Fried Goats Cheese Stuffed Courgette Flowers

Delicate courgette flowers are a true seasonal treat, filled with a lemony herbed cheese mixture before being dipped in light, crisp batter and fried until golden. A drizzle of honey brings balance to the savoury filling, while the courgette blossoms stay soft and tender inside. This dish makes a show-stopping summer starter, perfect served immediately while the flowers are still crisp.

Yield 4

Author Sorrel Benge-Abbott

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

20 Min

Total time

40 Min

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Goats Cheese Stuffed Courgette Flowers

Courgette flowers stuffed with goats cheese, ricotta and herbs, dipped in a light batter and fried until crisp. A seasonal summer starter with honey drizzle.

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Ingredients

For the flowers

• 4–6 tbsp mixed herbs (fennel, sage, chives, basil)
• 140g fresh firm ricotta, see cheese notes
• 250g soft goats cheese
• 85g dolcelatte
• Zest of 1½ lemons
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• ½ tsp white pepper
• Good grating of nutmeg
• 30g toasted pine nuts
• ½ tsp sugar (optional)

For the batter

• 330ml sparkling water
• 4 ice cubes
• 180g self-raising flour, sifted

For frying and serving

• 2L vegetable oil
• Runny honey (or maple syrup or agave)
• Herb salad, to serve

Instructions

1. Prepare the courgette flowers by gently peeling open the petals slightly without tearing. Remove the stamen by pressing at its base until it clicks off, and check the flower is free of bugs.
2. Finely chop the herbs and mix with the ricotta, goats cheese, dolcelatte, lemon zest, chilli flakes, white pepper, nutmeg, pine nuts and sugar. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a piping bag, snip the tip, and fill each flower three-quarters full. Gently squeeze the petals closed to seal.
3. Pour vegetable oil into a wide pan, ensuring it is at least 2 inches below the rim. Heat gently and line a tray with kitchen roll.
4. Whisk the sparkling water into the flour, adding the ice cubes to keep the batter cold. The batter should lightly coat the back of a spoon.
5. Check the oil is ready by frying a small bread cube until crisp in 30 seconds, or by using a thermometer (170–180°C).
6. Dip each stuffed flower in the batter, allow excess to drip, then fry for 3–4 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove with tongs and drain on the kitchen roll. Repeat with the remaining flowers.
7. Serve immediately on a platter, drizzled with honey (or maple/agave) and a herb salad on the side.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

265

Fat

17 g

Carbs

19 g

Sugar

5 g

Protein

9 g

Approximate values per flower

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Courgettes, goats cheese, starters, salad, courgette flowers

Lunch, Starter

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Ingredients and sourcing tips

Courgette flowers
These are a rare seasonal delicacy, usually found at farmers’ markets, specialist greengrocers or online. They are best cooked the day they’re picked, as they wilt quickly. Courgette plants take up a lot of space in the garden, but homegrown flowers are unbeatable if you can spare the room. Handle gently when stuffing, as the petals tear easily. Remove the stamens and check for insects carefully, the stamens can leave bitterness if not taken out cleanly.

Cheeses
A mix of ricotta, goats cheese and dolcelatte creates a rich, tangy filling. The dolcelatte adds depth but can be quite strong, so if you aren’t keen on blue cheese, reduce it and increase the ricotta for balance. If you can’t find a fresh, firm ricotta and only have the supermarket tub variety, it can be quite wet, which makes the filling looser and more likely to leak during frying, causing spitting. Draining ricotta in a sieve or muslin for 30 minutes helps keep the mixture creamy and stable inside the flowers.

Honey
Choose a runny, high-quality honey for drizzling. If you are opting for a plant-based version, use maple syrup or agave.

Variations and dietary swaps

Vegan version
Replace the ricotta, goats cheese and dolcelatte with 450g vegan cream cheese. Swap the honey drizzle for agave or maple syrup.

Alternative fillings
Try stuffing with cream cheese and anchovies for a salty bite, or just herbed ricotta with lemon zest for a simpler version.

Kitchen notes

Tips and pitfalls to avoid
Keeping the batter ice cold is the key to a crisp finish. Mix it just before frying and keep the ice cubes in until the last minute. Self-raising flour will give a puffier coating, while plain flour makes a lighter, more tempura-like batter. Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady, and keep the thermometer between 170–180°C. If the batter feels too heavy, whisk in a little extra sparkling water.

Timing and texture cues
The flowers are ready when the batter is puffed, golden and crisp, usually after 3–4 minutes.

Storage and make-ahead
These are best served immediately and do not keep well once fried. You can prepare the filling and stuff the flowers up to 3 hours ahead, keeping them chilled until ready to batter and fry.

Serving suggestions

How to serve
Serve the fried flowers immediately, while crisp, drizzled with honey, maple or agave, alongside a light herb salad. Go easy on the drizzle, as too much can overwhelm the delicate flower flavour.

Drinks to pair
A chilled glass of Prosecco or an elderflower spritz balances the richness and saltiness of the cheese filling.