Name: Baked Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
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; 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)

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

Find it online: https://www.feastingathome.com/squash-blossoms/