Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with meat and rice)

Cut up stuffed zucchini in tomato sauce on a plate.

5 from 1 vote

Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with meat and rice)

Authentic Kousa Mahshi is a stuffed zucchini recipe with rice and spiced meat cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce. A hearty Middle Eastern and Sephardic dish traditionally served for celebrations and holidays like Sukkot and Purim.

Prep Time40

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2 10

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Sephardic

Servings:

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Dana Shrager

Ingredients

5 pounds medium zucchini about 7 to 8 zucchinis depending on their size. See notes for type of zucchini.

For the sauce

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled Italian tomatoes, puréed with a hand blender See notes for alternatives.
2 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1-½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the filling

½ cup Italian Arborio rice or short-grain white rice
1 pound ground beef see note
1 medium onion very small dice
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup chopped parsley ½ ounce
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Soak rice: Place the rice (for the filling) into a large bowl, and cover with water to soak while preparing the rest of the recipe, about 15 to 20 minutes. Then drain.
Core the zucchini: Just barely trim both ends of the zucchini. Cut each zucchini into halves or thirds, so that each section of zucchini is about 3-½ inches long. Create a cavity in the zucchini by using a small paring knife, apple corer, or vegetable corer, taking care not to pierce through the zucchini skin. Separately, set aside both the cored zucchini and the removed interiors.
Mix the sauce: Place the canned tomatoes in a large bowl, and purée with a hand blender. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, including water, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, and pepper. Stir to combine, and set aside.
Mix the meat filling: Drain the rice, and return it to a large bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients, including beef, onions, garlic, parsley, salt, allspice, and pepper. Mix by hand or large spoon until fully combined. Set aside.
Stuff the zucchini: Stuff each cored zucchini piece with the meat and rice mixture. Do not over pack.
Fill pot: In a large soup pot, add about 1 cup of the sauce and the cored zucchini insides (this will prevent the stuffed zucchinis from sticking to the bottom of the pot). Place the stuffed zucchini on top; it is ok if they are layered. Then, pour the remaining sauce on top of the zucchini. It’s ok if the sauce doesn’t fully cover all the zucchini.
Cook: Cover pot of stuffed zucchini and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check the zucchini to see if it’s tender enough. If it is still too firm, cook for up to 30 more minutes, depending on the size and moisture content of the specific zucchini. Cook until zucchini is very soft, and filling is cooked through.
Serve warm: Spoon a little brothy tomato sauce into individual shallow bowls, and add stuffed zucchini. Optional to serve with pita, laffa flatbread, or challah to soak up the extra sauce.

Notes

Zucchini: This dish can be made with any type of zucchini, though it’s traditionally made with a small, light green variety from the Levant known as kousa, Middle Eastern summer squash, or Lebanese squash. It’s similar to a Mexican zucchini. Look for it in Middle Eastern markets and farmers’ markets. However, the dark green zucchini that is common in US supermarkets works as well. Canned tomatoes: I prefer using a hand blender to puree a 28-ounce can of Italian whole peeled tomatoes, as the highest quality tomatoes are typically reserved for canned whole tomatoes, making them less likely to be bitter. As an alternative, tomato passata offers good quality tomatoes and comes already puréed, though it's usually sold in smaller 24-ounce jars. My third choice is two (15-ounce) cans of tomato sauce.
If you use lean ground beef, add 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil to add moisture to the mix.
Cut long zucchini in half or thirds, to make them easier to core and stuff.
Make ahead: Transfer the cooked stuffed zucchini to a 9 x 13" baking pan in an even layer so it's easy to reheat. Top with sauce. Once cooled, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to reheat: Bring the dish to room temperature by placing the covered pan on the counter for about 1 hour. Uncover, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Place a rimmed baking sheet under the pan to catch any overflow of the sauce.
Can Kousa Mahshi be frozen? This is controversial, as some people feel that this dish can be frozen, while others feel that the zucchini changes texture and gets mushy after being frozen. I would give it a try to see how it works for you.
How to freeze: Freeze in a 9 x 13” pan wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a 2-gallon Ziplock bag. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Reheat following the above directions.

Recipe inspired by: Angela Amato, excellent Sephardic home cook in Naples, Italy, and by my friend’s Syrian grandmother.

Nutrition