Air Fried Herbed Cream Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms

We had a spaghetti squash plant come up in our garden this year even though it was not planted. We compost all year and then use the compost in our garden every spring. I guess one of the seeds from our compost sprouted and now we have about a dozen spaghetti squashes growing.

We have more than we need, (especially since I don’t eat them) so I have been picking the blossoms off every morning to stop the plant from producing anymore. I had heard that the blossoms, when they were stuffed, were a delicacy so I decided to give them a try….

Since I made these for my wife Susan, who is on the Weight Watcher’s plan, I used fat free cream cheese and gluten free panko but you could also use regular cream cheese and panko.

Servings – 1-2

Prep time – about an hour

Ingredients

• 8 squash blossoms
• 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1 small shallot
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs (I used parsley, chives, basil and oregano)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp olive oil
• olive oil pan coating
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Peel and clean the shallot and garlic. Mince them and place them in a skillet with the teaspoon of olive oil and cook them on medium heat until they turn translucent. Set them aside and let them cool. Chop the herbs and place them in a bowl with the cream cheese. Add the salt and pepper.Add the cooled shallots and garlic, Whisk one of the eggs and mix it into the cream cheese mixture.

Lightly wash the squash blossoms and pull of the stamens. Using a small spoon or piping bag, (you could also cut the corner of a sandwich bag and use that) fill the blossoms with a couple of teaspoons of the filling and twist the top to lock in the filling. The size of the blossoms mar vary, so fill with as much filling that will fit.

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Whisk the other egg into a bowl. Mix the panko and Parmesan cheese together and pour them on a plate. One at a time, dip the stuffed blossoms in the egg and then roll in the panko mixture and set them on a parchment lined air fryer tray, Spray them with olive oil and place them in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and serve.

Note – you can use a regular oven, just preheat to 400 degrees and double the baking time. Keep an eye on them because all ovens vary.

Enjoy!

Suggested songs for your listening pleasure while preparing these squash blossoms…

Since today is Ray Davies (from the Kinks) birthday, here are a few of my favorite Kinks tunes that can all be found on their album “The Best of the Kinks 1964-1971”

“You Really Got Me”

“All the Day and All of the Night”

“Tired of Waiting For You”

Well Respected Man”

“Lola”