Unstuffed Kousa Mahshi (Easy Lebanese Squash and Rice Pilaf)

A close-up of a plate of unstuffed squash, featuring vibrant green zucchini slices sautéed with ground beef, onions, garlic, and tomatoes,

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Unstuffed Kousa Mahshi (Easy Lebanese Squash and Rice Pilaf)

Unstuffed kousa mahshi is a delightful twist on traditional stuffed squash recipes, offering all the rich flavors without the tedious stuffing process. In this dish, squash is sliced and served with a delectable rice mixture, creating a convenient and equally delicious alternative.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern

Keyword: cheats meal, easy kussa recipes, unstuffed kousa, unstuffed kussa, unstuffed squash

Servings:

Author: Lama

Ingredients

Squash Pilaf Ingredients

1½ cups Long grain or short grain rice
4 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil + 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound Ground beef
1 Medium onion diced
1 tomato cubed
2 cups Water
6 Medium/large squash, yellow or green largely cubed
¾ tablespoons Salt
1 tablespoon Seven spices
1 Bouillon cube

Red Sauce Broth Ingredients

3 cups Water
¼ teaspoon Seven Spices to taste
¼ teaspoon Salt to taste
½ cup Tomato Paste

Instructions

To Prepare the Unstuffed Koussa

Wash and soak your rice, set aside.
In a large pot on high heat, add 4 tablespoons olive oil, add the cubed onion, and sauté for a few minutes. Then add the cubed tomatoes.
Add the ground beef to cook for another 7 minutes while breaking the meat apart using your wooden spoon.
Now wash the squash, remove the stem and cube the preferred squash (I used both yellow and green) that you want to use and add to the pot, followed by the drained rice, bullion cube, 4 tablespoons olive oil, seven spices and salt. You can add a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of citric acid to balance the flavors.
Now add the water. Place on high heat and gently mix together so that all the ingredients are welcome combined.
Once the water has come to a boil for a whole minute, cover the pot and lower the heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Enjoy with the red sauce.

To Prepare the Red Sauce Broth

In a medium saucepan add the water, tomato paste, seven spices and salt.
Bring to a boil, mix well until the tomato paste has dissolved and ingredients are well combined.
Lower heat to simmer for 15 minutes until broth has slightly thickened.
Pour the desired amount over the cooked rice and squash. Enjoy warm.

Notes

Always taste a piece of raw squash before cooking. If it is bitter, do not use it. A bitter zucchini will ruin the entire pot, and there is nothing you can do once it is cooked in. This is the one step I never skip.
Do not core the squash. That is the whole shortcut. Just wash it, cut the stem, cube it, and add it straight to the pot. Coring is only for the traditional stuffed version.
Taste the broth before you cover the pot. Once the lid goes on and the rice starts absorbing the liquid, you cannot adjust the seasoning anymore. Make sure it tastes well seasoned before you lower the heat.
Do not overthink the squash variety. Green zucchini, yellow squash, or Tatuma squash: they all come out delicious as long as they are not bitter. Use whatever looks freshest.
The red sauce is not optional in my house. Pour it over the pilaf when you serve it. That combination of spiced rice and tangy tomato sauce is exactly what makes this taste like the real kousa mahshi.
This is a weekday dish, not a dinner party dish. The flavor is genuinely five stars. The presentation is casual. Serve it to people you are comfortable with, and they will ask for seconds.
Make a full batch for meal prep. This reheats all week beautifully. Store portions with a little of the red sauce and warm them up as needed.

Nutrition