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.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 441kcal
Equipment
- measuring cup
- measuring spoon
- non stick skillet
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
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.12 medium Lebanese zucchini
- 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.½ cup Pine nuts, 1 tablespoon Dairy free butter, 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 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.¾ tablespoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Cracked black pepper, 1¼ cups Long-grain rice, 1 medium Tomato, 1 medium Onion, ¼ cup Parsley, ¼ cup Mint, ½ cup Pine nuts, ¾ tablespoon Lebanese 7 Spice
- 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.¾ cup Tomato paste, 7 cups Water, 2 teaspoons Salt, ½ teaspoon Cracked black pepper
Video
Notes
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