Tender Lebanese Squash with Burghul

Name: Tender Lebanese Squash With Burghul
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 650 grams Zucchini flesh (or grated zucchini); 1 large Onion (finely diced); ½ cup Red capsicum ((bell pepper) finely diced); ⅓ cup Bulgur (fine or medium grain. Washed and drained.); 1 tablespoon Olive oil; ½ teaspoon Salt (to taste); ¼ teaspoon Pepper (to taste); 1 pinch Paprika (to sprinkle on top)

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Tender Lebanese squash with burghul is simmered with onions and red bell pepper. Quick, easy and naturally vegan.

a qwhite plate with cooked burghul, red capsicum and zucchini

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make Lebanese Squash With Bulgur
Serving Suggestions
❓FAQ
Related Recipes
Tender Lebanese Squash With Burghul

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A quick Lebanese recipe, which is generally the by-product of kousa mahshi (see ingredients for how to get around this)
Has loads of flavor
This is the other lib koosa recipe (zucchini insides)
Dietary friendly - vegan, dairy free, nut free, soy free, corn free. Can be altered to be oil free too.

Ingredients You’ll Need

red capsicum, burghul in a bowl, grey zucchini, onion and salt and pepper laid out

Notes on some of the ingredients, the full list of ingredients and their measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Zucchini of the varieties of green, grey or golden can be used. These are long cylindrical types. I normally use either grey zucchini (aka Lebanese zucchini or grey squash).

The zucchinis are generally hollowed to make kousa mahshi (stuffed zucchini) with a coring tool like this (affiliate link) and the leftover pulp become the main ingredient of this recipe. Learn how to core zucchini.

Tip: You can make this recipe without hollowing a zucchini, instead use a large sized grater to grate the whole zucchinis.

Finely diced brown onion is fried in a tiny amount of olive oil (normally this recipe calls for more oil, however I have reduced the amount)

Finely diced red Capsicum (bell pepper) will add to the mild sweetness of the onion and the red specks looks great throughout this dish.

Burghul (bulgur) makes this dish more substantial, like a pilaf. When cooked it will double in size. You can use either fine or medium grain. Burghul can be found at your local Middle Eastern grocer or in most supermarkets or online (affiliate link). Please note this grain is from wheat therefore containing gluten.

Salt and pepper are added to taste.

Paprika can be sprinkled on top.

zucchini flesh in a bowl with a zucchini next to the bowl

How to Make Lebanese Squash With Bulgur

Step 1 - In a pot, over medium heat, add oil and onion and fry until golden. Add the capsicum (bell pepper) and fry until softened.

Step 2 - Stir through the zucchini, burghul, salt, pepper and cover with the lid, cook for 10-15 minutes or until the burghul is tender. Serve warm or cold.

Tip - zucchini flesh contains a lot of water which will help to cook the burghul.

a male hand holding a piece of bread with zucchini and burghul in it

Serving Suggestions

Serve Lebanese zucchini with pita bread, which is used as a scoop, hand-to-mouth eating. Use the bread to mop up the juices.

A serving of freshly cut vegetables or salad can also be served. Or enjoy it as a side, part of a mezze. Check out this rocca salad.

Our family likes to enjoy this meal any time of day.

Try it for brekky with vegan scrambled eggs.

a hand holding a bread used as a scoop with zucchini flesh and bulgur

❓FAQ

How to store Lebanese squash with burghul?

Allow the dish to cool down to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-5 days.

What sized burghul should I use?

Either fine or medium grain can be used to make this recipe. The texture of fine grain will be slightly juicier than the medium grain. The cook time will alter slightly between the two. Avoid using fine burghul as this will be too mushy.

a spoon in a white bowl filled with cooked zucchini flesh, diced ed capsicum in bulgur

You might also enjoy these vegan Lebanese recipes

Lib koosa - another Lebanese recipe that also uses zucchini pulp
Fresh oregano salad - great on toast
Ejjeh - you can also use zucchini pulp with this recipe
Balela - a chickpea salad
Fatayer bi sabanekh - spinach hand pies

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