Zucchini are in full bloom right now and we love to make the most of this harvest especially when it’s at its peak, with fresh-picked deliciousness. They are so versatile too – you can add them to a stew, pasta and even a cake. One of my favourites is making gluten-free battered zucchini flowers.
If you don’t have a garden to pick the zucchini blossoms from, some grocery stores and farmer’s markets carry them, but they can be a bit expensive. If you have a garden, zucchini plants tend to grow many zucchini flowers.
I grew up eating battered zucchini flowers and when I went gluten-free I was not willing to give them up (even though we only ate them during the summer months). My family had a great recipe for the batter that had been used for generations but it contained flour so I went to work on turning my family’s recipe into the perfect gluten-free batter.
The perfect gluten-free batter had to be just as light, crunchy and delicious. It also had to be just as good as the original recipe with gluten. I am happy to say that the batter in today’s recipe for gluten-free battered zucchini flowers is all that and more. In fact, many prefer my gluten-free version to the original.
Gardening Sidebar:
How do you know which zucchini flowers to pick?
The first thing you need to know about picking zucchini flowers is which flowers to pick and which to leave so that you allow the actual zucchini to grow. The long thin stems that have flowers on them are commonly referred to as the “male” flower, as they don’t give you a zucchini. The shorter, and thicker stems will produce a zucchini, and they are commonly referred to as the “female” flower.
The second thing to know about picking zucchini flowers is that it’s best to pick them earlier in the day. This is because the flowers are open and it’s easier to see if there are any bugs in them. If you cannot get the blossoms when they are open, you can gently break one side of the flower to check inside it. Also, once you pick your zucchini blossoms, you still need to shake them while outside, to ensure that any bugs inside the flower, stay outdoors.
The third thing you need to know is how to clean them. Personally, I like pulling off the little bulbous end of the flower that contains the stamen. This is because I’m not stuffing them; so I don’t care if they have a hole on the end. And then pick off the tiny green leaves that may be still on the flower. Discard everything you pull off the flower, rinse the flower inside and out under cold water, and then lay them on a paper towel to dry. I don’t like the little end because I find it’s very fibrous and chewy and the flowers are lighter and fluffier without it. After your flowers have sat on the paper towel for a few minutes get a container, line it with a paper towel, and put the flowers in a single layer. If you have more flowers, add another layer of paper towel and keep doing this until you have the desired number of blossoms. Keep the closed container in the fridge. Flowers can keep in the fridge, for a few days, which gives you a chance to collect enough of them as you need at least 8 to 10 blossoms to make it worth your while.
Gluten-Free Battered Zucchini Flowers Recipe
Ingredients:
- 14 flowers
- 2 eggs (separated)
- 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
- 1 tbs minced basil
- 1 tbs baking powder
- 3/4c of Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 gluten-free flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, granulated onion, granulated garlic
- 1/4c milk or nondairy alternative
- 1/2c low sodium club soda
- Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
- Separate the two eggs into two separate bowls.
- To the whites add cream of tarter.
- To the yolks add the basil.
- Mix flour, baking powder, and seasoning to the yolks and stir with a whisk.
- Add in milk to the flour fixture.
- The next addition to the flour mixture, is low sodium club soda. Mix this well and set aside.
- Beat the egg whites and cream of tarter to stiff peaks using a hand mixer with whisk attachment. This takes about 2-3 minutes, as you want whites to whip to glossy stiff peaks that don’t slide when you move the bowl.
- Add whites to yolk mixture.
- Gently fold in the whites using a silicone spatula in a figure eight motion. Also, scrape the bottom of bowl. Do this until combined- no white streaks.
- Let batter sit for a minimum of 10 minutes.
- Cover a sheet tray with parchment paper or if you have one, put a rack on a cookie tray.
- In a large frying pan put just enough oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan- 3-4 tbs depending on the pan.
- Heat oil to 350°.
- Drop 1 tsp of batter in.
- Fry to golden brown on both sides.
- Taste the batter.
- Adjust seasoning, as needed.
- Once you are satisfied with the flavour, move forward.
Tip: If you have any batter left over, you can also batter discs of zucchini. Simply wash and dry a small zucchini, cut into 1/8-1/2 inch discs, drop into the batter and fry the same as the blossoms.
- Dip zucchini flower in the batter, I like using a fork, but tongs also work. Then place in the oil.
- Leave the flower until you start to see bubbles on the top side of a golden edge on the bottom, then using clean tongs flip them.
- You want to cook them to a light golden brown on both sides.
- Take them out and let them cool on your sheet pan while you fry the others. Serve immediately, then enjoy.
- Our gluten-free battered zucchini flowers will keep in the fridge for up to a week providing they are well-wrapped. You can reheat them in a 350 degree oven, for a maximum of 10 minutes. Flip them halfway through.
- They also freeze very well and will keep for 3-5 months. Once they are cooled, separate them with waxed paper and place them in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Reheating frozen gluten-free battered zucchini flowers is best done either on parchment paper or a rack placed on a cookie sheet. You want to reheat them at 350-375 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. You do have to flip them halfway through (this gives you a chance to check on them too).
These gluten-free battered zucchini flowers are the perfect side dish for any protein or even a salad. They pair especially well with steak (made with our the best gluten-free steak marinade recipe).
Separate the two eggs into two separate bowls. Dip zucchini flower in the batter, I like using a fork, but tongs also work. Then place in the oil. Leave the flower until you start to see bubbles on the top side of a golden edge on the bottom, then using clean tongs flip them. You want to cook them to a light golden brown on both sides. Take them out and let them cool on your sheet pan while you fry the others. Serve immediately, then enjoy. If you have any batter left over, you can also batter discs of zucchini. Simply wash and dry a small zucchini, cut into 1/8-1/2 inch discs, drop into the batter and fry the same as the blossoms.
Ingredients
INSTRUCTIONS/NOTES/TIPS
To the whites add cream of tarter.
To the yolks add the basil.
Mix flour, baking powder, and seasoning to the yolks and stir with a whisk.
Add in milk to the flour fixture.
The next addition to the flour mixture, is low sodium club soda. Mix this well and set aside.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tarter to stiff peaks using a hand mixer with whisk attachment. This takes about 2-3 minutes, as you want whites to whip to glossy stiff peaks that don’t slide when you move the bowl.
Add whites to yolk mixture.
Gently fold in the whites using a silicone spatula in a figure eight motion. Also, scrape the bottom of bowl. Do this until combined- no white streaks.
Let batter sit for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Cover a sheet tray with parchment paper or if you have one, put a rack on a cookie tray.
In a large frying pan put just enough oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan- 3-4 tbs depending on the pan.
Heat oil to 350°.
Drop 1 tsp of batter in.
Fry to golden brown on both sides.
Taste the batter.
Adjust seasoning, as needed.
Once you are satisfied with the flavour, move forward.NOTES/TIPS