Maltese Seafood Recipes: Lampuki, Aljotta, Octopus and Squid

Cook Maltese fish and seafood with recipes for Aljotta, fried lampuki, lampuki pie, octopus stew, stuffed calamari, grilled swordfish, and tuna.

Maltese fish cooking ranges from a light bowl of Aljotta to a substantial lampuki pie. Garlic, tomatoes, capers, olives, herbs, and lemon appear in different combinations throughout these recipes. Start with the fish you can get, then choose a method that suits it.

Lampuki, also known as dolphinfish or mahi-mahi, are associated with late summer and autumn in Malta. If you are cooking abroad, the name at the fish counter may differ. When a recipe suggests an alternative fish, check that its texture and cut suit the method; a whole fish for soup and a steak for grilling are different starting points.

The groups below include both seafood dishes and clearly labelled accompaniments so you can build a complete meal. For the place of fish in seasonal cooking, read our Lent and Easter food history. For another family menu, explore Maltese Sunday lunch.

Fish soup and lampuki

Aljotta combines fish with garlic, lemon, and herbs. Lampuki can be fried simply or made into a pie with vegetables, olives, and capers. Choose fried fish when you want the fish itself at the centre, and pie when you want a larger cooking project.

Watercolour illustration of garlicky Maltese fish soup with rice, parsley and lemon.

Aljotta (Maltese Garlic Fish Soup)

A light, garlicky Maltese fish soup with whole fish, rice, lemon, and herbs. Traditionally served during Lent and on fish days.

View recipe

Watercolour illustration of golden fried lampuki fillets with garlic, parsley and lemon.

Lampuki Moqlija (Maltese Fried Mahi-Mahi)

Simple Maltese fried lampuki seasoned with lemon, garlic, parsley, and olive oil. A seasonal fish dish from late summer and autumn.

View recipe

Watercolour illustration of a sliced lampuki pie filled with fish, spinach, olives and tomato.

Torta tal-Lampuki (Maltese Fish Pie)

A beloved Maltese autumn fish pie with lampuki (dolphinfish), spinach, olives, capers, and pine nuts wrapped in flaky pastry.

View recipe

Octopus and stuffed calamari

Try octopus with garlic and herbs for a dish to serve with bread, or simmer it in tomato and wine for a richer stew. Stuffed calamari need time for preparing and filling the squid before cooking, so leave space in your plan for that hands-on work.

Watercolour illustration of cooked octopus pieces with garlic, parsley and lemon.

Qarnit bit-Tewm (Maltese Octopus with Garlic)

A bold Maltese octopus dish with garlic, olive oil, lemon, and herbs, served warm or at room temperature.

View recipe

Watercolour illustration of octopus stew with tomato sauce, peas and parsley.

Stuffat tal-Qarnit (Maltese Octopus Stew)

A rich Maltese octopus stew slowly simmered with tomato, red wine, garlic, and herbs.

View recipe

Watercolour illustration of stuffed calamari in tomato sauce with a sliced portion showing the filling.

Klamari Mimli (Stuffed Calamari)

Maltese stuffed calamari filled with breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, capers, olives, and tentacles, simmered in tomato sauce.

View recipe

Grilled fish, tuna, and fritters

Grilled swordfish pairs with lemon and capers, tuna cooks in tomato sauce, and whitebait becomes small fritters. These offer different textures and cooking methods without needing to make pastry. Follow each recipe's guidance for the fish you are using.

Watercolour illustration of grilled swordfish steaks with capers, parsley and lemon.

Pixxispad Mixwi (Grilled Swordfish)

Maltese grilled swordfish with lemon, garlic, capers, parsley, and olive oil. Fresh, simple, and perfect for warm weather.

View recipe

Watercolour illustration of tuna steaks in tomato sauce with olives, capers and parsley.

Tonn biz-Zalza (Tuna in Tomato Sauce)

A simple Maltese tuna dish simmered with tomato, onion, garlic, capers, olives, and herbs. Quick, savoury, and full of coastal flavour.

View recipe

Watercolour illustration of crisp whitebait fritters with parsley and lemon wedges.

Pulpetti tal-Makku (Whitebait Fritters)

Traditional Maltese whitebait fritters with egg, parsley, garlic, and lemon. Quick, crisp-edged, and full of seaside flavour.

View recipe

What to serve alongside

Arjoli brings garlic and tomato to the plate, Kapunata adds vegetables, and Maltese bread catches the sauce. Pick one or two accompaniments according to the main: a fish pie already provides pastry, while a stew invites a piece of bread.