šŸ‡²šŸ‡¹ Maltese Recipes

Traditional Mediterranean Cuisine

Kusksu (Maltese Broad Bean and Pasta Soup)

A traditional Maltese spring soup with broad beans, tiny pasta beads, and fresh gbejna. Comforting, seasonal, and deeply local.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 40 minutes Servings: 4-6 people
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Watercolour illustration of broad bean and pasta-bead soup with a fresh cheeselet and poached egg.

Ingredients

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Measures: 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml. For local ingredient names and substitutions, see our guide to Maltese ingredients abroad.

Instructions

  1. Build the base: Heat olive oil in a large pot. Saute onion for about 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook briefly.
  2. Add broad beans: Stir in the fresh broad beans and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes and stock: Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Pour in stock and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the beans are tender.
  4. Add pasta: Stir in the kusksu pasta and dried mint (or marjoram). Cook another 8-10 minutes until the pasta is soft. The soup should be thick but spoonable.
  5. Add gbejna: Place whole gbejna into the soup for the last 5 minutes so they warm through but hold their shape. If using eggs, crack them gently into the soup and poach for 3-4 minutes.
  6. Finish: Adjust seasoning and stir in fresh parsley.

Kusksu is a traditional Maltese spring soup made with fresh broad beans, small pasta beads (also called kusksu), and topped with fresh gbejna (sheep cheeselets). It is comforting, seasonal, and very Maltese.

Ingredient Substitutions Outside Malta

Frozen podded broad beans can replace fresh ones; use the shelled weight and check tenderness as they cook. For the pasta, choose small wheat pastina and follow its packet time. Instant couscous will not behave like pasta beads. If fresh Ĕbejniet are unavailable, add a spoonful of well-drained ricotta to each bowl as a variation; it will not hold the shape of a cheeselet. See cheese and pasta alternatives.

How to Serve

  • One gbejna and (optionally) one egg per bowl
  • A drizzle of olive oil
  • With crusty Maltese bread

Traditional Notes & Tips

  • A true spring dish when broad beans are in season
  • The texture should be hearty and thick
  • It is often cooked in large batches for family lunches