Basil Sauce Squash Blossom Pizza

Before we hop into this squash blossom pizza recipe, we thought it might be helpful to provide a quick primer on squash blossoms!

What are squash blossoms?

Squash blossoms are the edible flowers of summer and winter squash. They bloom in colors orange and yellow and are sometimes called zucchini flowers. They are very delicate and taste mildly like the squash itself. Late spring and early fall is when they are available to harvest for your squash blossom pizza.

Picking and Storing Squash Blossoms

Each squash plant has two kinds of blossoms, male and female. The male plants bloom to fertilize the female plants, but never produce any fruit. Male plants grow on long stalks and are slender, whereas female plants grow closer to the center of the plant and have a bulbous end. If you intend to harvest squash, choose more male blossoms for your squash blossom pizza. Blossoms are delicate and should be cooked and eaten as soon as possible. But they can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or so.

Preparing Squash Blossoms for Your Squash Blossom Pizza 

To prepare squash blossoms, first gently open the petals and check for bugs. Next gently snap off any pistil or stamen. Next wash and dry the blossoms. They are be eaten raw in salads, sautéed, and fried or used as a beautiful topping for this squash blossom pizza.