Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts)
Zucchini baked with spiced rice and pine nuts.
Ingredients
- 4 Zucchini
- 150 g White rice
- 1 Onion
- 40 g Pine nuts
- 2 Tomato
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Mint (optional)
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Halve and hollow the zucchini, chopping the flesh.
- Mix the rice with onion, zucchini flesh, pine nuts, tomato, mint, ground cinnamon, oil, and salt.
- Stuff the zucchini and add a splash of water to the dish.
- Bake covered until the rice and zucchini are tender, about 35 minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts)
Kousa mahshi is a Levantine classic of hollowed zucchini stuffed with spiced rice, one of the most beloved members of the wider mahshi and dolma tradition across the Mediterranean and Arab world. This version is entirely plant-based, filling the zucchini with rice folded together with onion, tomato, pine nuts, fresh mint, and ground cinnamon, then baking it covered with a little water until both the shell and the grains turn soft. Nothing is thrown away, as the scooped-out zucchini flesh goes back into the filling itself.
What defines the dish is its balance of gentle sweetness and freshness: the cinnamon and sweet tomato against the cooling lift of mint, with pine nuts adding texture to the tender rice. Kousa mahshi is equally good served warm or at room temperature, which makes it a natural for a shared table or make-ahead meal. Because it is vegan and vegetable-forward, it eats light for a stuffed main, relying on the slow covered bake to steam everything to softness in one dish.
Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts): frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts)?
A serving has about 394 calories — 7.7g protein, 45.8g carbs, 20.8g fat, 6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts) gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts) has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts) take to make?
About 55 minutes start to finish, but only around 23 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts)?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out mint, ground cinnamon — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Pine Nuts) make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.