Baked Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Baked Stuffed Squash Blossoms (Dolmas Style!) with ground lamb, basmati rice and fragrant Middle Eastern spices- a simple delicious main course or appetizer, inspired by the season!
- Author: Sylvia Fountaine
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: main, appetizer, lamb
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: middle eastern
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- ½ lb ground lamb
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cooked brown basmati rice (or other cooked grain- bulgar, freekeh, quinoa)
- ¼ cup chopped herbs (dill, mint, parsley- a combo is nice) or sub 1 teaspoon each dried dill and mint.
- ¼ cup toasted pinenuts ( optional)
- 12 zucchini squash blossoms, soaked in cold water, patted dry and checked for bees/bugs.
- spray olive oil
Serve with Tzatziki Sauce, greens, sweet summer tomatoes and fresh herbs.
Quick Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup Persian or Turkish cucumbers, finely diced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped mint or dill
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
- 1/8 tsp salt (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Set rice or grain to cook on the stove.
- Heat oil in skillet or dutch oven, over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauce until fragrant about 3-4 minutes. Add lamb, breaking it apart with a spatula. Season with salt and spices and continue salting and mixing until cooked through. Add the rice and fresh herbs and optional pine nuts and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Place a sheet of payment on a baking sheet. Spray the parchment with olive oil or cooking spray. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the lamb filling into the blossoms and place on the parchment. Pinch the end of the blossoms together ( it is ok, if they don’t completly close) as best you can. Spray them with a light dusting of olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
- Mix the tzatziki ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Serve as an appetizer on platter (they are also good at room temp) or as an entree alongside a healthy salad.
Notes
If using dry herbs, add at the time of the spices.
You can also stuff this flavorful lamb filling into zucchini. Simply cut 4 medium zucchinis in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and spoon the filling into the zucchini. Bake until the zucchini is tender, about 40 minutes at 375 F until zucchini is tender.
Keywords: stuffed squash blossoms, baked squash blossoms, squash blossom baked, lamb stuffed squash blossoms, squash blossom recipes, zucchini blossoms