Lunch and Dinner, Main Dishes, Middle Eastern Recipes

Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Grey Squash)

Brightly green tender zucchinis are sinking in a broth of tasty tomato sauce.

Vegans of the World, ATTENTION, please! Here I come with a traditional, yet very enjoyable Middle Eastern dish with a twist. It is the grand Kousa Mahshi or stuffed squash which is celebrated by a lot of people in the Levant.

Inviting someone to eat kousa mahshi that you have prepared means a lot to them since it takes time and effort to make it. It’s a recipe that is truly a labor of love! So, such an invitation is basically a sign of GREAT love. But as soon as you take a bite, you realize that it’s worth the time and hard work.

Arabs like to stuff a wide range of vegetables, and zucchini is no exception at all. Originally prepared with a filling that contains meat, I chose to make it vegan this time. It is filled with spiced rice and then cooked in tomato sauce. The result is an utterly mouth-watering dish.⁣


Kousa Stuffed with Love

A bowl of bright stuffed kousa or squash will never fail to satisfy your hungry stomach.
Never think twice and dive in immediately!


Kousa is the Arabic word for zucchini or courgette. It is a slender, green vegetable that forms the main ingredient of numerous main and side dishes. It is eaten cooked and joins various soups, breads, salads, pastas, and stews.

Cousa or zucchini is available in most eastern groceries, especially in summer. However, if it isn’t available, you can replace it with grey squash, Mexican squash, Lebanese zucchini, Calabacita, white courgette, yellow or green squash.


Coring the Kousa for the Mahshi

You might wonder how the koosa or grey squash is stuffed at a time it is not hollow at all. In fact, this hollowing is your job. So prior filling the zucchinis with the stuffing, you have to core or hollow them out first.

To do so, you can use a great utensil called mankara or corer. It is either manual or electric. The manual corer has a shape similar to a spade and is available at some warehouses. You use it to dig your way into the inside of the cousa or you can use the electrical corer that does the coring task much easier.


How to Core the to-Be Stuffed Kousa or Squash?

To make your zucchinis hollow, you have to cut off the tips or stalks on both sides of the grey squash with a knife. Then, you insert the corer 3/4 the way into the zucchini. Twist the corer in circular movements and take out the flesh. Repeat this step many times until the kousa is thin. It has to be about 5 mm thick.

While coring the grey squash, you have to be careful not to poke it. So make sure the corer doesn’t reach the very bottoms or the tender sides of the zucchinis. You can also use an apple corer but with more care and attention.


Some Little Zucchinis of Heaven

A spectacular scene of tender and soft zucchinis filled with rice, tomatoes, an spices is what you need for a grand meal.
Live, love, and eat kousa mahshi!

Pro Tips for the Best Kousa Mahshi Ever!

Despite being one of those “big deal” recipes, Kousa Mahshi (or stuffed grey squash) remains the traditional dish that is still enjoyed by all family members. It can also be cooked pro by considering the following tips.

While stuffing the cored zucchinis is a quite simple process, you still have to be careful not to stuff the whole kousa with filling. Leave about an inch free at the top so that the squash would not explode and the stuffing would not come out.

After filling the zucchinis with the stuffing, you can leave them open or close them with their tops or vine leaves. Then, place them in a pot big enough for the sauce to cover them and for the stuffed squash to cook well.

It’s common for Middle Easterners to cook stuffed squash in yoghurt (laban). If it appeals to you, follow the same steps, but just replace the tomato sauce with plain yoghurt.


FAQs about the Stuffed Grey Squash Recipe

What is the best kind of rice to use in this recipe?

It works with many types, but the best is short or medium grain rice. You can cook it with Basmati rice as well.

How long does Kousa Mahshi remain edible?

This dish is that kind of food that becomes more appetizing the next day. So you can keep it refrigerated up to 4 days and store it in the freezer for 3 months maximum.

Should I throw away the removed flesh of the cored zucchinis?

Not at all! In fact, zucchini flesh is the main ingredient of many recipes as omelets, purees, and vegan smoothies.

What can I eat this dish with?

Enjoy eating the stuffed squash with pita bread and some plain yoghurt.


Kousa mahshi has it all about eating a vegan plate. It has grey squash filled with vegan stuffing of rice and tomato sinking in a broth of tomato paste.
A spectacular, appetizing bowl!

Required Ingredients to Make the Yummy Kousa Mahshi

This recipe is totally vegan, so its ingredients are easy to find. Suit yourself with the tender veggies, and then have a great time preparing this delicious kousa mahshi (stuffed grey squash) plate.

Mexican squash: Get ones that are small in size and have a light green color. They give the best taste.

Calrose rice: If it’s not available in your region, use any kind of rice that is small or medium grain.

Beef: You can use minced meat, and this is a main ingredient in the original recipe. But I chose to make it vegan this time, so I went without it.

Spices: Use your favorite seasonings but I like to season the stuffing with garlic powder, onion powder, the 7 spice, bullion powder (vegetable to keep it vegan), coriander powder, dried mint, black pepper, and salt.

Onion and garlic: These give the recipe a distinct tangy flavor.

