Add This Unique Filling To Quesadillas For An Earthy Taste

The humble quesadilla is an exercise in simplicity. Traditionally, a soft corn tortilla (rather than flour) was only filled with a Mexican-style cheese like Oaxaca, but these days you'll find a wide variety of quesadillas on offer, including ones filled to the brim with cottage cheese or mozzarella. It's also extremely common to find them stuffed with an assortment of non-cheese fillings such as meats, beans, and other creative add-ins. 

In the spirit of experimenting with new flavor combinations, one unique addition you should try in your quesadilla filling is the squash blossom — also known as the zucchini flower. To find out why these bright orange flowers can make such a difference to your quesadilla's flavor profile, Food Republic spoke with David Davidov, recipe developer and creator of The Cooking Foodie.

"Squash blossoms bring a subtle sweetness and floral note that makes a quesadilla feel fresh and elegant," Davidov told us. "They pair wonderfully with creamy cheeses like queso fresco or mozzarella and light seasonings — think a touch of salt, black pepper, and maybe a sprinkle of chili flakes." Squash blossoms are indigenous to the Americas, derived from the flowers of squash plants like zucchini, summer squash, or pumpkins, and they're widely used in Mexican cuisine. In fact, they are an especially common ingredient found in many Oaxaca-style quesadillas. This pairing is truly a tried-and-tested match made in heaven.

Despite their popularity in Mexican and Italian cuisine, squash blossoms aren't the most commonly used ingredient elsewhere. If you've never tried cooking with them before, have no fear — they're incredibly easy to work with! You'll just need to make sure you prep and clean them properly before cooking. "Gently rinse and pat [them] dry, then remove the stamens," David Davidov advised. This means the only part of the flower you should be eating are those bright orange petals. "They're delicate, so I usually saute them quickly just to soften before folding into the quesadilla," he added.

While squash blossoms are also edible raw and can be folded directly into your quesadilla without any prior cooking, if you're looking to give them some extra depth of flavor, take inspiration from Italian cooking and fry them, creating what's called fiori di zucca fritti. Just whip up a light batter using flour, water, and salt, dredge the squash blossoms, and deep-fry them until golden. This brings out a more concentrated flavor that pairs beautifully with creamy Mexican cheeses like Oaxaca or rich meat fillings such as barbacoa or carnitas. 

For a smokier flavor, you can also grill your squash blossoms. Simply preheat a grill pan, season your blossoms with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and grill on high heat until they develop a slight char. This will keep them soft and tender while infusing them with those fiery grill flavors — perfect when paired with Rachael Ray's quesadilla charring tip!