Stuffed Zucchini Flowers (Spicy Anthous)

3/5
about 30 minutes
20-25 minutes
Makes about 60 stuffed zucchini flowers

60 zucchini flower blooms
2 cups rice
1 finely chopped onion
5 tbs finely chopped parsley
4 tbs finely chopped fresh mint
2 tbs finely chopped basil
1 diced tomato
1.5 cups grated tomato
1/2 cup pine nuts
1.5 tsp ground pepper
4 tbs olive oil
3 cups of water
salt to taste
dash of cinnamon (optional)
2 tbs olive oil per saucepan for coating

1. Place the flowers in a large bowl of cold water and remove the stems. Drain the same.

2. In a bowl, mix together the rice, onion, parsley, mint, basil, tomato, passata, pine nuts, pepper, olive oil, salt and cinnamon (which is optional).

3. Using a spoon, stuff each flower with some mixture and fold over the ends of the petals.

4. Drizzle 2 tbs olive oil on the bottom of a large saucepan.

5. Arrange the flowers in a large saucepan in a circular pattern, side by side. It is better to use two saucepans, so there is only one level of flowers. If you pile the flowers on top of each other, the rice may be uncooked and overcooked. If you are concerned, simply cut the recipe in half.

6. Pour 1.5 cups of water in each saucepan, so that the water comes up to about half the height of the zucchini flowers.

7. Place a large plate covering the flowers on top. Place the saucepan on the stove on medium heat, cooking for about 20-25 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

In Cyprus, from about June onwards my cravings for stuffed zucchini flowers or “anthous”, as they are known in Cyprus, begin. These are a pretty usual staple at my aunt’s house for lunch. Steaming hot. A subtle but moreish flavour. Stuffed zucchini flowers are pretty delicate and also easy to mess up.

It is very easy to create stuffed zucchini flowers without much taste. Too much water or rice, and you could end up with something pretty bland but if made properly, they are incredible. The tasty flower combines with a tomato flavoured, and sometimes spicy (in my house at least), rice stuffing.

They can be served as an appetizer or as a main course. You can also make these if you are craving a bit of Cyprus food, and don’t live in Cyprus. You either grow your own zucchini flowers, or find a friend who has some zucchini flowers growing in their backyard, or befriend a local farmer.

Speaking of which, it is always best to pick the flowers in the morning when the flowers are open, otherwise it can be quite tough to stuff them. Another trick is to place the flowers in water for about ten minutes before you stuff them if the blooms are wilting. This will help give them some energy back. This recipe is very much recommended as a fantastic summer dish for vegetarians. I am pretty sure you could experiment with a few spices if you are feeling up for it too. The recipe below is a traditional version with some added pine nuts, basil and extra pepper for extra taste. Enjoy. And a happy, happy summer to you!

18 Comments

    1. Oh yes, koupes! Am a sucker for koupes, they disappear fast when I am around! On my to-make list! 😀

  1. Hi Christina,

    For the rice, do you use leftover cooked rice or uncooked rice? If uncooked, should it have been washed? Soaked?

    What kind of rice is used in Cyprus and what would be the best substitute? Jasmine? Basmati? I imagine the East Asian short grained sticky rice that I am most used to will not work. Also, what is the rice:liquid ratio you would use for this rice if you were cooking it plain, not stuffed into anything? I know some types of rice use more than twice as much liquid as others, so knowing this will help me scale accordingly. My apologies for so many questions just about the rice!

    Also, the rice grains will expand as they cook… will the zucchini blossoms burst?

    Thank you, I really look forward to making this recipe!

  2. Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  3. Yesterday, while I was at work, my cousin stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a thirty foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with someone!

  4. I haven’t checked in here for some time since I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Cyprus Cuisine

“Cyprus Cuisine”, published by Whitecap Books in 2021, is now available for purchase. Christina Loucas shares over 80 recipes that showcase the very best of Cypriot cooking.

Cyprus Cuisine