It’s that time of year when vegetable gardens are flourishing and the zucchini plants are sprouting flowers. More and more recipes are popping up that use the fresh flowers of the squash plants to give dishes an interesting new flavor. The first time I tried pasta made with a sauce containing these flowers, I was intrigued to find out more. I experimented with the ingredients until I perfected the dish, which is how my Pasta with Zucchini Blossoms recipe came to be!
Beautiful and delicious! Some of these babies are coming home with me today.Zucchini are delicious and can be prepared a variety of ways, but the flowers are also delicious. But did you know that each plant grows both male and female zucchini blossoms? The plants need both for nature to do its thing and cross pollinate from the male flower to the female. This encourages the growth of the squash, and without this pollination that squash is not viable. It will turn brown and drop off the plant.
This recipe for Pasta with Zucchini Blossoms uses the male blossoms. You can tell the difference, because these blossoms do not have a tiny zucchini attached to them. These blossoms are fixed on the end of a long thin stem.
These are the most zucchini flowers I have ever seen at the farmer’s market.Zucchini Blossoms in Italy
Years ago we traveled to Italy with our families, making our way from Venice all the way down to Sicily. We stopped in various places along the route, staying a few nights and then moving on. While in Rome, we stopped into a little trattoria near the Vatican for lunch. I ordered the most amazing pasta dish made from zucchini blossoms and a touch of saffron.
When I asked my mom to recreate it back home, she worked with me to create this Pasta with Zucchini Blossoms recipe. And for you vegetarians in the crowd, this one is meatless!
Fresh from the farmers market, zucchini flowers are slightly sweet and so delicious.Zucchini blossoms have become more popular recently, popping up in restaurants across the country. We particularly love the Stuffed Fried Squash Blossoms at Cucina Urbana in San Diego, made with lemon ricotta stuffing. But seldom have I seen these blossoms featured in a pasta dish other than in Rome (and my mama’s kitchen).
While shopping at the farmers market recently, I found an organic produce stand selling zucchini blossoms. The woman working the booth said their season is very short, and the blossoms typically appear in June and early July. I readily bought up a big bunch of the flowers, eager to make my mom’s version of this pasta favorite.
I used a mandolin to slice the zucchini, but any old knife will do.This is a very subtle dish. The blossoms give this pasta a fresh garden flavor, and the saffron and thyme add something almost sweet in taste – almost. Combined with the cream sauce and cheese, the end result is surprisingly simple and light.
Pasta with Zucchini Blossoms Recipe
Since zucchini blossoms are seasonal and only available in early Summer, be on the lookout for these gems. Combined with fresh pasta (we get ours from Assenti’s Pasta in San Diego), this dish is out of this world.
Zucchini flowers are a delicious addition to this fresh vegetarian pasta dish.Pasta With Zucchini Blossoms
Years ago we traveled to Italy with my parents, Triton’s mother, and my brother Chris on a tour from Venice all the way down to Sicily. While in Rome, we stopped into a little trattoria near the Vatican for lunch. I ordered the most amazing pasta dish made from zucchini blossoms and a touch of saffron. When I asked my mom to recreate it back home, she made up this Pasta with Zucchini Blossoms recipe. And for you vegetarians in the crowd, this one is meatless!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced into thin strips
- 3 small zucchinis cut into rounds
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 small lemon grated zest
- several saffron threads crushed
- fresh thyme chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 - 15 zucchini blossoms trimmed and halved lengthwise (I bought 2 baskets and came home with 16)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 lb fresh pasta we prefer linguini for this recipe
- 1 1/2 cups grated romano cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
-
Boil large pot of salted water for pasta, but don’t cook it until the last minute because it will only need 1-2 minutes. Fresh pasta cooks f-a-s-t!
-
Combine 1/4 of the olive oil with onion, zucchini, salt and pepper, and cook until tender – about 3-4 minutes tops. Stir in the vegetable stock, lemon zest, saffron and thyme and heat until just bubbling. Adjust heat to low and add cream and zucchini blossoms, mixing gently as blossoms wilt.
-
Cook pasta al dente and drain, immediately returning pasta to the pot and adding butter, 1 cup of cheese and the other 1/4 cup of olive oil. Stir and spoon into bowls. Ladle zucchini blossom mixture over pasta and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Add a pinch of parsley on the top and serve with crusty bread and a nice glass of Italian rosato (rosé).
And if you like this zucchini dish, try my Italian Stuffed Zucchini recipe here!
Just like in Rome. (Or at least in my mama’s kitchen.)
Mom was proud of her Italian heritage, and we were able to visit Italy as a family for a grand tour.
Sign up for Cookbook Recipe Updates!
Error: Contact form not found.
