Name: Hearty Pork and Bean Mhaddi Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 145 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Maltese cuisine
Ingredients: 700 g pork shoulder (boneless, cut into 1-inch cubes); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 pcs onion (large, chopped); 4 pcs garlic (cloves, minced); 2 pcs carrots (medium, peeled and diced); 2 pcs celery stalks (diced); 0.5 pcs cabbage (medium, cored and roughly chopped); 400 g canned crushed tomatoes; 6 cup vegetable broth; 1 cup dried cannellini beans (soaked overnight and drained, or 2 cans (15 oz each) rinsed and drained); 1 pcs bay leaf; 0.5 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp salt (or to taste); 0.5 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

Hearty Pork and Bean Mhaddi Soup - Image 1

Prep: 25 min • Cook: 120 min. A rich and comforting Maltese soup featuring tender pork, a medley of vegetables like cabbage and carrots, and creamy cannellini beans, simmered in a savory broth. This traditional Mhaddi provides a satisfying and flavorful meal, perfect for a chilly evening or a hearty lunch.

Preparation time: 25 min
Cooking time: 2 hrs
Total time: 2 hrs 25 min
Servings: 6
Course: Soup
Complexity: Medium

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Ingredients

Soup Base

25oz pork shoulder(boneless, cut into 1-inch cubes)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pc onion(large, chopped)
4 pcs garlic(cloves, minced)
2 pcs carrots(medium, peeled and diced)
2 pcs celery stalks(diced)
1/2 pcs cabbage(medium, cored and roughly chopped)
14oz canned crushed tomatoes
6 cup vegetable broth
1 cup dried cannellini beans(soaked overnight and drained, or 2 cans (15 oz each) rinsed and drained)
1 pc bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt(or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper(or to taste)

Instructions

Preparation

If using dried cannellini beans, ensure they have been soaked overnight and drained. Skip this step if using canned beans.
Cut the pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, peel and dice the carrots, dice the celery, and roughly chop the cabbage.

Cooking the Soup

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the pork cubes in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the browned pork and set aside.
Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, diced carrots, and celery, and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
Return the browned pork to the pot. Stir in the chopped cabbage, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, cannellini beans (soaked or canned), bay leaf, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for at least 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the pork is very tender and the beans are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove the bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serving

Ladle the hearty pork and bean mhaddi soup into bowls. Serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh parsley and crusty Maltese bread on the side.

Nutrition

Servings: 6
Serving size (imperial): 16 oz

Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g	Total (6 servings)
Calories	550 kcal	122 kcal	3,300 kcal
Protein	30 g	6.7 g	180 g
Fat	25 g	5.6 g	150 g
Carbs	50 g	11.1 g	300 g

Tips

For an even richer flavor, brown the pork well to develop a deep fond before adding other ingredient
If you're short on time, use canned cannellini beans.
Serve this soup with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parme

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Ingredients

Soup Base

25oz pork shoulder(boneless, cut into 1-inch cubes)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pc onion(large, chopped)
4 pcs garlic(cloves, minced)
2 pcs carrots(medium, peeled and diced)
2 pcs celery stalks(diced)
1/2 pcs cabbage(medium, cored and roughly chopped)
14oz canned crushed tomatoes
6 cup vegetable broth
1 cup dried cannellini beans(soaked overnight and drained, or 2 cans (15 oz each) rinsed and drained)
1 pc bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt(or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper(or to taste)

Instructions

Preparation

If using dried cannellini beans, ensure they have been soaked overnight and drained. Skip this step if using canned beans.
Cut the pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, peel and dice the carrots, dice the celery, and roughly chop the cabbage.

Cooking the Soup

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the pork cubes in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the browned pork and set aside.
Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, diced carrots, and celery, and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
Return the browned pork to the pot. Stir in the chopped cabbage, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, cannellini beans (soaked or canned), bay leaf, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for at least 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the pork is very tender and the beans are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove the bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serving

Ladle the hearty pork and bean mhaddi soup into bowls. Serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh parsley and crusty Maltese bread on the side.

Nutrient

Per serving

Per 100 g

Total (6 servings)

Calories

550 kcal

122 kcal

3,300 kcal

Protein

30 g

6.7 g

180 g

Fat

25 g

5.6 g

150 g

Carbs

50 g

11.1 g

300 g