Egyptian dishes · About 90 minutes

Rice and herb stuffed zucchini

Name: Rice and herb stuffed zucchini
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients: 1000 g small zucchini of similar size; 150 g dry Egyptian short-grain rice; 350 g grated tomato for the filling; 150 g grated tomato for the cooking liquid; 1 medium onion, chopped; 3 tbsp oil; 0.25 cup chopped dill; 0.25 cup chopped parsley; 0.25 cup chopped fresh coriander; 600 ml approximately hot water; adjust to the pot; 0.5 tsp salt, or to taste; 0.25 tsp black pepper

Mawgoud Kitchen · Published 2026-10-15 · Updated 2026-10-15

Small zucchini filled with rice, tomato, dill, parsley and coriander, with room for the rice to expand.

Egyptian cuisine

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Total time: 90 minutes
Servings: 4
Cuisine: Egyptian

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Wash the zucchini and herbs. Trim and hollow out the zucchini with a suitable corer, leaving walls about 0.5 cm thick and an intact base. Rinse inside and drain. Save the flesh for another dish.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and soften the onion for 4 minutes. Add 350 g tomato and half the salt and pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Rinse and drain the rice well. Mix it uncooked with the tomato sauce and herbs. Do not taste the mixture after adding raw rice.
Loosely fill each zucchini only three-quarters full, leaving about 1.5 cm at the opening. Do not pack the rice. Cook any spare filling separately with enough water.
Arrange the zucchini snugly in one or two layers in a medium pot. Mix the remaining tomato, oil and salt with hot water. Pour down the side until almost level with the zucchini, without fully covering the openings. You may not need all the water.
Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat. Cook for about 35–45 minutes until the zucchini and rice are tender. Check one from the middle. Add a little hot water and continue if the rice is still firm and the liquid has dried out.
Turn off the heat and rest for 10 minutes. Lift out gently with a wide spoon. Refrigerate cooked rice promptly; see the leftovers guide linked on this page.

A helpful tip ✳

Zucchini size and wall thickness affect the filling and cooking time. Leave room for expansion instead of filling to the top.

An editorial recipe not yet practically tested by the site team. Check actual doneness; times are approximate.

Before you start

Should I cook the rice first?

Not in this recipe. Rinse and drain it, then use it raw; it cooks inside the zucchini in the cooking liquid.

Can I leave out one herb?

You can omit or reduce a herb, but the flavour changes. Ingredient matching uses the original recipe, so review your changes before cooking.

Storing leftovers: Read safe storage guidance and sources

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Rice and herb stuffed zucchini

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