• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • DIY Projects
    • Homemade Bath and Body
    • Sewing
    • Flower Crafts/Decor
    • Thrift Store/Vintage
  • Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Container Gardening
    • Houseplants
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • DIY Garden Art
  • Decorate
    • Room Makeovers
    • Spring Decor
    • Summer Decor
    • Fall Decor
    • Winter Decor
    • Home Decor Projects
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert
    • Salad Recipes
    • Soups and Stews
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
Hearth and Vine
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Hearth and Vine
  • DIY Projects
    • ...Flower/Gardening Crafts
    • ... Bath and Body
    • ...Sewing/Fabric Crafts
    • ...Thrift Store/Upcycle
  • Gardening
    • ...Flower Gardens
    • ...Container Gardening
    • ...Indoor Gardening
    • ...DIY Garden Art
  • Decorate
    • ...Home Decor Projects
    • ...Spring Decor
    • ...Summer Decor
    • ...Fall Decor
    • ...Winter Decor
    • ...Room Makeovers
  • Recipes
    • ...Appetizers and Snacks
    • ...Dinner Recipes
    • ...Side Dish Recipes
    • ...Salad Recipes
    • ...Dessert
    • ...Drinks
  • Holidays
    • ...Valentine's Day
    • ...Easter
    • ...Mother's Day
    • ...Halloween
    • ...Thanksgiving
    • ...Christmas
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes

    Stuffed Zucchini AKA Middle Eastern Kusa

    September 3, 2015 by Patti Estep 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    This traditional Middle Eastern recipe called Kusa is a delicious stuffed zucchini dish that's healthy, low carb and easy to make.

    Traditional Middle Eastern recipe called Kusa

    I'm sharing another childhood favorite today. This is a great way to use your large bounty of zucchini from the garden. If you don't grow it, and your neighbor isn't begging you to take some off their hands, you can easily find zucchini in the grocery store. You can make a super simple zucchini gratin side dish but if you want more of a meal try this stuffed Kusa.

    Types of Stuffed Zucchini

    Growing up we ate two kinds of stuffed zucchini which we called Kusa. One is similar to the Eastern European stuffed cabbage dish. The zucchini is stuffed with raw beef or lamb and uncooked rice. Then they are placed in a large pot, covered with tomato sauce and cooked until tender.

    The second method is made by stuffing the "Kusa" with a cooked meat mixture. The rice is served on the side. By the way, do you know why my rice is so golden? It's because we always add a pinch of turmeric when making rice. This is also a Middle Eastern practice.

    zucchini with core scooped out

    Traditionally you would use a tool to scoop out the flesh leaving a nice opening to stuff the zucchini. This takes a lot of time and patience. Instead, I slice the zucchini open lengthwise and scoop out the flesh.

    P.S. you can save the flesh and saute it with garlic, or use it to make other dishes like ratatouille.

    Half zucchini stuffed on tray

    This only works for the recipe below. To make the one with uncooked beef and rice you need to take the time to remove the flesh from each zucchini leaving them whole.

    Recipes handed down by grandmothers and relatives are some of the best, don't you agree?

    I hope you enjoy this one.

    Patti signature

    P.S. I have several other Middle Eastern recipes on this site such as Authentic Hummus, Baba Ganoush, and Lubee to name a few. You can find them and more on my Recipes Page.

    Click Here to Save to Pinterest!

    stuffed zucchini collage

    Middle Eastern Stuffed Zucchini

    Patti Estep
    This traditional Middle Eastern recipe called Kusa is a delicious stuffed zucchini dish that's healthy, low carb and easy to make.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Course Recipes
    Cuisine Middle Eastern
    Servings 12
    Calories 381 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 medium zucchini
    • 1 lb ground beef or lamb
    • 1/2 c pine nuts
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • 1/4 t cinnamon
    • 1 - 15 oz can of tomato sauce
    • salt and pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Wash zucchini and slice off tops and bottoms
    • Slice in half lengthwise
    • Scrape out flesh and set aside.
    • Coat zucchini with olive oil and place under the broiler until they turn soft about 5-10 mins on each side.
    • In a large frying pan brown ground beef. Add salt and pepper and cinnamon.
    • Add pine nuts and onions.
    • Cook until the onions are translucent.
    • Spoon the meat mixture into the zucchini
    • Top with tomato sauce
    • Sprinkle salt and pepper over top.
    • Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.
    • Serve with rice
    • Serves 4 - 6

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2gCalories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 29gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 498mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8g
    Keyword Kusa, Stuffed Zucchini
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Recipes

    • Hot Corn Dip with Cream Cheese
    • Cooking with Parsley - Growing, Harvesting and Recipes
    • Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup
    • Hearth and Vine Top Posts for 2022

    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carlee

      September 05, 2015 at 7:46 am

      I have never seen somebody stuff the whole zucchini like that! I also love the idea of adding turmeric to your rice as it cooks. How cool!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Follow Me

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Patti profile pic

    Hi! I'm Patti

    Join me to create lots of fun DIY projects including crafts, gardening, home decor and tasty recipes.

    more about me

    Popular Posts

    Blue jean crossover bag

    DIY Crossbody Bag from Jeans

    tabletop water gardens

    How to Make an Indoor Water Garden

    Echievera planter

    What to do With a Stretched Succulent

    Fabric bowl covers in 3 prints

    How to Make Fabric Bowl Covers

    Collage of flowers including russian sage, pink hydrangeas, coneflower and yarrow.

    10+ Long Blooming Plants

    Chicken black bean tortilla casserole

    Chicken Black Bean Casserole Recipe

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About
    Privacy Policy
    Disclosure Policy

    Sign Up Here!
    for our weekly
    newsletter &
    special offers

    • Shop
    • Web Stories

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. i.e. as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hearth and Vine