Maltese Cuisine: Traditional Vegetarian Dishes
Maltese cuisine is interesting and unique, with influences from the Mediterranean, as well as from the East and North Africa.
While there are many typical Maltese dishes that include meat—particularly beef, pork, and rabbit—there are also a number of recipes that are traditionally vegetarian.
Nowadays, we are becoming more conscious of the food we consume, where it comes from, and the impact our diet has on the environment. As a result, there is growing awareness around vegan and vegetarian diets, which are slowly becoming more popular.
So, I would like to share with you three Maltese recipes that you will easily find in traditional restaurants when you visit Malta—or you can even try preparing them yourself!
Bon appétit! :)
First Dish: Kusksu bil-Ful (Kusksu with Broad Beans)
A simple recipe with a simple name: a dish of kusksu with seasonal broad beans! But when broad beans are out of season, the recipe can also be made with peas instead.
Kusksu can be compared to couscous, but it’s thicker—like tiny pasta beads. You’ll find this ingredient in most grocery stores in Malta. In fact, kusksu is a dish loved by many Maltese people.
In addition to seasonal broad beans, kusksu includes another typical ingredient that is unique to Malta: soft sheep’s milk cheeselets known as ġbejniet. These are sold fresh either directly from farmers or in grocery stores.
The preparation of this hearty, protein-rich meal is very simple.
Start by sautéing an onion and some garlic in a little olive oil. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil for the kusksu, which will be cooked until half done.
Once the onion and garlic are golden, add the peeled broad beans (or peas) and cook until they soften slightly. Then, add tomato sauce and herbs—typically salt, fresh basil, and mint.
When the kusksu is halfway cooked, add it to the sauce and let it continue cooking. Keep an eye on the pot—it’s important that the sauce doesn’t dry out. You can add water bit by bit as needed. Some people prefer the sauce to be more broth-like, so the kusksu ends up resembling a soup—but that’s just personal preference.
Serve generously, placing a soft ġbejna in the center of the kusksu so it starts to melt slightly. And now, all that’s left is to enjoy this incredible dish!
Second Dish: Soppa tal-Armla (Widow’s Soup)
The name of this recipe comes from the story behind it: in the past, this was a humble dish that was part of the diet of lower-income families who couldn’t afford to buy meat.
But where does the “widow” come into the story? Legend says that the widows of Malta—many of whom had lost their husbands during the war—would use whatever vegetables they had available to prepare this delicious stew.
In fact, the recipe is quite flexible, and across Malta, you may find different versions of the same dish.
Traditionally, the ingredients include onions and garlic, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, peas, and a bit of tomato sauce. Some also add a soft ġbejna or a poached egg for a bit of extra protein.
Start by lightly sautéing the onion and garlic in olive oil. Then gradually add the chopped vegetables—first the potatoes and carrots, followed by the cauliflower, and lastly, the peas.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add a little tomato sauce—or, if you prefer, two fresh tomatoes. You don’t need a large amount, just enough to give the stew a bit of color. If you’re adding an egg, you can crack it straight into the pot and let it cook in the stew.
As for seasoning, you can add whatever you like, but black pepper, salt, mint, oregano, and a bay leaf go very well.
Serve and enjoy this dish with a chunk of fresh Maltese bread!
Third Dish: Ftira Għawdxija tal-Ġbejniet Friski (Gozitan Ftira with Fresh Cheeselets)
This is a dish that’s difficult to explain how to prepare, as it requires traditional skill both for making the dough and preparing the filling.
You can find ftira with cheeselets in Malta, but if you want to taste an authentic, freshly baked one from a wood-fired oven, I suggest you take a trip to Gozo. Visit Nadur, among other towns, where you’ll find some of the oldest bakeries that serve this specialty.
This ftira resembles a pizza because it’s round, large, and flat—not like the other type of ftira (the bread) that you’ll often see Maltese people eating by the sea during the summer.
Maltese cuisine is interesting and unique, with influences from the Mediterranean, as well as from the East and North Africa.
While there are many typical Maltese dishes that include meat—particularly beef, pork, and rabbit—there are also a number of recipes that are traditionally vegetarian.
Nowadays, we are becoming more conscious of the food we consume, where it comes from, and the impact our diet has on the environment. As a result, there is growing awareness around vegan and vegetarian diets, which are slowly becoming more popular.
So, I would like to share with you three Maltese recipes that you will easily find in traditional restaurants when you visit Malta—or you can even try preparing them yourself!
