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

For the squash:

• 6 medium yellow squash (about 4-5 inches long, hollowed out)

For the filling:

• 2 tsp salt
• 1 lb ground beef or lamb (room temperature for better mixing)
• 4 tbsp tomato sauce (adds moisture to filling)
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice (I use Basmati)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the sauce:

• 1 can tomato sauce (I use San Marzano)
• 3 to 4 cups water

Step 1: Prepare the Squash

• 6 medium yellow squash

Wash the yellow squash thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry.

Using a sharp knife or vegetable corer, carefully hollow out each squash from the stem end, creating a cavity for the filling while leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh on the sides and bottom to maintain structure during cooking.

I recommend starting the hollowing from the top and working gently downward to avoid puncturing the walls.

Set the hollowed squash aside on a clean surface.

Step 2: Make the Filling

• 1 lb ground beef or lamb
• 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
• 2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 tbsp tomato sauce

In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature ground beef or lamb with the uncooked rice, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and ground cinnamon.

Add the 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce to add moisture and bind the mixture.

Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until all ingredients are evenly distributed, but don’t overmix as this can toughen the meat.

The mixture should hold together loosely when squeezed.

I prefer using my hands for better control and to feel when the mixture is just combined without overworking it.

Step 3: Stuff the Squash

• hollowed squash from Step 1
• filling mixture from Step 2

Carefully fill each hollowed squash with the meat and rice filling mixture from Step 2, using a small spoon or your fingers to gently pack it in.

Fill each squash about three-quarters full, leaving some space at the top since the rice will expand during cooking.

Do not pack the filling tightly, as this prevents proper cooking and makes the texture dense rather than tender.

Arrange the stuffed squash seam-side up (opening facing up) in a large pot or Dutch oven in a single layer if possible.

Step 4: Build the Cooking Liquid and Braise

• 1 can tomato sauce
• 3 to 4 cups water

Pour the canned tomato sauce over and around the stuffed squash in the pot.

The sauce adds flavor and acidity that complements the warm spices in the filling.

Add 3 to 4 cups of water to the pot—enough to come about halfway up the sides of the squash.

This creates a gentle braising environment where the squash will become tender and the rice will cook through.

Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and maintain a gentle simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The squash is done when the flesh is completely tender and the rice inside is fully cooked through (you can test by piercing a squash with a fork or small knife).

Step 5: Finish and Serve

Once the squash is tender and the rice is cooked, carefully transfer the stuffed squash to a serving platter using a slotted spoon to let excess liquid drain away.

Spoon some of the braising liquid from the pot over each squash to keep them moist and flavorful.

Serve the squash hot while the flavors are most vibrant.

I like to let them rest for 2-3 minutes after cooking so they hold their shape better when plated.