Corn masa turnovers filled with chopped squash blossoms (flor de calabaza) and stringy Oaxacan cheese, cooked on a hot comal until crisp. A summer antojito of central Mexico when squash plants are flowering, these quesadillas showcase the delicate, sweet flavor of the blossoms against the rich cheese. A traditional market and home-cooked snack.
Quesadillas de flor de calabaza are a seasonal antojito of central Mexico. The combination of masa, cheese, and squash blossoms is pre-Hispanic in concept (masa-based filled snacks) but colonial in ingredients (cheese, a Spanish introduction). The dish is most associated with Mexico City, the State of Mexico, and Morelos, where squash blossoms are abundant in summer. The classic Mexico City style uses fresh corn masa (not pre-made tortillas), filled and folded into half-moons, then cooked on a comal. The quesadillas are sold at markets and made at home during blossom season.
A quesadilla de flor de calabaza arrives golden, blistered from the comal, folded into a half-moon. The first bite gives crisp masa; then the filling — soft, sweet squash blossoms melted into strands of stringy Oaxacan cheese. The combination is delicate and rich; the blossom's flavor is subtle but unmistakable. Eaten hot, with salsa verde on the side.
Quesadillas de flor de calabaza depend on fresh masa and proper comal cooking. The masa (nixtamalized corn dough) is pressed into a circle; a spoonful of chopped raw squash blossoms and shredded Oaxacan cheese (quesillo) is placed on one half; the masa is folded over into a half-moon and pressed to seal. Cooking on a hot comal (around 200°C) gelatinizes the masa starches (giving a soft-but-charred texture) and melts the cheese. The squash blossoms steam-cook inside the sealed packet, retaining their delicate flavor. The cheese's milkfat carries the blossoms' floral aromatics, distributing them throughout the filling.
Variations
Some versions add epazote or a few mushrooms; huitlacoche is a classic substitute for blossoms out of season.
On the Palate
Where Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza sits in the Mexican flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
6 steps · 30 min active + 10 min waiting
- 110 min
Prepare fresh corn masa (or reconstitute masa harina); divide into golf-ball portions.
- 25 min
Press each ball into a 5-inch circle using a tortilla press.
- 35 min
Wash squash blossoms; remove pistils; chop coarsely; mix with shredded Oaxacan cheese.
- 45 min
Place a spoonful of filling on one half of each masa circle; fold into a half-moon; press edges to seal.
Watch outPress the folded edges firmly to seal — a loose seam lets the cheese leak onto the comal and the blossoms lose their steam inside.
- 58 min
Cook on a hot comal 3-4 minutes per side until masa is charred in spots and cheese is melted.
Watch outCook on the hot comal until the masa is charred in spots and the cheese has melted — pale, un-charred masa means it's still raw and pasty inside.
- 61 min
Serve hot with salsa verde.
