# Maltese Soup Recipes: Brodu, Aljotta, Kusksu and More

Source: https://www.malteserecipes.com/collections/maltese-soups/

Choose among Maltese soup recipes for fish, beef broth, broad beans and pasta, vegetables, cheeselets, pork, and cabbage.





Maltese soups range from a clear broth to a bowl thick with vegetables, beans, pasta, cheese, or meat. This collection groups six recipes by their main ingredients and cooking method so that “Maltese soup” does not become one generic recipe.

For the quickest choice, start with what you want at the centre of the bowl. Choose [Aljotta](/recipes/aljotta/) for fish, garlic, lemon, and rice; [Kusksu](/recipes/kusksu/) for broad beans and pasta; or [Minestra](/recipes/minestra/) for a thick vegetable soup. Choose [Brodu](/recipes/brodu/) or [Kawlata](/recipes/kawlata/) when you have time for a longer simmer.

## Compare the Soups

| Soup | Main character | Approximate cooking time | Useful distinction |
| --- | --- | ---: | --- |
| [Brodu](/recipes/brodu/) | Clear beef and vegetable broth | 2 hours 30 minutes | The broth can be served before the meat and vegetables. |
| [Aljotta](/recipes/aljotta/) | Fish, garlic, tomato, rice, and lemon | 35 minutes | A fish soup with a lighter, sharper finish. |
| [Kusksu](/recipes/kusksu/) | Broad beans, tiny pasta, and fresh ġbejna | 40 minutes | The pasta is kusksu, not couscous grain. |
| [Soppa tal-Armla](/recipes/soppa-tal-armla/) | Vegetables and fresh cheeselets | 40 minutes | Fresh ġbejniet enrich the vegetable soup. |
| [Minestra](/recipes/minestra/) | Thick seasonal vegetable soup | 50 minutes | Thicker and more vegetable-led than clear brodu. |
| [Kawlata](/recipes/kawlata/) | Pork, cabbage, and vegetables | 1½–2 hours | A substantial meat-and-vegetable winter soup. |

## Ingredients Outside Malta

Fresh ġbejniet appear in Kusksu and Soppa tal-Armla. The [ġbejniet guide](/gbejniet-maltese-cheese/) explains fresh, dried, and peppered cheeselets and why they are not direct substitutes for one another. The [ingredient guide](/maltese-ingredients-abroad/) covers broader shopping and substitution questions.

Use the pasta specified by each recipe. Kusksu pasta consists of tiny beads; rice or another small pasta in Brodu performs a different role. When a precise Maltese ingredient is unavailable, follow the substitution guidance on the individual recipe rather than changing several ingredients at once.

## Serving and Storage

Soup can be a first course or the whole meal, depending on the recipe and portion. Serve bread alongside a substantial bowl, or use a smaller serving before a main from the [Maltese Sunday lunch collection](/collections/maltese-sunday-lunch/).

Cool leftovers promptly and follow the storage instructions on the individual recipe. Rice, pasta, meat, fish, and cheese affect storage differently, so one general timetable cannot safely replace the recipe-specific guidance.



## Clear broth and fish soup

Brodu is a clear beef-and-vegetable broth that needs a long, gentle simmer. Aljotta is a lighter garlic, tomato, fish, rice, and lemon soup that reaches the table more quickly. Choose by the main ingredient and the time available.

- [Brodu (Maltese Beef and Vegetable Broth)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/brodu/): Malta's comforting winter soup - a clear, rich meat broth simmered with seasonal vegetables. Simple, nourishing, and traditionally served on cold days.

- [Aljotta (Maltese Garlic Fish Soup)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/aljotta/): Make traditional Maltese aljotta: a light garlic fish soup with fresh fish, tomatoes, rice, lemon, and herbs, ready in about 50 minutes.

## Broad beans, pasta, and cheeselets

Kusksu combines broad beans with tiny pasta and fresh ġbejna. Soppa tal-Armla is a vegetable soup enriched with cheeselets. Both need ingredient planning outside Malta, but they are different dishes rather than interchangeable names.

- [Kusksu (Maltese Broad Bean and Pasta Soup)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/kusksu/): A traditional Maltese spring soup with broad beans, tiny pasta beads, and fresh gbejna. Comforting, seasonal, and deeply local.

- [Soppa tal-Armla (Widow's Soup)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/soppa-tal-armla/): A traditional Maltese vegetable soup enriched with small fresh cheeselets (ġbejna). Simple, rustic, and deeply comforting.

## Thick vegetable and pork soups

Minestra is a thick vegetable soup built around seasonal produce. Kawlata adds pork to cabbage and vegetables for a heavier winter bowl. Read the ingredient lists before choosing between a vegetable-led soup and a meat-based one.

- [Minestra (Thick Maltese Vegetable Soup)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/minestra/): A hearty, rustic Maltese vegetable soup - thicker than brodu and packed with seasonal vegetables. A true everyday home dish.

- [Kawlata (Maltese Pork and Cabbage Soup)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/kawlata/): A traditional Maltese winter stew with cabbage, seasonal vegetables, and pork. Rustic, hearty, and slow-simmered.