Tomato sauce: It is the broth with which to cook the stuffed zucchinis. It has to be mixed with water for the best concentration. You can also use pureed tomatoes or canned tomatoes pureed with a hand blender instead. These have to diluted with water as well.

Roma tomato: Choose red and ripe tomatoes. They have to be chopped into small pieces to be added to the stuffing.

Olive oil: It gives the stuffing a favorable taste and texture. You can replace it with vegan butter or vegetable ghee.


Steps to Prepare Kousa Mahshi or Stuffed Squash

Start by washing the zucchinis and tomatoes and letting them dry. Also, wash the rice and soak it for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, core the zucchini, and cut the tomatoes into small pieces.

Then, in a large mixing bowl, mix the diced tomatoes with the rice and spices. Add olive oil, and blend them well, preferably using your hand.

Next, start stuffing them as much as possible, but also leave 1/4 inch of space by the opening to make sure the zucchini doesn’t break apart when rice expands.

Following that, place them in a pot and lay them down. Add water just enough to cover, and then add the tomato sauce.

After that, add dried mint, olive oil salt, and mix. Put the pot on medium to high head until it boils.

At this point, reduce to medium-low heat, and cover. Let it simmer on a low bubble for 30-45 minutes.

Once cooked, adjust for saltiness. For the instant pot, just cook them the same way on high pressure for 10 minutes.


Must-Try Recipes:

Green Bean and Lamb Stew

Easy Vegetable Rice Pilaf

Vegetarian Loaded Eggplant

Lentil Soup (Shorbet Adas)

Palestinian Purslane Stew Recipe


If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.


A number of finely arranged squash drizzled with favorable seasonings and spices is not just a dish to enjoy. It is also a full meal cooked with a tasty tomato sauce.

Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Squash)

Fatimah
Soft, tender grey squash stuffed with a filling of rice, diced tomatoes and spices is a perfect dish for a vegan choice. It is a complete healthy meal that satisfies a hungry mouth and stomach.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Lebanese, Mediterranean
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 10 Mexican squashes Grey squash / zucchini/ Lebanese zucchini
  • cups Calrose rice
  • ½ cup 80/20 beef
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon 7 spices
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • teaspoons dried mint divided between the filling and the sauce
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 small onion
  • small Roma tomatos
  • ¼ cup olive oil divided between filling and sauce
  • 2 cans tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon bullion powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Wash the zucchinis and tomatoes and let them dry.
  • Wash the rice and soak it for 15 minutes.
  • Core the zucchini, and cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix the diced tomatoes with the rice and spices.
  • Add olive oil, and blend them well.
  • Start stuffing them as much as possible but also leave ¼ inch of space by the opening.
  • Place them in a pot and lay them down.
  • Add water just enough to cover and then add the tomato sauce.
  • Add dried mint, olive oil, and salt, and mix.
  • Put the pot on medium to high heat until it boils. At this point, reduce to medium-low heat, and cover.
  • Let it simmer on a low bubble for 30-45 minutes. Once cooked, adjust for saltiness.
  • For the instant pot, just cook them the same way on high pressure for 10 minutes.

Notes

  • While stuffing the cored zucchinis, leave about an inch free at the top so that the squash would not explode and the stuffing would not come out.
  • You can cook any leftover filling in the same way that you cook rice.
  • After filling the zucchinis with the stuffing, you can leave them open or close them with their tops or vine leaves.
  • It’s common for Middle Easterners to cook stuffed squash in yogurt (laban). Just replace the tomato sauce with plain yogurt.
Keyword Eastern, Falasteenie, Meal, Palestinian, Recipe, Traditional
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

7 thoughts on “Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Grey Squash)

  1. Hadeal Safi says:

    5 stars
    I want to start by saying Falasteeni Foodie is my favourite chefs to follow.
    She has the best recipes and they are absolutely delicious always a hit and easy to follow.
    Yesterday I made this delicious Kusa recipe for my guests and it was so good everyone one the table kept saying how delicious it was and the best I ever made.
    I made enough for leftovers today and Mashallah there wasn’t one leftover.
    Thank you for sharing your incredible recipes

  2. samina Khan says:

    5 stars
    Hi

    is this a vegan or meat recipe? You put ‘vegan’ in the caption and ‘beef’ in the ingredients.

    I love your recipes, you do smaller batches too which is great. I tried your Musakkan recipe a while back it was beautiful.

    (p.s you don’t have to publish this as it’s not a review)
    I will send a review after I’ve tried your recipe.

    Thanks

    Samina

    1. Fatimah says:

      Hello, I mentioned how to veganize it in the blog as I often make it the exact same way just without the beef.

  3. Nour says:

    5 stars
    Honestly? If I didnt explicitly mention to my kids and husband that I made this vegetarian- they would have NEVER KNOWN. Thank you for contributing to our meatless mondays recipes!! This was ah-mazing!

  4. Mari says:

    Hello,
    I am excited to try this recipe! I am just wondering what size of can for the tomato sauce?

    1. Fatimah says:

      Hi! 15oz

  5. Alex says:

    5 stars
    Very delicious and easy to prepare. It’s regular in my menu now

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