Bon appétit! :)
First Dish: Kusksu bil-Ful (Kusksu with Broad Beans)
A simple recipe with a simple name: a dish of kusksu with seasonal broad beans! But when broad beans are out of season, the recipe can also be made with peas instead.
Kusksu can be compared to couscous, but it’s thicker—like tiny pasta beads. You’ll find this ingredient in most grocery stores in Malta. In fact, kusksu is a dish loved by many Maltese people.
In addition to seasonal broad beans, kusksu includes another typical ingredient that is unique to Malta: soft sheep’s milk cheeselets known as ġbejniet. These are sold fresh either directly from farmers or in grocery stores.
The preparation of this hearty, protein-rich meal is very simple.
Start by sautéing an onion and some garlic in a little olive oil. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil for the kusksu, which will be cooked until half done.
Once the onion and garlic are golden, add the peeled broad beans (or peas) and cook until they soften slightly. Then, add tomato sauce and herbs—typically salt, fresh basil, and mint.
When the kusksu is halfway cooked, add it to the sauce and let it continue cooking. Keep an eye on the pot—it’s important that the sauce doesn’t dry out. You can add water bit by bit as needed. Some people prefer the sauce to be more broth-like, so the kusksu ends up resembling a soup—but that’s just personal preference.
Serve generously, placing a soft ġbejna in the center of the kusksu so it starts to melt slightly. And now, all that’s left is to enjoy this incredible dish!
Second Dish: Soppa tal-Armla (Widow’s Soup)
The name of this recipe comes from the story behind it: in the past, this was a humble dish that was part of the diet of lower-income families who couldn’t afford to buy meat.
But where does the “widow” come into the story? Legend says that the widows of Malta—many of whom had lost their husbands during the war—would use whatever vegetables they had available to prepare this delicious stew.
In fact, the recipe is quite flexible, and across Malta, you may find different versions of the same dish.
Traditionally, the ingredients include onions and garlic, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, peas, and a bit of tomato sauce. Some also add a soft ġbejna or a poached egg for a bit of extra protein.
Start by lightly sautéing the onion and garlic in olive oil. Then gradually add the chopped vegetables—first the potatoes and carrots, followed by the cauliflower, and lastly, the peas.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add a little tomato sauce—or, if you prefer, two fresh tomatoes. You don’t need a large amount, just enough to give the stew a bit of color. If you’re adding an egg, you can crack it straight into the pot and let it cook in the stew.
As for seasoning, you can add whatever you like, but black pepper, salt, mint, oregano, and a bay leaf go very well.
Serve and enjoy this dish with a chunk of fresh Maltese bread!
Third Dish: Ftira Għawdxija tal-Ġbejniet Friski (Gozitan Ftira with Fresh Cheeselets)
This is a dish that’s difficult to explain how to prepare, as it requires traditional skill both for making the dough and preparing the filling.
You can find ftira with cheeselets in Malta, but if you want to taste an authentic, freshly baked one from a wood-fired oven, I suggest you take a trip to Gozo. Visit Nadur, among other towns, where you’ll find some of the oldest bakeries that serve this specialty.
This ftira resembles a pizza because it’s round, large, and flat—not like the other type of ftira (the bread) that you’ll often see Maltese people eating by the sea during the summer.
Source: Aceline Media
Additionally, the ftira with cheeselets has a closed top and some people add potato slices too to cover the filling completely.
This is a traditional meal that, for me, is satisfying every time I eat it—whether it is summer or winter, rain or shine. The Gozitan ftira is ideal for any occasion, whether it’s a midday meal at Ramla l-Ħamra beach or a quick bite after a day’s work.
In short, I hope I have tempted you to try these typically Maltese dishes during your visit to Malta.
For now, I’ll leave you—I need to whip up something to eat myself because, with all this talk about food, I have to admit I’ve made myself hungry.
See you! :)
This is a traditional meal that, for me, is satisfying every time I eat it—whether it is summer or winter, rain or shine. The Gozitan ftira is ideal for any occasion, whether it’s a midday meal at Ramla l-Ħamra beach or a quick bite after a day’s work.
In short, I hope I have tempted you to try these typically Maltese dishes during your visit to Malta.
For now, I’ll leave you—I need to whip up something to eat myself because, with all this talk about food, I have to admit I’ve made myself hungry.
See you! :)
Sarah, OLS Community Manager - Maltese