Zucchini Flower Fritters: Frittelle di Fiori di Zucca
Ever since I was a little girl, zucchini flower fritters, or frittelle di fiori di zucca as my Italian family calls them, have been my favorite summer food.
Try my family’s recipe, and I bet they become one of yours too!
Why You’ll Love Zucchini Flower Fritters
Chopped squash blossoms fried in a light batter—what’s not to love?
They’re Delicious
Yes, for me, frittelle di fiori di zucca are very nostalgic of childhood summers. But they are really so yummy—no matter what your favorite childhood memories may be! Even friends of mine that have never had them before love them at first bite.
They’re Easy
As much as I love stuffed zucchini blossoms, this zucchini flower fritter recipe is way easier to make. I can crank out a batch from start to finish in less than a half hour.
They’re Beautiful
The bright orange flowers are beautiful, even chopped up and fried.
They’re Fun
No doubt about it, edible flowers are fun. These flower fritters are fun to make, eat, and share!
Zucchini Flower Fritter Ingredients
If you grow your own zucchini or can find zucchini flowers at your local grocery store (during the summer months), you are among the lucky.
I have been going to the farmers market twice a week this summer to get mine. Yes, I’m obsessed with them!
Here are a few ingredient tips and substitution suggestions.
Zucchini Flowers
Also referred to as zucchini blossoms, zucchini flowers are either male or female. On a zucchini plant, the difference is if the flower grows on a stem or on a zucchini.
Which is which? Female flowers have a baby zucchini at the end. For this recipe, you’ll want the male blossoms, which may or may not come with the stem.
If you can’t find zucchini blossoms, any other variety of fresh squash blossoms will work for this recipe.
Beer
My Italian nonna used beer, so I use beer. Something light without strong flavors works best, like a lager or pilsner.
If you want to substitute the beer, soda water works well too.
Olive Oil
Since this delicious recipe comes from my Italian family, it uses olive oil. And when we use olive oil, it’s always extra virgin.
If you want to substitute vegetable oil, that will be fine, but your blossoms will have a slightly different taste than these.
Zucchini Flower Fritters Recipe
Makes 10 fritters
Ingredients
24 male zucchini flowers
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
½ cup beer
1½ teaspoons chopped parsley
1 cup extra virgin olive oil (will vary)
Instructions
1. If your flowers come with stems, cut the stems of the flowers off at the base. Then cut the zucchini flowers into small pieces. I suggest you slice them in quarters lengthwise, retaining the flower shape. Then, cut these 4 lengths of each flower widthwise into approximate thirds. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour and salt and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and beer together.
4. Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour while continually whisking. Adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients like this will minimize lumps.
5. When the mixture is combined and smooth, the consistency will be similar to that of pancake batter. Stir in the parsley and chopped flowers.
6. In a large frying pan or large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high. You’ll need about a half inch of oil in the pan.
7. When oil is hot, scoop out the fritter batter with a 1/4-cup measuring cup. Do not overflow the scoop; slightly underfilling is actually the way to go.
8. Pour the zucchini blossom batter into the hot oil and repeat so that you have 3 or 4 fritters in the pan. Leave plenty of room between the fritters.
9. Cook about 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Watch your oil temperature; you may have to alternate between medium and medium-high heat if your oil gets too hot.
10. Line a plate with paper towels and place the fried zucchini flowers on top as they come out of the pan.
11. Repeat the process until batter is finished. Serve immediately.
Serving Frittelle di Fiori di Zucca
When to Serve
I eat zucchini blossom fritters any time of day. I most often serve them to others as an appetizer, side dish, or dinner entree.
Side Dishes
When I serve the fritters as an entree, I pair them with a salad like Burrata Panzanella or a Greek salad with garlic hummus.
There is a similar Greek appetizer, so Mediterranean dishes also make a tasty side. Here are some popular recipes:
Dakos Salad (Greek Bruschetta)
Bulgur Wheat Salad
Marinated Vegetable Skewers
On the Side of . . .
As a side dish, I especially like the zucchini flowers with frittatas: Frittata di Zucchini or Frittata di Pasta.
Frittelle di fiori di zucca really go well with any grilled meat, and many Mediterranean and Italian dishes. Try some of these:
Urfa Kebabs
Greek Meat Pie
Mediterranean Lamb Chops
Italian Turkey Meatballs
Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
Italian Sloppy Joes
Greek Meatloaf
Condiments
Personally, I enjoy these delicious zucchini blossom fritters best with just a pinch of salt flake or coarse salt. My mom sprinkles a little bit of granulated sugar on them.
If I have guests, or am serving the blossoms as an appetizer, I like to include a dipping sauce of some kind, like homemade pesto, lemon aioli, or tzatziki sauce.
Make Ahead
If I’m making these zucchini flower fritters ahead for a particular occasion, I usually wind up making a big batch and storing them. Just before I’m ready to serve them, I’ll heat the fritters on a baking sheet for 6–8 minutes at 375°.
If you are making them for a party, make small fritters using a heaping tablespoon of batter instead of the quarter cup called for in this recipe.
You can even freeze the fritters so you can reheat them any time of year.
Variations
This is my family’s traditional recipe, and it’s my favorite. However, it is very flexible. You can add lemon zest or choose other herbs like fresh basil, dill, or chives.
You can add one of the many popular Italian cheeses like mozzarella, pecorino, or parmesan cheese.
Fun Italian food fact: One of the traditional Roman dishes combines anchovies and zucchini blossoms. So, anchovy fans should consider chopping some up into the batter.
