Kousa (Stuffed Squash)

5 from 443 votes

This authentic Kousa recipe is a popular Middle Eastern dish made with a spiced beef & rice mixture stuffed in squash and cooked in a garlicky tomato broth!

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Kousa is a traditional Lebanese recipe that I grew up eating! It’s one of those labor of love meals that requires coring squash, making a stuffing, stuffing it in the squash and then cooking it all together. However, it only uses a handful of ingredients, and the result is a tender squash filled with delicious juicy meat and rice in a rich broth.

Kousa on a white plate

What is kousa

Kousa is another name for squash or zucchini in Arabic. They’re often called Mexican Squash, Mexican Zucchini or Grey Zucchini. Their shape – short and wide – is ideal for stuffing. So this Lebanese Kousa recipe is essentially spiced ground beef with rice stuffed in the kousa and cooked in a garlicky tomato broth. 

four squash on a counter

WATCH ME & A FRIEND MAKE KOUSA 2 WAYS

How to make kousa

Core the squash

Cut off the stalks of the squash, then slice off the dried tips at the opposite end. You want to be careful not to remove too much of the squash while doing this. This is also a good time to wash the squash thoroughly and dry them.

four squash on a white background

To core the squash, I found the best technique is to use an apple corer. Once you remove the major core of the squash, you can clean out more of the sides with a knife or again with the apple corer. You can remove as much or as little as you want. Just be careful not to cut through the tender skin of the squash.

collage of hollowing out squash

Make the stuffing

The stuffing is a classic beef hashweh (Arabic word for stuffing) that we use in many dishes like stuffed grape leaves. Cook ground beef with olive oil, spices and onions (optional), then add uncooked rice and stir to combine. Some prefer not to cook the stuffing, but I prefer cooking it for best flavor. Don’t cook the rice though because it will cook in the broth afterwards.

process shots of filling being cooked

Stuff the squash

Now, it’s time to place the stuffing into the hallowed out kousa. Be sure not to overstuff them because the rice will expand as it’s cooked. While this is not necessary, I recommend adding a small tomato wedge to help seal the squash. It creates an edible barrier to keep the rice and beef mixture inside the kousa when it’s cooking.

hand holding hollowed out squash

Cook the kousa in tomato broth

After you’re done stuffing the rice and beef mixture into the kousa, it’s time to cook it in a tomato broth. There are many ways to create a tomato broth. I make mine with olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Make enough to just barely cover the stuffed squash in the pot. And make sure the consistency of broth is not too thick since it will thicken as it cooks.

Since I don’t have a pressure cooker, I use a small round plate to keep kousa intact in the 8-quart deep pot while it’s cooking. After about 45 minutes to an hour, the broth will reduce, the squash color will darken and the stuffing will become tender.

process shots of kousa cooking in a pot

Tips for making kousa

  1. Reserve the squash flesh for another purpose. That part is completely edible and tasty. You can use it to make an omelette, frittata or even babaganoush!
  2. Keep the kousa extra firm when cooking by washing it with salted water. You can fill a medium bowl with water and add about 1 teaspoon of salt and then scrub the squash with your hands.
  3. Seal the stuffed squash with small wedges of tomatoes. This is not necessary and many cooks don’t take the time to do this step. However, I found it’s really useful for keeping the stuffing inside the squash instead of spilling into the broth.
  4. Swap the rice for riced cauliflower for a lower carb version. I recently tried it with cauliflower rice and it works really well this way. If you’re using cauliflower rice instead of regular rice, you can stuff them all the way since the there won’t be any rice expansion.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find kousa?

It’s usually available in the winter months in local markets in Michigan and it’s often called Mexican Squash so you can ask your local grocer about it where you live. If you can’t find kousa, try using yellow summer squash, which will be the closest to it.

What’s the best tool for coring kousa?

I found that an apple corer (Amazon Affiliate link) works really well to remove the flesh inside the squash for stuffing purposes. It works really well with one motion. But you may need to core a couple times depending on the thickness of the squash. To get it extra hallowed, you can also use an electric veggie corer drill (Amazon Affiliate link).

Can you freeze kousa?

You can freeze the hallowed out kousa if you buy it in bulk when it’s seasonal. It makes it really tender when cooked. You can also freeze the hashweh stuffing on its own. Or alternatively, you can freeze the cooked stuffed kousa after it’s been cooled. Whatever option you choose, enjoy it within 3 months of freezing for best results.

Can you make the stuffing vegetarian?

Yes, the vegetarian stuffing would be uncooked rice, parsley, tomatoes, green onions and green peppers. It’s basically the same stuffing that I use when I make my vegetarian stuffed grape leaves.

overhead shot of kousa on a dish

For more Mediterranean food:

Lebanese stuffed squash is one of those great recipes that I grew up having and I love sharing it with you. It’s one of those dishes that we cook on weekends when the whole family gathers together. It’s healthy, hearty and well-balanced while bursting with great Mediterranean flavor. I hope you try it and love it!

