Mini peppers stuffed with lemon ricotta, crispy lentils, and paprika honey

Name: Mini peppers stuffed with lemon ricotta, crispy lentils, and paprika honey
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Fusión mediterránea
Ingredients: 18 pieces (19 oz) mini sweet peppers; 1 cup (9 oz) ricotta cheese; 3/4 cup (5.6 oz) cooked lentils, drained; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp honey; 1 piece lemon; 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 3 tbsp fresh chives; 3/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper

An original appetizer of roasted mini peppers filled with a smooth lemon ricotta cream, topped with spiced crispy lentils, paprika honey, and fresh chives. It balances sweetness, acidity, and crunch in one elegant bite.

20 minPrep

25 minCook

45 minTotal

6Servings

VegetarianGluten-Free

Ingredients

Adjust servings

18 18 units (540 g) mini sweet peppers (partidos por the mitad and without semillas)
250 250 g ricotta cheese (whole or tradicional)
160 160 g cooked lentils, drained (well dry for que queden crujientes)
30 30 ml olive oil (divided)
30 30 ml honey (for the acabado)
1 1 unit lemon (zest fina and 15 ml/1 tbsp of juice)
4 4 g smoked paprika (divided)
1 1 g ground cumin (for the lentejas)
1 1 g garlic powder (for the lentejas)
10 10 g fresh chives (chopped fino)
4 4 g salt (or to taste)
1 1 g black pepper (freshly ground)

Nutrition facts

per serving

165 kcal

Calories

6.2 g

Protein

12.8 g

Carbs

9.6 g

Fat

2.8 g

Fiber

10 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2
Place the cooked, very dry lentils in a bowl. Toss them with 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, ground cumin, garlic powder, 2 g (3/4 tsp) smoked paprika, 1 g (1/4 tsp) salt, and black pepper. Spread them on one side of the tray.
3
Place the halved mini peppers on the other side of the tray. Toss them with the remaining 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast together with the lentils for 18 to 20 minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F, stirring the lentils halfway through, until the peppers are tender and the lentils are lightly crisp.
4
Meanwhile, make the filling by mixing the ricotta, lemon zest, 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice, and 1 g (1/4 tsp) salt in a bowl. Stir until smooth and creamy.
5
In a small bowl, mix the honey with the remaining 2 g (3/4 tsp) smoked paprika to make a fluid paprika honey.
6
Remove the tray from the oven and let the peppers and lentils cool slightly for 5 minutes.
7
Fill each mini pepper half with about a teaspoon of lemon ricotta cream. Spoon the crispy lentils over the top.
8
Finish with the paprika honey and chopped chives. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chef tips

Drying the lentils very well before roasting helps them crisp up better. For a neater presentation, use a piping bag to fill the peppers.

Substitutions

You can replace ricotta with thick cottage cheese or mild cream cheese. Honey can be swapped for maple syrup for a different profile, though the final flavor will be less floral.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
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