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Home » Vegan Lebanese Recipes

Kousa Mahshi (Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini)

Published: Oct 16, 2019 · Modified: Oct 31, 2024 by Janelle Hama *This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure

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Lebanese stuffed zucchini is known as kousa mahshi. This is my Lebanese family’s recipe. Each zucchini is filled with spiced vegetables, toasted pine nuts and rice cooked in a delicious tomato broth. Suitable for vegan/vegetarian diet.

3 cooked zucchinis in a bowl with red broth
There's nothing like kousa mahshi in tomato broth

Kousa mahshi translates to “stuffed zucchini” is a classic Middle Eastern meal of zucchini filled with rice filling. Either rice and meat or rice and vegetables. There are a couple of broth options also, in yogurt or in a tomato broth.

Kousa is one of the recipes that I can taste instantly upon hearing about it, it was a meal my family enjoyed a lot when I was younger and I still adore it.

Of course, it was made with meat back then.

This Lebanese stuffed zucchini recipe is meatless, and most meat-eaters who eat it are super impressed by the flavor. Other than my unwavering love for this meal, I also love that I can make another dish from the leftover zucchini flesh called lib el kousa.

Ingredients Highlight and Variations

fresh mint, parsley, pine nuts, rice, 7 spice, tomato and onion laid out
zucchini, tomato paste, salt and pepper laid out

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

Zucchinis are the vessels that are stuffed with rice. Depending on your location this is called gray squash, Mexican squash, Calabacita, Lebanese Zucchini, or white courgette (there may be a few other names). It is part of the squash family, just like this butternut squash stuffed with rice and lentils.

Choose good quality zucchini, free from punctures, cuts, and blemishes. Ideally, each one is not curved and has a wide mouth to make it easier for coring and stuffing. If you can’t find this type of squash, use the slimmer, longer green variety. 

Medium-grain white rice is the most ideal choice for the filling. However, short-grain rice will also work well. Occasionally, I use basmati rice, although it's not traditional.

Pine nuts make the filling taste amazing! They are dry-roasted to enhance the nutty flavor. Slivered almonds can be used as a substitute.

Lebanese 7 spice is a popular blend of various spices, I have linked in the recipe card below how to make this, which I recommend as it is very fragrant, however, you can replace it with allspice. 

an electric zucchini corer

The electric zucchini corer will make making this recipe so much easier. I highly recommend it.

Electric Zucchini Corer

How to Make Kousa Mahshi

Coring Zucchini

Wash and dry zucchini as normal. Using a paring knife, slice off the ends (take off as little as possible). Hollow each zucchini using either a manual Manakra or electric corer (I much prefer the electric tool as it's quicker!). Set aside.

Click here to view a quick 30sec video on how to core zucchini manually or watch the full Youtube video for how to core zucchini with an electric corer.

rice, vegetables, herbs and pine nuts filling in a glass bowl

Filling

a corer inside of a zucchini with zucchini flesh on the side

Coring zucchini with an electric corer

Preparing the Stuffing

In a nonstick fry pan or skillet, optionally add olive oil or vegan butter, then toast pine nuts until golden. Remove them from the pan immediately to prevent burning, as they can continue to brown rapidly from the residual heat.

In a large mixing bowl combine the browned pine nuts to the rice, finely diced tomato and onion, chopped herbs and all the seasoning and spices.

Stuffing Zucchini

Using your hands, scoop little amounts of the stuffing and place it inside each cavity. Tap the bottom of each squash to help the filling to fall into the cavity.

Leave approximately ½” (1.5cm) from the opening to allow the rice to expand whilst cooking.

Do not compact the rice, otherwise, it won't cook evenly. Wipe down each zucchini to ensure there is no filling on the outside.

raw zucchini with filling inside in a glass bowl

Cooking Time

Dissolve the tomato paste into the water, add salt and pepper. Place the stuffed zucchini into the pot and submerge with the water and tomato paste mixture. Place a plate onto and cover.

Bring to the boil over medium - high heat and then simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. Each stuffed zucchini should be tender once done. Serve warm. 

How to Make Kousa Mahshi Recipe Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

Janelle's Tips 

If you’ve never cored Lebanese zucchinis, allow more time to make this kousa mahshi recipe.

Take care not to pierce the skins of each zucchini during the coring process, otherwise, they will burst whilst cooking as the rice will expand through the piercing.

Save the zucchini flesh to make a chickpea flour omelette, vegan 3eje, zucchini bulgur pilaf.

Leftover Zucchini Stuffing

Use any leftover rice stuffing to stuff tomatoes. Simply core out the tomato flesh, place the tomato flesh into the filling and stuff each tomato with the filling. Cook the tomatoes in the same pot.

two zucchinis with rice and vegetable filling  in a white bowl with red broth

Storage

Can kousa mahshi be frozen?

Kousa mahshi is great as leftovers, so don't be afraid to make a large batch and keep in the fridge for a few days. You could even freeze them in a snap-lock container or bag for up to 3 months.

two bowls filled with kousa mahshi

More Vegetarian Lebanese Stuffed Veggies

Warak enab is a dish of stuffed grape leaves in a lemony broth.

Stuffed silverbeet leaves or swiss chard, is also made with rice, diced veggies and herbs.

Oven baked Lebanese stuffed peppers in a tomato herb broth.

Similar to this recipe, are stuffed eggplants.

