Squash blossom quesadillas (Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza) are authentic Mexican quesadillas but made with vegan cheese and a savory squash blossom filling. They are easy to make and only require 7 main ingredients.
Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza
Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza are typically made with homemade tortillas. Click here for a homemade tortilla recipe. However, they are also amazing with regular store bought tortillas. These quesadillas are great to make if you’re looking for something a little different but still overall easy and simple to make.
Adding squash blossoms to these quesadillas is considered a special treat in Mexico. They are very common in central Mexican and you can even find street vendors making them. This is an authentic Mexican dish that almost everyone will love!
Ingredients and Tips
Squash blossoms (flor de calabaza): These are hard to find in typically American grocery stores. However, you can find these in most Mexican grocery stores. They tend to be about $3-5 per small bundle (about 6 blossoms).
Vegan Cheese: okay this is what will make or break your quesadillas. I highly recommend using Follow Your Heart shreds for the best results. You can find this cheese at Safeway or Lucky. This is the best melting and browning cheese. If you can’t find it nearby you can also make your own. I have a good recipe for vegan cheese that stretches and browns, making it perfect for quesadillas or pizza.
Vegetables: Another part that makes this recipe so authentic is using sautéed tomato, onion, and jalapeños. Whenever a recipe calls for this trio, we say it is cooked “a la Mexicana”. This just means it is cooked the Mexican way. These 3 vegetables provide lots of flavor for this recipe. You can also add shredded or sliced zucchini, poblano peppers, and more.
Tortillas: I highly recommend making homemade tortillas if you want the full authentic experience. However, I found some delicious tortillas at Trader Joe’s that are a mix of corn and wheat flour, hand-made, and super delicious.
Pair these Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza with:
Frijoles de la Olla (Homemade Beans)
Ensalada de Nopales (Cactus Salad)
Print
Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 quesadillas 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Squash blossom quesadillas (Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza) are authentic Mexican quesadillas but made with vegan cheese and a savory squash blossom filling. They are easy to make and only require 7 main ingredients.
Ingredients
- 15–20 squash blossoms
- 6–8 corn tortillas
- 1 cup vegan cheese (see above)
- ¼ onion, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- 1–2 tablespoons oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the base of the squash blossoms which includes the green part that is rough and spikey. Gently rinse the squash blossoms with cold water and shake off excess water or place on a paper towel to absorb.
- Turn a pan on medium heat and add oil. Once hot, add diced onions and peppers. Cook for about 3 minutes and then add garlic and tomato. Cook until tomato is mushy, about 3-5 minutes. Add splashes of water to avoid veggies sticking to pan.
- Add squash blossoms and cook for no more than one minute. Immediately turn off heat and set aside. Season with salt and pepper.
- Turn comal (griddle) on medium heat and add corn tortilla. Heat up for about a minute and then flip over. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of vegan cheese and squash blossom filling. Close tortilla to create a quesadilla and cook until cheese is melted. Flip once, and then remove from heat.
- Repeat process until all quesadillas are made.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican
Is there an alternative to squash blossoms? My store only carries them seasonally? 😩
I would use zucchini instead. since squash blossoms come from zucchini squash.
At first the texture was a little weird for me , but the flavor was popping off for sure! I got used to it after my first quesadilla and started grubbing hard!
Incredible!! Will make again
incredibly delicious!