Vegan Kusksu bil-Ful – Maltese Broad Bean Soup with Spooky Halloween Eyes

What Is Kusksu bil-Ful?
Kusksu bil-Ful is a traditional Maltese soup particularly associated with spring, when fresh broad beans are in season. Its name refers to kusksu, a type of tiny pasta pearl, and ful, the Maltese word for broad beans. Although the pasta resembles couscous, traditional kusksu is a distinct pasta product rather than North African couscous.
What Are the Traditional Ingredients?
Traditional Kusksu bil-Ful combines broad beans, small pasta pearls, vegetables and a flavorful broth. Depending on the family recipe, it may also contain fresh eggs poached directly in the soup and small Maltese sheep's or goat's milk cheeselets called ġbejniet. Fresh parsley is another common finishing ingredient. For my vegan Halloween version, I omitted the eggs, dairy cheese and traditional kusksu pasta. Instead, I used giant conchiglioni shells and created edible eyeballs from vegan mozzarella alternative, black olives and red chili threads.
What Are Fava Beans?
Fava beans, also known as broad beans, belong to the species Vicia faba. They are among the oldest cultivated legumes and have been an important ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines for thousands of years. In German, they are commonly known as Ackerbohnen, Saubohnen or Dicke Bohnen. They have a slightly earthy, nutty flavor and are particularly delicious in soups, stews, purées and traditional bean dishes.
How Much Protein Do Fava Beans Contain?
Fava beans are a valuable source of plant-based protein. According to USDA food composition data, 100 g of cooked mature fava beans provide approximately 7.6 g of protein, while 100 g of dried mature fava beans contain approximately 26 g of protein. Young green fava beans have a different nutritional composition, with approximately 4.8 g of protein per 100 g when cooked. The difference is largely due to their maturity and water content. For accurate nutritional comparisons, it is important to distinguish between dried, cooked mature and young green beans. Fava beans also provide dietary fiber, folate and other important nutrients.
Were Fava Beans Originally a Poor Person's Food?
Yes. Throughout parts of the Mediterranean, fava beans were traditionally an inexpensive and nourishing food, particularly important in rural and less affluent households. In southern Italy, broad beans were sometimes described as the meat of the poor because they provided valuable plant-based protein at a much lower cost than meat. Malta also has a long tradition of broad bean dishes, including bigilla, a rustic bean spread that was historically sold as an affordable everyday food. Interestingly, these humble ingredients are now celebrated in restaurants and specialty food shops.
What Do Fava Beans Have to Do with Halloween?
Broad beans have a fascinating historical connection to death and remembrance in several Mediterranean cultures. In Malta, traditional broad bean dishes such as bigilla were associated with funeral customs, while in parts of Italy broad beans were connected with commemorations of the dead. These traditions are not the same as modern Halloween celebrations, but they make fava beans an unexpectedly fitting ingredient for a spooky autumn recipe.
What Are Conchiglioni?
Conchiglioni are large Italian shell-shaped pasta pieces traditionally used for stuffing and baking. Their deep, curved shape makes them ideal for holding fillings and, in this recipe, for creating the appearance of open eyelids around the Halloween eyeballs. Because of their size and thickness, they generally require longer cooking than small soup pasta. Always check the package instructions, as cooking times vary between manufacturers.
Why Should This Halloween Soup Be Thick?
Traditional Kusksu bil-Ful develops its hearty consistency partly because the small pasta pearls release starch directly into the broth. In this Halloween interpretation, the giant conchiglioni shells are cooked separately to preserve their shape. Reducing the vegetable stock to 500 ml and gently mashing some of the potatoes and broad beans creates a naturally thickened soup that helps support the floating pasta eyes.
What Is Kunserva?
Kunserva is a traditional Maltese concentrated tomato paste known for its rich, slightly sweet tomato flavor. It is commonly used to add depth to soups, stews and sauces. In this recipe, kunserva adds a concentrated tomato note that complements the broad beans, vegetables and fresh rosemary.