Kousa mahshi is a classic middle eastern dish that features cored zucchini stuffed with seasoned ground beef and rice, all simmered in a flavourful garlicky tomato sauce. The result is perfectly tender zucchini bursting with the flavourful filling, perfect to eat scooped up with the tomato sauce or with a dollop of yogurt on top. Although a bit labour intensive, this dish is worth the effort, especially with my tried and true recipe that avoids all the beginner mistakes!

Stuffed small squash in a tomato broth with one split open in a speckled beige bowl with a black striped tea towel and a small bowl of dried mint on a blue tiled background.

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Kousa: A Classic “Labour of Love” Recipe

There are quite a few middle eastern recipes that I know I’ll be spending several hours making – but ones that I continue to make over and over again simply because they are 1) absolutely delicious and 2) deeply nostalgic.

It’s recipes like stuffed grape leaves and dolma (stuffed vegetables) that I personally crave, and now my kids do too. This stuffed zucchini with ground beef is one of those recipes. Luckily for me, I can find pre-cored zucchini at my local grocers, but if you have to core yourself, I have detailed instructions!

Mexican squash or grey squash (squash meaning kousa!) is used for this middle eastern zucchini recipe, not the typical classic green zucchini you find in most grocery stores. Mexican squash is shorter and wider, which makes it much easier to core and stuff.

Mistakes To Avoid When Making Kousa

I’ve tested this recipe multiple times, and there are a few common mistakes that you need to avoid to get the perfect kousa mahshi. The step by step section has all of my solutions.

  1. Overstuffing the zucchini: The first time I made this recipe, I ended up over stuffing by using my finger to push the filling down into the zucchini. Even simply pushing it down lightly can pack the rice in too much and result in undercooked and very clumpy rice.
  2. Zucchini breaking or tearing: I found that using a traditional corer (photo below) can result in breaking the zucchini if you’re not careful with how you’re positioning it.
  3. Stuffing spilling out into the pot: When you over-stuff the zucchini, you risk having the stuffing spilling out into the sauce when they’re boiling. This isn’t a huge deal taste wise but a mistake that can easily be avoided so you can have a smooth sauce.

Ingredients and Tools Needed

(Note: the full ingredient list and method, including measurements is provided in the recipe card below.)

Mexican squash or grey zucchini is the star of the dish: you can find it at local middle eastern shops or at some bigger grocery stores. It’s shorter than green zucchini and wider which makes it easy to stuff.

For the filling: You must use a higher fat ground beef so I recommend medium or “regular” ground beef. The extra fat helps soften the filling. You also need short grain rice as it will blend into the meat much better and yield softer results. I would avoid basmati, but if that’s all you have, you can use it.

Ingredient shot with a small white bowl with ground beef, a glass bowl with short grain rice, a small white bowl with minced garlic, a small bowl with spices, a small white bowl with tomato paste, a white bowl with chopped tomatoes, another small bowl with spices and bay leaves, a small white bowl with olive oil, and a glass bowl with small grey squash on a blue tiled background.

Tools for Coring The Zucchini

I have three tools that I’ve tried, and here are my thoughts on each one:

  • Screw Head Corer (left): This one works well and is generally safe to use but I found it to be the slowest one. Therefore, I don’t rely on it.
  • Apple Corer (right): This is my favourite tool to use, simply because it can be easily inserted into the flesh and remain straight as you push it down. It won’t ever break the sides of the zucchini. However, when you take it out, the flesh doesn’t always come out with the corer, so you need to rely on the traditional corer to finish the job.
  • Traditional Corer (middle): This one is commonly used to core out the zucchini. If you’re experienced, it’s actually quick to use. But for many beginner cooks, you could end up puncturing the sides of the zucchini since it has a pointed tip. I simply use it to scrape out the flesh that was already marked by the apple corer.

Be sure to scroll to the recipe card and watch the recipe video if you want a demonstration of how to core the zucchini!

Three types of corers, labelled with screw head corer, apple corer and traditional corer on a marble background.

How to Make Lebanese Style Kousa Mahshi

Start by trimming the end off the zucchini and rinsing all of them, then pat dry. Mix together all the filling ingredients and use your hands to ensure the meat is incorporated well with the rice.

