Documented recipe

Qatari Kousa Mahshi: Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini stuffed with minced meat and rice, cooked with tomatoes. Makes 4 servings; preparation time is an estimate.

This version of kousa mahshi combines zucchini, minced meat, rice, tomatoes, onion, and lemon. Hands-on preparation time is an estimate; cooking takes about 50 minutes.

Total time75 min
DifficultyIntermediate
servings4
Qatari Kousa Mahshi: Stuffed Zucchini
Image generated by the Kitchenpause team

Ingredient allergens

Allergen list

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Take your time

Method

  1. 01

    Hollow out the zucchini

    Carefully trim the ends of the zucchini and hollow them out with a knife and spoon, keeping them intact. Set aside the removed flesh.

    Ready to continue when: The zucchini are hollow inside and retain their shape without splitting.

    8 min
  2. 02

    Make the filling

    Finely chop the onion and 1 tomato. In a bowl, mix them with the minced meat, uncooked rice, and lemon juice until the filling is evenly combined.

    Ready to continue when: The meat, rice, onion, and tomato are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

    7 min
  3. 03

    Fill the zucchini

    Fill the zucchini with the mixture without packing it tightly. Leave room for the rice to cook inside the filling.

    Ready to continue when: All the zucchini are filled, and the mixture is not tightly packed inside them.

    5 min
  4. 04

    Cook the tomatoes

    Chop the remaining 2 tomatoes and put them in a pot. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring, until softened.

    Ready to continue when: The tomatoes are soft and form a moist base at the bottom of the pot.

    10 min
  5. 05

    Cook the stuffed zucchini

    Place the stuffed zucchini in the pot and add enough water to cover them. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes.

    Ready to continue when: The zucchini are tender when pierced, and the rice in the filling is cooked.

    40 min

Sources and review

Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:

  1. Salsa (gastronomía) - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsa_(gastronom%C3%ADa)
  2. Nutrición www.aesan.gob.es/nutricion
  3. Cocina catarí: recetas tradicionales enriquecidas con ingredientes importados | Euronews es.euronews.com/2023/07/26/cocina-catari-recetas-tradicionales-enriquecidas-con-ingredientes…
  4. Mundial Qatar 2022: 4 recetas típicas cataríes para preparar en casa www.lavoz.com.ar/ciudadanos/mundial-qatar-2022-4-recetas-tipicas-cataries-para-preparar-en-c…
  5. Diez platos tradicionales de Qatar que has de probar | Visita Qatar www.visitaqatar.com/diez-platos-tradicionales-gastronomia-qatar/
  6. Qatar National Tourism Council celebrates Qatar National Day with culinary showcase | Qatar Tourism www.qatartourism.com/en/news-and-media/press-releases/qntc-celebrates-qatar-national-day-wit…
  7. Oh, hey akastage-www.foodsafety.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-wedding-food-safety.pdf
  8. Al Harees | Ministry of Culture moc.gov.qa/en/inventory/al-harees/
  9. Chicken Majboos (Qatari Machboos) | Baladna baladna.com/en/recipe/chicken-majboos-qatari-machboos
  10. - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwz-uNYS6EQ
  11. La gastronomía local de Catar | Un viaje culinario | Visit Qatar visitqatar.com/es-es/about-qatar/cuisine
  12. Throwback Food Festival revives Qatar’s cherished culinary heritage | The Peninsula Qatar s.thepeninsula.qa/article/23/02/2026/throwback-food-festival-revives-qatars-cherished-culina…
  13. Qatar news agency qna.org.qa/en/news/news-details?date=12%2F02%2F2025&id=qatar-international-food-festival-202…
  14. 2nd ‘Throwback Food Festival’ is launched - Gulf Times www.gulf-times.com/article/701227/qatar/2nd-throwback-food-festival-is-launched
  15. - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p1HNHChvKY
  16. Foolproof Kousa Mahshi (Beef Stuffed Zucchini) - Hungry Paprikas www.hungrypaprikas.com/kousa-mahshi/
  17. KOUSA MAHSHI (Stuffed Zucchini) – sumarae sumarae.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/kousa-mahshi-stuffed-zucchini/
  18. Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed zucchini) by Zaatar and Zaytoun zaatarandzaytoun.com/kousa-mahshi/
  19. Cooking up Tradition: How to Make Sheikh al Mahshi at Home – Chef in disguise chefindisguise.com/2023/02/17/cooking-up-tradition-how-to-make-sheikh-al-mahshi-at-home/
  20. Kousa Mahshi - Stuffed squash with rice and meat - The Bite with Jackie thebitewithjackie.com/kousa-mahshi-stuffed-squash-with-rice-and-meat/
  21. Lebanese Stuffed Kousa Squash (Koosa Mahshi Recipe) maureenabood.com/lebanese-stuffed-kousa/
  22. 141 Qatar – Kousa Mahshi – Marty Made It martymadeit.com/2018/11/14/141-qatar-kousa-mahshi/
  23. Receta de kousa mahshi vegetariana y fatayer de espinacas www.petitchef.es/recetas/plato/kousa-mahshi-version-vegetariana-y-fatayer-de-espinacas-fid-1…
  24. Receta Calabacines Rellenos (Kousa Mahshi) recetasarabes.com/receta/calabacines-rellenos-kousa-mahshi/
  25. Dining in Qatar hukoomi.gov.qa/en/articles/dining-in-qatar

State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.

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