Try this healthy Lebanese kousa mahshi recipe for dinner today. It’s low in calories and saturated fat, and great for almost all diet plans. Kousa mahshi is also known as stuffed zucchini or stuffed squash and is one of the most favored dishes in Mediterranean cuisine.
Zucchinis are in season now and if you can find some Magda or cocozelle zucchinis, they’ll be awesome for this recipe. These bad boys are also packed with fiber and iron along with other essential vitamins and minerals so apart from enjoying them in your recipes, you get a ton of health benefits as well.
Lebanese Kousa Mahshi Recipe (Stuffed Zucchini)
As much as I love this recipe, I must admit, it can be a bit frustrating trying to core zucchinis especially if it’s your first time. Even as a professional zucchini corer (lol) I still break a few here and there when I’m making them. Check out this video on how to core zucchinis correctly.
Ingredients for 8-10 servings | Total time: 2 hours
- 2 1/2 kilograms of zucchini (cored)
- 250g ground beef or lamb
- 1 cup of white short-grain rice
- 1 large tomato (peeled & chopped)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 6 cups of water
- 2 chicken or beef bouillon cubes (melted in 1 TBSP hot water)
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of 7 season
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
How To Make Lebanese Kousa Mahshi
Rinse the rice under running water and soak for 1 hour while you core and eash your zucchinis.
In a large bowl, combine the rice, beef, salt, garlic, pepper, bouillion cube mix, butter, 7-season, olive oil, and chopped tomatoes until fully combined.
Next, stuff the kousa | zucchini halfway, make sure not to compress the stuffing too tightly or else the rice won’t cook through.
In a deep pot, place the kousa at the bottom in a circular shape. Cover with a plate and lightly press it down to hold the zucchini in place.
Mix the tomato paste with 6 cups of water in another bowl, add a little salt, and pour it over the kousa.
Cover the pot and set it on high heat until it starts to boil, remove any foams from the sides and lower the heat to medium-high. Let it cook for 1 hour or until the stuffing is fully cooked.
Serve right away while still hot with some pita bread and yogurt. If you are saving the kousa for later, remove them from the sauce, or else they will burst open.
Lebanese Kousa Mahshi Recipe Nutrition Facts
Each serving of this Lebanese Kousa Mahshi Recipe has | 220 calories | 5g total fat | 1.7g saturated fat | 25mg cholesterol | 320mg sodium | 33g total carbs | 5.6g dietary fiber | 9.5g total sugars | 14.4g protein | 4% vitamin D | 67mg calcium | 8mg iron | 1324mg potassium |
Variations
There are so many variations to this recipe, you can add and remove ingredients to fit your personal taste or diet. One way I like making kousa mahshi is by adding eggplants and slices of steak at the bottom of the pot.
You can also remove the chopped tomatoes and add them over the steak at the bottom but you’ll have to thinly slice them. I sometimes add some sliced potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers to enhance the taste and benefits.
Storage
Simply cover with cling film and store this recipe for up to a week in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing kousa mahshi because they will become mushy when reheating them. You also want to store the sauce in a separate bowl when storing leftovers or else they will burst open.
Want More Healthy Recipes?
- Lebanese Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini (kousa mahshi)
- Healthy Butternut Squash And Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
- Easy Low-Calorie Butternut Squash Soup
- Healthy Roasted Butternut Squash And Cauliflower Soup
Conclusion
I hope you try this healthy Lebanese Kousa Mahshi Recipe and if you do, please let me know what you think in the comments below. You can also find me on Pinterest for more awesome recipes and weight loss tips. Until next time, stay awesome mamas!