Glass bowl with small grey squash on a blue tiled background.
Ground beef in a glass bowl with rice mixed in on a marble background.

Coring the zucchini is the most time intensive step. To core, start by inserting an apple corer in the middle of the cut end of the zucchini. Insert the corer all the way to the end, gently stopping when you reach the bottom.

Twist the corer and take it out. Most of the time in my experience, the flesh does not end up coming out, but you managed to “mark” it using the corer. I switch to using a traditional corer (or simply a small knife if you don’t have the tool) to then scrape away at the flesh that was marked by the corer. Do this gently to avoid poking into the sides of the zucchini and puncturing it.

A small squash being held and cored over a beige bowl on a marble background.
A small squash being held and cored over a beige bowl on a marble background.
A small squash being held and cored over a beige bowl on a marble background.

Continue to scrape along the inside of the zucchini until you remove most of the flesh. The zucchini should look hollow with a small 1/8 inch border around it. You don’t want to scrape it too much or the zucchini will be to thin and break easily when cooking.

A small squash being held and cored over a beige bowl on a marble background.
A small squash being held and cored over a beige bowl on a marble background.
A cored small green squash being held over a bowl with a corer at the side on a marble background.

Next, grab some stuffing and start stuffing the kousa. Avoid pushing the stuffing into the zucchini using your fingers. Instead, simply tap the bottom of the zucchini on your palm to allow the filling to naturally shift down without any force. This ensures the rice has enough room to expand and become fluffy. Only stuff the zucchini 3/4 of the way through.

Note: If you have leftover filling, you can freeze it for a future use, or you can stuff other vegetables like bell pepper, grape leaves or cored baby eggplants. The filling amount will depend on how big/small the zucchini is.

A cored small green squash being held with meat and rice stuffing inside over a glass bowl of ground meat and rice and a glass bowl of cored small squash on a marble background.
A cored small green squash being held with meat and rice stuffing being placed inside with a gloved hand over a glass bowl of ground meat and rice and a glass bowl of cored small squash on a marble background.

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic until fragrant. Then add the tomato paste and cook it for a few seconds. Finally, add the passata or tomato sauce along with all the seasoning.

Large grey pot with green handles with olive oil being heated up with tomato paste and garlic with a wooden spoon stirring it with a hand on a marble background.
Large grey pot with green handles with olive oil being heated up with tomato paste, garlic and tomato sauce with a wooden spoon stirring it with a hand on a marble background.

Arrange the stuffed kousa in the pot right over the sauce. Then, place a small plate over them and pour in the boiling water. The water should come right up to the top-most zucchini layer. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil on medium heat. Once boiling, decrease to medium low and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until you test one zucchini and the flesh is tender.

Cored and stuffed small squash in a grey pot with green handles over a marble background.
Cored and stuffed small squash with a white plate on top in a grey pot with green handles over a marble background.

Use tongs to carefully remove the plate from the pot, then add the lemon juice. Simmer for another 5 minutes and then you’re ready to serve.

Cooked stuffed small squash in a tomato broth in a large green pot with a white plate covered in tomato broth being lifted off with tongs.
Stuffed small grey squash in a tomato broth in a grey pot with green handles and a green striped tea towel beside it on a blue tiled background.

I typically serve it sprinkled with parsley or dried mint and always with a side of yogurt. To plate the dish, add the kousa to a slightly deep bowl, then scoop over a generous amount of the tomato sauce, and a few dollops of yogurt if desired.

Stuffed small squash in a tomato broth with one split open, yogurt on top and a spoon at the side in a speckled beige bowl with a black striped tea towel and a small bowl of dried mint on a blue tiled background.

Other Stuffed Recipes You Will Love

Cabbage rolls on a blue patterned tray garnished with parsley on a blue background with a white lace tea towel, a water glass and white plates at the side.

Addictive Cabbage Rolls (Beef & Rice Stuffing)
vegetarian stuffed grape leaves served on a platter with one cut open and dipped in yogurt

Yalanji (Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves)
iraqi dolma served in a blue patterned plate

Iraqi Dolma (Middle Eastern Stuffed Vegetables)
Lebanese malfouf served on a pink plate and garnished with lemon wedges and fresh mint

Malfouf (Lebanese Cabbage Rolls)

If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!

