4 ingredients, 10 minutes: this summer recipe will save every single one of your apéros
When summer apéros start to feel repetitive, sometimes all it takes is one simple idea to shake things up. This summer recipe from La petite chef Mumu relies on just 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep to transform red peppers into a silky, fragrant caviar. The result is genuinely impressive, and the oven does almost all the work.
A roasted pepper caviar that transforms your apéro
The concept is straightforward: red peppers roasted in the oven, then blended with smoked paprika and olive oil. The texture is soft, almost silky, with a gently smoky flavour that wakes up the palate. Even with no cooking experience, the result delivers every time.
The recipe is rated 4/5 and serves 4 people. Cooking time is 30 minutes in the oven at 200°C, skin side up, until the skin blisters and turns slightly black. Then simply leave to cool for a few minutes before peeling the skin away by hand.
The shopping list is refreshingly short: 3 red peppers, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon of olive oil plus a drizzle for cooking, salt and pepper. Nothing more. A good rustic loaf and a drizzle of olive oil are all you need to serve it.
“Good country bread, a drizzle of olive oil, and you’re all set for a feast!”
Step-by-step preparation
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Halve the peppers, remove the stem and seeds, then place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, skin side up. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
Roast for 30 minutes until the skin blisters and blackens slightly. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then peel the skin away easily by hand. Blend the flesh with the smoked paprika, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper until you have a smooth, creamy purée.
Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. The final texture should be smooth and generous, ready to be spread on bread.
The key ingredients in this summer recipe
Smoked paprika plays a central role here. It brings an aromatic depth that sweet paprika simply cannot replicate. For that reason, it’s best not to substitute it if you want to keep the full character of the dish.
Olive oil, for its part, binds the pepper flesh together and gives the purée a beautiful sheen. One tablespoon is enough for a pleasant consistency. That said, if you prefer a looser texture, feel free to add a little more.
Red peppers, finally, are the stars of this summer recipe. Their natural sweetness intensifies during cooking, and their vivid red colour gives the caviar an irresistibly appetising look. The dish is, quite simply, as beautiful as it is delicious.
- Roast the peppers skin side up to make peeling easier
- Leave to cool before removing the skin by hand
- Use smoked paprika, not sweet paprika
- Adjust salt and pepper after blending
- Dry the skins in the oven at 100°C for 30 minutes to turn them into a fragrant powder
La petite chef Mumu’s zero-waste tip
Don’t throw away the pepper skins once you’ve removed them. La petite chef Mumu recommends drying them in the oven at low temperature, 30 minutes at 100°C, then blending them into a fragrant red powder. This homemade condiment can then be used to elevate eggs, vegetables or a vinaigrette.
This tip reflects the philosophy behind the book from which the recipe is taken. Published in February 2026 by Éditions Marabout, L’art de bien manger sans se ruiner by La petite chef Mumu offers accessible ideas for cooking cleverly without sacrificing flavour.
A summer recipe to keep coming back to all season long
This roasted pepper caviar suits every summer occasion. Served on toasted country bread, it makes for a quick apéro. Offered as a side dish, it slots effortlessly alongside grilled meats or roasted vegetables.
What’s more, it can be made ahead of time. The caviar keeps well in the fridge and actually improves in flavour after a few hours of resting. That makes it a wonderfully practical summer recipe for impromptu meals or picnics.
The recipe is rated very easy and works just as well for beginner cooks as for seasoned kitchen regulars. With only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time, it proves that a great summer recipe doesn’t need to be complicated to make an impression.
For those who want to mix things up, this roasted pepper base also works as a spread on toast, a sauce for cold pasta, or a topping for hard-boiled eggs. It also pairs beautifully with fresh cheese or crumbled feta for an even more generous apéro spread.
