Squash Blossom Quesadilla

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Quesadilla De Flor De Calabaza

It’s that time of year, nearly the end of summer in Maine and the squash blossoms are blooming.   I love using the squash blossoms from the garden, they are beautiful and I love making them the star of a unique recipe.  This squash blossom quesadilla is one of my favorite ways to eat them.  How could you not like cooking with flowers? There is something so special and fun about it.  If you have access to this ingredient – also called zucchini flowers or zucchini blossoms – give this squash blossom quesadilla a try!

The squash blossom is a bright yellow or orange flower with green a stem and pointy leaves that soften when cooked.  They are mild and bring a interesting element to any dish.  The fruit body of the squash or zucchini grow behind the flower, they are completely attached in one unit, it’s a pretty funky looking sight.

This squash blossom Mexican style recipe (flor de calabaza recipes) is super simple, easy and is only three ingredients.  The jumbo sized flour tortilla is the vehicle for the cheese and blossoms.  Pair this with your favorite salsa, sour cream or guacamole and you have yourself a tasty meal.  

I haven’t found too many Mexican squash recipes, it seems they are less popular than some other vegetables used in traditional dishes.  Using the Mexican squash blossom inside a quesadilla seems to be the most popular use in Mexican cuisine, along side stuffing them with cheese and deep frying them.  Recipes using squash blossoms are not abundant on google search, so I wanted to outline a clear recipe for how to make an awesome squash blossom quesadilla.  The ingredients used are large 10-12 inch tortillas, cheese and squash blossoms, that is it! 

I made a classic green tomatillo salsa verde to pair with this recipe and it was truly a great combination of flavors.  This zucchini flower quesadilla is fairly mild and with the bright and refreshing salsa it made for a really tasty snack.  I also dipped this in a vegan sour cream by the brand Forager.  This is the only vegan sour cream I have had that actually tastes good, doesn’t have an “off-ness” about it. It is an alternative to dairy sour cream that I can enjoy and recommend.  In general, forager makes really good plant-based products. Their mint chocolate chip ice cream is for real good.

If you’re looking for a squash blossom recipe not fried in oil, this is a great one to try.  I know you will have fun making and eating this squash blossom quesadilla (quesadilla de flor de calabaza) recipe!  I also suggest checking out a couple of my other salsas to see if another one might strike your fancy!  Here is my easy salsa roja, mango salsa and tomato chipotle salsa. 

Ingredients for Squash Flower Quesadilla:

• 10-12 inch flour tortilla shells
• Cheese (Muenster or Mexican cheese)
• Squash blossoms
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt

Instructions:

1. Heat skillet or griddle to high heat.
2. Put approximately 1 tsp of oil onto the cooking surface, sprinkle sea salt on the oil and spread the tortilla around evenly coating the tortilla with oil.
3. Spread the cheese out evenly on one half of the tortilla only. Approximately 3 ounces of cheese for a 10 inch tortilla.
4. Place the squash blossoms, 2 or 3 of them, depending on their size.
5. Wait for cheese to melt. When it is melted, fold the tortilla in half, folding the non-cheese side over on to the cheesy side.  Press the tortilla with the back of your spatula to stick the sides firmly together.
6. When both sides are covered in brown spots and crispy, use the spatula to cut the quesadilla in half and fold on top of the other, scoop them off the cooking surface and onto the plate where you can dip them in whatever salsa or sour cream you desire.

Notes:

-I recommend Muenster cheese if you are using real dairy or Forager brand for vegan cheese. Another option that would be good is goat cheese.

-The temperature should be between 375-400 degrees F or medium-high.  Keep checking the bottom of the tortilla to make sure it does not burn while the cheese is melting and adjust temperature as needed.

-Cheese placement and saturation: You want to loosely cover half of the tortilla. Cover most of that portion with cheese but allow to be able to still some bits of the tortilla in between the shredded cheese pieces. 

-Squash blossoms are highly perishable and need to be stored in a tied off plastic bag and refrigerated. Like typical flowers they start to wilt and lose their beauty, so use them up fresh!

-Squash flowers are incredibly nutritious and are high in calcium, iron, vitamins A and C.

FAQ:

-What temperature should the skillet or griddle be on?

up to 400 degrees F or on medium-high. 

-Approximately how long does the quesadilla take to cook?

Just a few minutes on each side.

-What types of cheese work best?

Muenster is my recommended cheese for all quesadillas.  I used a vegan cheese, the brand is Chao and I used that creamy original tofu one. 

-What size of tortilla do you recommend? At least 8 inches but 10-12 inches is nice and big and make for a whole meal.  You could use smaller tortilla shells but you would need to make a couple or a few to fill you up. 

-What sides accompany this recipe the best?

Verde salsa, sour cream, guacamole or any other salsa you enjoy. 

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Recipes Using Squash Blossoms:

• Roasted squash blossoms
• Stuffed squash flowers
• Crispy squash blossoms
• Fried stuffed squash blossoms
• Baked stuffed squash blossoms
• Air fryer squash blossoms

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History of Tortillas:

The name tortillas comes from Spanish origin and means “cake”. Tortillas are thousands of years old, as legend is told, they were first given as a gift to the Mayan king in the Sierra Madre mountains around 12,000 years ago.  The first tortillas were made of corn(maize) being that corn was used in Mesoamerica as a primary food.  The process, called nixtamalization consisted of soaking the corn in a lime and water mixture which would separate the outer kernel skin.  The skin removed, the corn dried, ground it into a powder and finally turned into a dough by adding water.  Golf ball size pieces are used to create the flat round shape and they are cooked on a hot metal flat top grill or griddle.  The hot tortillas where used to dip in chili sauce or filled with meats, rice, beans and squash. The ancient process does not differ too much even today and in Mexico tortillas are still made exactly the same way. Other cultures across the world have their respective version of the Mexican tortilla, such as Indian naan, lavash, scallion pancake, flatbreads and pitas in Greece, to name a few.

Today tortillas are still a staple for Mexican food but have become mainstream in the United States.  In 2019, the tortilla industry made $16 billion in sales in the United States.

Try out my homemade gf tortillas that are just two ingredients and so so so good!

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If your looking for a squash flower recipe that is dairy free, I happen to make this recipe with vegan cheese from Chao to make a vegan squash blossoms recipe.  You could also try Foragers shredded mozzarella. 

Squash blossoms are seasonal and not found in grocery stores, if you DO happen to procure some, I highly recommend trying out this squash blossom quesadilla. If you do try this recipe please rate it or comment below and if you made any alterations and want to let me in on your quesadilla ideas. I would love to hear about it!  If you would like to share or pin on Pinterest I am always thankful.  Check out my food journey on Pinterest at: Molé in the Wall. 

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Tags: Squash blooms recipe, Squash blossom meal, Squash blossom recipe mexican, Mexican squash recipes healthy