Stuffed small squash in a tomato broth with one split open, yogurt on top and a spoon at the side in a speckled beige bowl with a black striped tea towel and a small bowl of dried mint on a blue tiled background.
5 from 3 ratings

Foolproof Kousa Mahshi (Beef Stuffed Zucchini)

Yield: 8 Servings
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
Kousa Mahsi is a traditional Lebanese stuffed zucchini that takes a bit of labour to make but its totally worth the effort. The zucchini is cored and stuffed with a seasoned ground beef and rice filling, and then cooked low and slow in a garlicky tomato broth, resulting in an incredibly tender zucchini.
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 kilograms small grey squash, *See notes on leftover filling
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Stuffing

  • 1½ cups short grain rice, washed until water runs clear and drained
  • 300 grams medium ground beef, or "regular" with 80/20 lean to fat content
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons seven spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 3 tablespoons ghee or olive oil, melted

For the Cooking Sauce

  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup passata, tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ cup lemon juice

For Serving

  • plain yogurt
  • dried mint

Instructions
 

To Core the Zucchini:

  • First wash the squash and cut the tops off. Using an apple corer or a specific squash corer (see blog post for photos of the tools I used and step by step photos of coring), scrape out the insides of the squash, being very careful not to break them. I typically use an apple corer to mark the inside, then use the traditional corer to gently scrape out the flesh. You can also use a thin small knife if you don't have an apple corer. Set the cored zucchini aside.

For the Stuffing:

  • In a medium bowl, add the washed and drained rice, ground beef, black pepper, seven spice, cinnamon, salt and melted ghee or olive oil. With your hands, mix everything really well, working the rice into the meat until a cohesive filling is formed.
  • Take a bit of the stuffing and gently fill each zucchini, making sure not to use your finger to push the filling down. Simply tap the bottom of the zucchini on your palm so the filling can naturally shift down with gravity. Fill each zucchini only 3/4 of the way through to allow the rice room to expand. The rice should have enough space to cook and fluff. Set aside on a tray.

For the Cooking Sauce:

  • In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the tomato paste and continue to cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Pour in the passata along with the paprika and salt. Stir well.
  • Stack the stuffed squash in a radial pattern into the pot over the tomato mixture. Place a small plate upside down over the zucchini to help keep them in place. Pour boiling water over the plate, enough to reach the top-most layer of zucchini in the pot.
  • Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil on medium heat, then lower the heat to medium low. Cover the pot with a lid and cook until the kousa is tender and the sauce has thickened. This should take 45 minutes to an hour, but start checking the zucchini at the 30 minute mark. In the last 15 minutes remove the lid and plate, add the lemon juice and let the kousa simmer for for another 10-15 minutes.
  • Serve with dried mint and a side of plain yogurt.

Notes

  • The zucchini or squash can be medium in size or rather small, so depending on the size of the zucchini you’re using, you may have leftover filling. For this recipe I used roughly 35 small zucchini or roughly 16 medium sized ones. If you do have leftover filling, you can do one of the following:
    • freeze it and use it another time,
    • or you can simply add to it 2 cups of water per 1 cup of filling, along with a few tablespoons of tomato paste and cook it on the stove top like a rice pilaf,
    • or you can choose to stuff other vegetables like bell peppers, grape leaves, tomatoes, or small eggplant. I often stuff peppers because they’re easy to core and stuff quickly. 
  • The ratio of meat to rice in the stuffing differs in each house. I find this ratio (300g beef to 1.5 cups of rice) to be my favourite but this can be adjusted if you like it more meaty.
  • Rinse the rice multiple times with warm water to ensure it cooks well while stuffed.
  • Cooking time may be more or less, depending on the thickness of the squash and its tenderness. Typically, you’ll need 45 minutes to an hour.
  • You can refrigerate the leftovers for a few days, but I do not recommend freezing them. The rice and kousa will become mushy.
Serving: 1Serving, Calories: 379kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 1167mg, Potassium: 1069mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 997IU, Vitamin C: 58mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 4mg
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