Best Lebanese Zucchini Recipes

LEBANESE STUFFED ZUCCHINI (COOSA/KOOSA)

Steps:

• Cut one end off each zucchini. Use a small scoop to scoop the flesh from the zucchinis, leaving shells. Discard the flesh.
• Mix chopped round steak, rice, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Lightly stuff the steak mixture into the zucchinis, making sure to leave about 1 inch of space for the rice to expand; if you don't, the zucchini will burst which still tastes good but doesn't look as nice.
• Place the zucchinis in a large pot; add tomato soup and stewed tomatoes. Place a plate on top of the zucchinis to prevent them from bouncing around once the sauce is boiling.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the rice is fully cooked, 30 to 45 minutes.

LEBANESE STUFFED ZUCCHINI (KOUSSA BI LABAN)

Steps:

• Wash zucchini, cut off stem and hollow them with an apple corer. If they are longer than 5 inches, cut them in half before you hollow.
• Mix all ingredients of filling. Stuff zucchini.
• Put in a pot with water, and 1/2 the quantity of cooked yogurt. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.
• Add zucchini to boiling yogurt, cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add crushed garlic with dried mint to mixture. Boil for another 10 minutes.

LEBANESE STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Hollow out each zucchini, working from both ends with a small melon-ball cutter or an apple corer, removing all seeds and leaving shells about 1/3 inch thick. Discard pulp and seeds.
• Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water runs almost clear, then drain in a sieve. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then remove skillet from heat.
• Transfer 1/4 cup onion mixture to a bowl and cool slightly. Add rice, meat, allspice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix well with your hands. Stuff zucchini shells with meat mixture, being careful not to pack tightly (rice will expand during cooking).
• Add tomatoes with juice, stock, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper to onion in skillet and bring to a simmer. Put stuffed zucchini in tomato sauce and simmer, covered, until rice is cooked through, 1 to 1 1/4 hours (cut 1 zucchini in half crosswise to check).
• If sauce is watery, transfer zucchini to a plate and boil sauce, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, then return zucchini to sauce. Squeeze lemon over dish before serving.

JOY'S LEBANESE STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Scoop pulp out of each zucchini half with a spoon and discard. Arrange zucchini in a deep glass baking dish.
• Stir 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into each can of chicken broth.
• Combine turkey, rice, and garlic powder in a large bowl; mix thoroughly. Stir in 1 can seasoned chicken broth.
• Stuff each zucchini half with turkey mixture. Place top halves over bottom halves so they look like whole zucchini. Pour the second can of seasoned chicken broth over zucchini and into the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until rice is tender and zucchini is soft, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

LEBANESE: STUFFED ZUCCHINI, POTATOES, & CABBAGE

Steps:

• In a bowl combine the rice, tomato sauce, allspice, cinnamon, ground meat, salt and pepper.
• Stuff the zucchini and potatoes with the meat mixture.
• Roll remainder of meat mixture in the blanched cabbage leaves (cigarette style); about 1 - 2 T each.
• In a large pot put 1/2 of the rolled cabbage leaves flat on the bottom.
• Place beef bone on top of cabbage.
• Next, layer the zucchini, then potatoes, then the remainder of the cabbage rolls.
• Top with tomatoes and water.
• Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 25 minutes.

LEBANESE ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Remove seeds from zucchini and cut into matchsticks or diced cubes.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in large skillet.
• Add onions and bell peppers, sautee for 2-3 minutes until slightly soft.
• Add zucchini to pan and stir until it begins to soften.
• Add lemon juice and spices to pan. Continue cooking until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add salsa to pan and cook a couple more minutes until bubbly and liquid is absorbed.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.