-low. Test readiness with a small piece of bread—if it floats and turns light golden, the oil is ready. For the batter, whisk the flour in a bowl and gradually add cold sparkling water, mixing until smooth and lump-free.
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Hold the top of a stuffed flower, dip it in batter to coat, then carefully place it into the hot oil away from yourself. Fry in batches of 3–4 to keep the oil hot. Fry until crisp and lightly golden, about 1–2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
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Season with a little salt, squeeze over lemon juice and serve immediately.
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I typically use extra virgin olive oil unless another oil is specified.
- Vegetable sizes listed are medium unless noted otherwise.
- All recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven where applicable.
- Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate.