Tender Lebanese Stuffed Yellow Squash

If you ask me, stuffed yellow squash is one of those dishes that never gets old.

This Lebanese-style recipe takes tender summer squash and fills it with a savory mix of ground meat, rice, and warm Middle Eastern spices. The combination creates a comforting meal that’s both filling and fresh.

Each squash is carefully hollowed out and stuffed before being cooked in a light tomato broth until perfectly tender. The aromatic spices and herbs make the whole kitchen smell amazing while it cooks.

It’s a homey dish that works well for both weeknight dinners and casual gatherings, especially during squash season when the vegetables are at their best.

What Kind of Squash Should I Use?

For this Lebanese dish, you’ll want to look for either kousa squash (also called Middle Eastern squash) or regular yellow summer squash – both work beautifully in this recipe. Kousa squash is shorter and lighter in color than zucchini, with a slightly sweeter flavor that’s traditional in Middle Eastern cooking. If you can’t find kousa squash at your local market, regular yellow summer squash makes an excellent substitute since it has a similar tender texture and mild flavor. When selecting your squash, look for ones that are medium-sized (about 6-8 inches long) and feel firm and heavy for their size – these will be perfect for hollowing out and stuffing.

Options for Substitutions

This Middle Eastern classic can be adapted with several substitutions if needed:

• Summer squash/kousa: If you can’t find kousa or summer squash, you can use zucchini instead. Just make sure they’re medium-sized for easier stuffing. Small eggplants or even bell peppers work too, though cooking times might need to be adjusted by 10-15 minutes.
• Ground beef/lamb: While traditionally made with lamb or beef, you can use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. For a vegetarian option, try a mixture of mushrooms and walnuts ground in a food processor with some cooked lentils.
• Long grain white rice: You can swap in medium grain rice, but avoid short grain or brown rice as they’ll change the texture and cooking time. Stick to white rice for the best results.
• Tomato sauce: If you’re out of canned tomato sauce, blend fresh tomatoes or use passata. You can also mix tomato paste with water (2 tablespoons paste + 1 cup water) as a substitute.
• Cinnamon: This gives the dish its characteristic flavor, but if you’re not a fan, you can use allspice or a mix of nutmeg and cardamom instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making stuffed squash is hollowing out the vegetables – using a long, narrow zucchini corer or apple corer makes this task much easier and helps prevent breaking the delicate squash walls. When preparing the filling, avoid overmixing the meat and rice mixture, as this can lead to dense, tough results – instead, gently combine the ingredients just until they’re evenly distributed. A common error is overcrowding the cooking pot, so make sure to arrange the stuffed squash in a single layer with enough space between each piece to allow even cooking and prevent them from sticking together. For the perfect texture, resist the urge to stir the squash while cooking; instead, gently shake the pot occasionally and make sure the liquid level stays just above the squash until they’re fully cooked.

What to Serve With Lebanese Stuffed Squash?

This Middle Eastern comfort dish is perfect with a side of warm pita bread to soak up all that tasty tomato sauce. I like to serve it alongside a simple Lebanese rice pilaf or vermicelli rice, which helps balance out the meal. A fresh Arabic salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and parsley dressed in olive oil and lemon juice makes the perfect light side dish. You can also add some tangy plain yogurt or labneh on the side – it adds a nice cooling effect to complement the warm, spiced stuffed squash.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These stuffed squash beauties will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container with their sauce. The flavors actually get better after a day or two as everything melds together, making them perfect for meal prep!

Freeze: Good news – these Lebanese stuffed squash freeze really well! Let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container with their sauce and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to freeze them in portion-sized containers for easy weeknight dinners.

Warm Up: To reheat, simply place the stuffed squash and sauce in a pot over medium-low heat until heated through, about 10-15 minutes. If using the microwave, heat in 2-minute intervals, being careful not to overcook the squash. Add a splash of water if the sauce seems too thick.

Make Ahead: You can prep these a day in advance – stuff the squash, arrange them in your cooking pot with the sauce, then cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to cook, just bring to a simmer and follow the regular cooking instructions. This is super handy when you’re planning a dinner party!

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	45-60 minutes
Total Time	65-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1400
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-140 g

Ingredients

• 6 medium kousa or summer squash
• 1 lb ground beef or lamb, lean
• 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (optionally, add extra 8 oz for thicker texture)
• 2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 3 to 4 cups water, enough to cover squash

Step 1: Prepare and Core the Squash

• 6 medium kousa or summer squash

Wash the kousa or summer squash thoroughly.

Cut off and discard the stems.

Using a squash corer or a similar tool, gently core the inside of each squash, removing the seeds and flesh while leaving a thin shell.

Be careful to core both the body and the neck as much as possible, but avoid piercing the outside of the squash.

Step 2: Make the Filling

• 1 lb ground beef or lamb, lean
• 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
• 2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 4 tablespoons tomato sauce (from the 1 can, reserve the rest for sauce)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the lean ground beef or lamb, uncooked long-grain white rice, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, and 4 tablespoons of the tomato sauce.

Mix the ingredients together well until thoroughly blended and evenly seasoned.

I always use my hands to gently mix—this ensures the rice and meat combine well, but don’t overwork the mixture or it can get tough.

Step 3: Stuff the Squash

• cored squash from Step 1
• meat and rice filling from Step 2

Carefully fill each cored squash with the meat and rice filling from Step 2.

Stuff the mixture into each squash until it reaches the top, but do not pack it in too tightly—leaving room ensures the rice will expand and cook evenly, preventing dense meat or crunchy rice.

I always tap the squash gently on the counter to help the filling settle naturally.

Step 4: Arrange Squash and Add Sauce

• stuffed squash from Step 3
• remaining tomato sauce from the 1 can (plus extra 8 oz if desired)

Arrange the stuffed squash on their sides in a large pot or Dutch oven.

Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the squash, ensuring they are well coated.

If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add an extra 8 ounces of tomato sauce at this stage.

Step 5: Add Water and Simmer

• 3 to 4 cups water, enough to cover squash

Pour 3 to 4 cups of water into the pot, enough to reach the tops of the squash.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The squash should be tender and the rice completely cooked.

I like to check after 45 minutes and add an extra splash of water if needed so nothing sticks to the bottom.

Step 6: Serve the Stuffed Squash

Carefully remove the stuffed squash from the pot and transfer to a serving dish.

Serve hot, optionally with a dollop of plain yogurt or Labneh for a cool, creamy contrast to the warm, spiced filling.

Enjoy!