Harissa Lamb and Chickpea Stuffed Peppers

These bold stuffed peppers bring together the smoky heat of harissa, savory ground lamb, and hearty chickpeas for a dinner that's as nourishing as it is satisfying. Bell peppers are halved and roasted until just tender, then filled with a fragrant mixture of lamb simmered with onion, garlic, warm spices, and harissa paste, bulked up with chickpeas for plant-based protein and fiber. A final stint in the oven with crumbled feta melts everything together into a lightly charred, deeply flavorful bite. True to the spirit of the Mediterranean diet, this dish keeps red meat in a supporting role while leaning on legumes, vegetables, olive oil, and herbs to carry the meal. Fresh parsley and mint stirred in at the end, along with a dollop of yogurt for serving, brighten the richness of the lamb and balance the heat of the harissa. It's an elegant, one-pan dinner that's equally suited to a weeknight table or a dinner party centerpiece.

Ingredients

• 4 wholebell peppers, halved lengthwise, cored and seeded
• 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 1 lbground lamb
• 1 wholeyellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 3 tbspharissa paste
• 1 tspground cumin
• 0.25 tspground cinnamon
• 1 can (15 oz)chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cupdiced tomatoes, canned, drained
• 0.25 cupfresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbspfresh mint, chopped
• 0.5 cupfeta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tspsalt, to taste
• 0.5 tspblack pepper, to taste
• 0.5 cupplain Greek yogurt, for serving
• 1 wholelemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Halve the bell peppers lengthwise through the stem, then core and seed them.
2. Arrange the pepper halves cut-side up on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes to soften. 15:00
3. While the peppers roast, finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. 4:00
5. Add the garlic and ground lamb to the skillet, breaking up the meat, and cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes. 7:00
6. Stir in the harissa paste, cumin, and cinnamon, coating the lamb evenly, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. 1:00
7. Add the chickpeas and diced tomatoes to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 5:00
8. Remove the skillet from heat and fold in the chopped parsley and mint.
9. Spoon the lamb and chickpea filling generously into the roasted pepper halves, mounding slightly, and top with crumbled feta.
10. Return the stuffed peppers to the oven and roast until the peppers are tender and lightly charred at the edges and the feta is golden, about 15 minutes. 15:00
11. Serve the stuffed peppers warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a squeeze of lemon.