Pumpkin Blossoms at the Tempe CSA!

pumpkin blossoms

This week we received pumpkin blossoms as one of our shares at the Tempe CSA, and we were all quite intrigued with them! Many of our members have never eaten them or cooked with them before, and neither have I, so I decided to look up some recipes to make sure that we are all using them to their full potential. First, I was amazed to find out that these are totally edible raw and they actually taste great! They are sweet and have a mild pumpkin taste, especially in the bottom near the root. I would recommend putting them in a salad either whole or after chopping them if you agree with me and enjoy their raw flavor.

Another great way to eat them that some of our members mentioned to me while they were passing by is to stuff them with cheese and bake them at 350 for about 20 minutes. The ones that we received at the CSA were on the small side, so I am not sure if they will need to be left in as long as those that have grown to be larger. Another suggestion that some of the members gave was to dip them in batter and fry them in oil, although that kind of defeats the purpose of having fresh and healthy vegetables! Further, they can be used to make a pumpkin blossom omelet or put on top of a pizza. They are extremely versatile and totally edible, so consumers can feel free to get creative when they start using these awesome vegetables.