7 Traditional Maltese Meat Dishes to Try

Maltese cooking brings together Mediterranean ingredients, slow-cooked comfort food and recipes that are often passed from one generation to the next. Meat dishes play an important part in that tradition, especially at Sunday lunches, family gatherings and village restaurants.

Recipes vary from one household to another, so the same dish can taste quite different depending on the cook. These seven classics are a useful starting point for anyone exploring traditional Maltese food.

1. Stuffat tal-fenek

Stuffat tal-fenek is Maltese rabbit stew and is often regarded as one of the islands’ defining dishes. Rabbit is slowly cooked with wine, tomato, garlic, bay leaves and vegetables until tender. The sauce is sometimes served with pasta as a first course, followed by the rabbit and vegetables as the main course.

A social meal centred around rabbit is known as a fenkata. It is less about one fixed recipe and more about sharing a long, relaxed meal with family or friends.

2. Fenek moqli

Fenek moqli is fried rabbit, usually flavoured with garlic, wine and herbs. Compared with rabbit stew, it has a drier finish and a more pronounced roasted or pan-fried flavour. It is commonly served with potatoes and Maltese bread.

3. Braġioli

Braġioli are frequently translated as “beef olives,” although olives are not necessarily part of the recipe. Thin slices of beef are rolled around a savoury filling that can include minced meat, breadcrumbs, bacon, herbs and egg, then braised in a rich sauce.

Because family recipes differ, fillings and accompaniments vary. For home cooking, start with thin, flexible beef slices from our fresh beef collection and choose a filling that suits your household.

4. Zalzett tal-Malti

Maltese sausage is known for its distinctive seasoning and rustic texture. Traditional versions are generally made with pork and flavoured with ingredients such as coriander, garlic, parsley, pepper and salt. They can be grilled, fried, roasted or added to slow-cooked dishes.

Browse our fresh sausage selection for Maltese sausages and other varieties suited to the grill or everyday cooking.

5. Laħam taż-żiemel

Horsemeat is another longstanding part of traditional Maltese cuisine. It is commonly slow-cooked in a tomato-based sauce with wine, garlic, herbs and spices. The long cooking time helps create a tender dish with a deep, savoury flavour.

This remains a speciality that is more commonly associated with traditional restaurants and particular family recipes than with everyday home cooking.

6. Qarabagħli mimli

Qarabagħli mimli are stuffed marrows or courgettes. The vegetables are hollowed and filled with a mixture that often includes minced beef, pork or a combination of both, together with herbs, onion, tomato paste, egg and breadcrumbs.

For a convenient starting point, use Fresh Premium Minced Beef or browse our fresh pork collection. The stuffed vegetables can be baked alongside potatoes for a complete family meal.

7. Imqarrun il-forn or timpana

Baked macaroni is a Maltese comfort-food favourite. Imqarrun il-forn combines pasta with a rich minced-meat sauce, egg and cheese before baking. Timpana takes the idea further by enclosing the pasta mixture in pastry.

Both dishes are practical for feeding a group and can be prepared in advance. A flavourful mince and a well-reduced tomato sauce form the foundation of the dish.

Cooking Maltese meat dishes at home

The key to many traditional Maltese recipes is patience. Braised dishes benefit from slow cooking, while stuffed vegetables and baked pasta are best prepared with a well-seasoned filling. Keep good olive oil, tomato products, herbs and stock on hand, and taste as the dish develops.

Explore our beef, pork, sausages, sauces and oils and vinegars to plan your next Maltese-inspired meal.

For convenient online ordering, visit our guide to fresh meat delivery in Malta.