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feelgood Kousa recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

Kousa (Stuffed Squash)

This authentic Kousa recipe is a popular Middle Eastern dish made with a spiced beef & rice mixture stuffed in squash and cooked in a garlicky tomato broth!
5 from 443 votes
Servings 8 servings
Course Entree
Calories 444
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 16 Mexican squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon 7 Spice
  • 2 teaspoons salt divided
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ cups long grain white rice
  • 1 large tomato cut into 16 chunks

Tomato Broth

Instructions

  • Cut off the stalks of the Mexican squash, then slice off the dried tips at the opposite end without removing too much of the squash.
  • Using a knife or apple corer, carefully hallow out the squash and remove the flesh without puncturing the outside of the squash. You can reserve the flesh for another recipe.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan on medium heat large. Add the onions and ground beef and season with 7 Spice, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook until the beef is browned, about 7-10 minutes. Add the uncooked rice, the remaining salt and stir to combine the ingredients.
  • To make the tomato broth, heat the olive oil in a large deep pot over medium. Add the tomato paste and pressed garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mixture becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, while stuffing the squash.
  • Using a small spoon or your hands, fill the hallowed out inside of each squash with the rice stuffing. Be sure to leave about ¼ inch of empty space at the top since the rice will expand when cooked. Then stuff a tomato chunk on top to seal the squash and prevent the stuffing from coming out when cooked. Repeat with the remaining squash. If you have any leftover stuffing, you can cook it with water.
  • Transfer the stuffed squash to the deep pot and bring mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook covered for 45 minutes. Uncover the pot, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the kousa is knife tender and the sauce thickens, 30-45 minutes.
  • Serve the stuffed squash warm with the sauce on top.

Notes

Recipe: There are so many variations of this kousa recipe depending on the region adapted from. There is no absolute one way to make this dish, but this was the recipe passed down from my Lebanese parents and it’s one that I’ve made and enjoyed for many many years.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. A commonly asked question is whether you can use brown rice, and I would recommend against it. If you use brown rice, you have to increase the cooking time by 30 minutes, but I have not tried it.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge. 
Freezing Instructions: Freeze the hallowed out kousa and store in freezer safe containers. Freeze the hashweh without cooking the rice. Or alternatively, you can freeze the cooked stuffed kousa after it’s been cooled. Whatever option you choose, enjoy it within 3 months of freezing for best results. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Make Ahead Tips: You can make the hashweh stuffing up to 2 days in advance. You can also core the squash a few days in advance and store it in the fridge until ready to stuff.
Equipment: I use an apple corer (Amazon Affiliate link) to core the kousa. It works really well with one motion. But you may need to core a couple times depending on the thickness of the squash. To get it extra cored, you can also use an electric veggie corer drill (Amazon Affiliate link).

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 2041mg, Potassium: 1782mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 1386IU, Vitamin C: 92mg, Calcium: 112mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Course: Entree

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Comments

  1. I’m going to attempt making this recipe this weekend! Which ground beef do you recommend (85/15, 93/7, etc.)?

    1. Hi there! As written the recipe serves about 8. However, the squash is not zucchini, it’s Kousa, also sometimes called Mexican squash. They are smaller than zucchini, but if you can’t find it the best substitute would be summer squash.

      1. Made it last week & it was a big hit!! I grew up on this (from our Lebanese friends when I was very young) but I had never made it myself.
        Thanks!!! I’m eyeing the next recipes to try from your site.

  2. This is a delicious recipe, it tasted just like my grandma’s stuffed squash. I’m vegetarian so I subbed cooked green lentils for the meat, but otherwise kept the recipe the same. Thank you for sharing this.

  3. This might sound odd, but do you add the leftover mince mixture to the pot of broth or a separate saucepan of water?

    1. So if you have any stuffing which is made up of the uncooked rice and beef, you can put it in a pot and estimate double the amount of water for how much rice you have. Cook it for 15 minutes covered and then uncover and fluff the rice. Hope that helps!

  4. Grew kousa for the first time this year. Wasn’t really sure what to do with them, and those plants are prolific producers!
    Glad to have found this delicious recipe. Tonight is the third time in recent weeks we’re having it and it just gets better each time. Now that I have the coring down to a fine art, I can really get those squashes super stuffed.
    The kids absolutely love them too! Thanks for such a great recipe and allowing us to bring a touch of Lebanon into our lives.

    1. You’re so welcome, Fraser! So happy to hear that you and your family are enjoying the stuffed squash. Once you get the coring down, it’s really a quick, convent way to eat them!

  5. I’m so happy to have found this recipe! This is one of my favorite childhood dinners from my summers in Jordan and I wanted to learn more Middle Eastern dishes to have my husband try. He’s not a fan of zucchini, but he absolutely loved this! It definitely brought me back to a place of nostalgia and after not having this for almost 17 years it tastes exactly how I remember! Thank you so much for sharing!<3

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