Servings
Font
Back
0 from 9 votes

Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini Recipe (Kousa Mahshi)

Lebanese stuffed zucchini is simmered in a tomato lemon sauce. It flavors the tender squash plus the hearty ground meat and rice filling.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 532 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Middle Eastern , Lebanese

Ingredients

  • 8 Mexican squash or zucchini
  • 1 large tomato
  • mint leaves
Stuffing
  • 3/4 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
  • 1/2 lb ground beef or lamb 90/10
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Lebanese 7 Spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 10 mint leaves chopped
Braising Liquid
  • 3 cups passata or pureed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cups chicken broth
  • 1 lemon juiced

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse and drain rice in colander, transfer to a bowl and cover with water. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes.
Prepare zucchini
    Cup of Yum
  1. Trim the ends of the zucchini and set aside. Starting from the one cut end, use an apple or zucchini corer and carefully insert, twist and scoop out zucchini flesh (save for other use), leaving about 1/3-inch ring.
  2. Trim ends from tomato and remove all seeds. Cut flesh into circle pieces to plug the ends of the zucchini. Set aside.
Stuffing
  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until shimmering and add onion. Cook 3 minutes, then add ground beef, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Add the salt, Lebanese 7 spice, pepper and chopped mint leaves. Sauté until browned, about 8 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  2. Drain the rice and add to ground beef mixture, stirring to combine.
Sauce
  1. In a large, deep pot or Dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the passata or pureed tomatoes and chicken stock (or water). Bring to boil, turn heat to low and simmer while you stuff the zucchini.
Assembly
  1. Insert a tomato piece into the end on one side of a cored zucchini, acting as a plug. Then use your hands to stuff the zucchini with meat/rice filling, leaving about an 1/4 inch near the top for the cooked rice/meat mixture to expand. Plug the top with several mint leaves or another tomato plug. Repeat with all zucchini.
  2. Arrange the stuffed squash cut side up in the large pot or lay down and stack. If tomato broth doesn't cover the zucchini add just enough water to cover.
  3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low. Simmer, covered until rice is cooked through and squash is tender, about 45 minutes.
  4. Carefully remove stuffed zucchini from pot. Stir through lemon juice and serve tomato sauce poured over Kousa Mahshi.

Nutrition Information

Calories 532kcal (27%) Carbohydrates 64g (21%) Protein 21g (42%) Fat 24g (37%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 40mg (13%) Sodium 1219mg (51%) Potassium 2257mg (64%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 21g (42%) Vitamin A 2185IU (44%) Vitamin C 116mg (129%) Calcium 147mg (15%) Iron 7mg (39%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 532

% Daily Value*

Calories 532kcal 27%
Carbohydrates 64g 21%
Protein 21g 42%
Fat 24g 37%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 1219mg 51%
Potassium 2257mg 48%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 21g 42%
Vitamin A 2185IU 44%
Vitamin C 116mg 129%
Calcium 147mg 15%
Iron 7mg 39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.