Kousa Mahshi - Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

Kousa mashi in a white plate with a spoon

Kousa Mahshi (Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini)

Kousa mahshi is Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini. This recipe is my family’s recipe. Each zucchini is filled with spiced vegetables, toasted pine nuts and rice cooked in a delicious tomato broth. This is a vegan Lebanese recipe.
Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

Zucchini and Broth

  • 12 medium Lebanese zucchini White squash/Mexican zucchini
  • ¾ cup Tomato paste
  • ¾ tablespoon Salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Cracked black pepper
  • 7 cups Water more or less may be needed

Stuffing

  • 1¼ cups Long-grain rice
  • 1 medium Tomato finely diced
  • 1 medium Onion finely diced
  • ¼ cup Parsley finely chopped
  • ¼ cup Mint finely chopped
  • ½ cup Pine nuts
  • ¾ tablespoon Lebanese 7 Spice substitute All Spice
  • 2 teaspoons Salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon Cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Dairy free butter optional
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil optional
Metric - US Customary
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Wash and dry the zucchinis as usual. Trim off the ends using a paring knife, taking off as little as possible. Use a corer, either manually or with an electric tool (see equipment for my recommendation), to hollow out each zucchini. Set aside the hollowed zucchinis and save the flesh for other recipes. See the article above for tasty ideas.
  • In a non-stick frypan/skillet, (optional - add olive oil/dairy-free butter) toast pine nuts until golden and set aside. Be sure to remove the pine nuts from the pan immediately as they will continue to brown from the heat which can cause them to burn. This happens very quickly.
  • In a large mixing bowl add rice, tomato, onion, fresh parsley, fresh mint, pine nuts, Lebanese 7 spice, salt, and black pepper. Mix well together.
  • To stuff the zucchinis, use your hands to scoop a small amount of the filling and place it inside each one. Lightly tap the bottom of each zucchini to help the filling settle into the cavity. Leave about ½ inch (1.5 cm) of space from the opening to allow the rice to expand during cooking. Avoid compacting the rice to ensure even cooking. Wipe down the outside of each zucchini to remove any excess filling. Repeat this process until all the zucchinis are stuffed.
  • In a mixing jug, dissolve the tomato paste in water and add salt and pepper. Place the stuffed squashes in a large pot and submerge them with the water and tomato paste broth.
    Cover the pot with a heat-proof plate placed on top of the stuffed zucchinis. Bring to a boil over medium to high heat, then simmer over low heat for about 35-40 minutes until the Kousa Mahshi is tender. Serve warm.

Video


Notes

Yield is 2 zucchinis per serving.
Here's the recipe for how to make your own Lebanese 7 spice mix
 

Equipment

Insta Corer Electric
Insta Corer Electric

Nutrition

Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 2349mg | Potassium: 1898mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2106IU | Vitamin C: 103mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 5mg

N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.


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Comments

    4.97 from 87 votes (60 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. SamanthaV

    September 17, 2024 at 5:46 pm

    5 stars
    So good. Made this for lunch because I grew Lebanese squash like this specifically to make this dish. I only had 6 squash so had a bit of leftover filling but cooked that up separate and added a couple of beans from the garden in also. Both tasted delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    Reply
    • Janelle Hama

      September 17, 2024 at 11:45 pm

      Your garden sounds so prolific! Yum! Fresh koosa is extra special. I secretly love the left over filling as it's so delish when cooked up. Thank you for sharing and I'm happy you enjoyed this dish :))

      Reply
  2. Naseem

    July 13, 2023 at 2:44 am

    Can I make this without tomatoes? Is there an appropriate substitute?

    Reply
    • Janelle Hama

      July 13, 2023 at 9:53 am

      Whilst I've not done this, you can try red bell peppers (capsicum) in the filling and red pepper paste for the broth, such as this biber salcasi (it's not that chili to me, you should try it first, there is also a biber tatli version which is mild)

      Reply
  3. Lene Scheel

    June 03, 2023 at 7:44 pm

    This is my favorite dish in the whole world! 8 years ago I was so fortunate to have a new neighbor, a family from Syria. As I was an Old single women (57 at that time😂) my new friends saw it as their duty to take of me! Among other things it meant feeding me every afternoon😂 From that time I am a big fan of middel eastern Food! I have had a lot of “lessons” in cooking traditionel arabic food, so I am a very happy danish woman. Thank you for this wonderfull recipe ❤️

    Reply
    • Janelle Hama

      June 04, 2023 at 2:07 pm

      Hi Lene,

      What lovely neighbours you have. I love that so many cultures live amongst each other nowadays and can share their exquisite cuisines. Thank you for sharing a little about you.

      Janelle

      Reply
  4. Jennifer

    August 11, 2022 at 1:41 pm

    My grandfather was vegetarian. My grandmother used to
    Prepare his coussa stuffed with rice, onion, Tomato, Lebanese seasonings and chickpeas!

    Reply
    • Janelle Hama

      August 11, 2022 at 2:19 pm

      That sounds delicious Jennifer, I might try adding the chickpeas next time.

      Reply
  5. Lebatiz

    July 15, 2022 at 6:50 pm

    This dish isn't exclusively Lebanese

    Reply
    • Janelle Hama

      July 18, 2022 at 9:44 am

      Yes, you're right there are various variations. This is a vegan Lebanese version

      Reply
  6. Sara

    May 01, 2022 at 9:37 am

    5 stars
    Such an amazingly flavorful dish! We will be making this on repeat in my house!

    Reply
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