Miso Pea Purée in Crispy Tortilla Cups - Leftover Wraps Recipe

This stunning vegetarian canapé is the PERFECT way to use up leftover tortilla wraps! Crispy baked tortilla cups filled with the most VIBRANT bright green pea purée flavoured with miso, chilli crunch, fresh coriander, and sesame. It's fresh, it's spicy, it's absolutely PACKED with flavour, and it looks like something from a fancy restaurant. And the best part? You can easily adapt this to use up any leftover roasted vegetables you have - pumpkin, beetroot, sweet potato - they all work brilliantly with these flavours!

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Serves: Makes 8-12 tortilla cups (1 will make about 6-8 depending on muffin tin size)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Muffin tin, blender or food processor

We all buy wraps and end up with a few left over, right? Well, this is THE BEST way to use them up and turn them into something absolutely SPECTACULAR! By cutting them into circles and pressing them into a muffin tin, they bake into these perfect little crispy cups that are ideal for holding all sorts of delicious fillings. The pea purée from frozen peas (which most people always have in the freezer!) get blanched quickly, then blended up with umami-rich miso paste, spicy chilli crunch, loads of fresh coriander, and toasted sesame oil. The result is this incredible bright green, super flavourful purée that tastes fresh, zingy, slightly spicy, and absolutely AMAZING. What I love about this recipe is how adaptable it is - if you don't have peas or don't fancy them, you could use leftover roasted pumpkin from your Christmas dinner, or roasted beetroot, or even sweet potato. Just blend them up with the same flavourings and you've got an equally delicious filling. The roasted vegetables actually work BRILLIANTLY because no one will even know they were cooked the day before. These canapés are vibrant, fresh, vegetarian-friendly.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Uses up leftover wraps: Perfect for those extra tortillas 
• Vibrant and fresh: That bright green colour is absolutely stunning
• Bold Asian flavours: Miso, chilli, coriander, and sesame create incredible depth
• Vegetarian winner: A brilliant meat-free option for your party spread
• Adapts to leftovers: Use roasted vegetables instead of peas if that's what you have
• Ready in 15 minutes: Quick enough for last-minute entertaining!

Ingredients

For the Tortilla Cups:

• 1-2 medium tortilla wraps (flour or corn)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for brushing)

For the Miso Pea Purée:

• 100g frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon white or red miso paste
• 1 teaspoon chilli crunch (or chilli oil)
• Large handful fresh coriander (about 20g)
• 2-3 tablespoons Greek yogurt or soft cheese (optional, for creamier texture)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For Garnish:

• Extra fresh coriander leaves
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Extra chilli crunch or chilli oil
• Extra peas 

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas Mark 4). 

2. Cut out the tortilla circles: Using a round cutter or even just a cup or mug, cut circles out of your tortilla wraps. Aim for circles that are slightly larger than the muffin tin holes so they can press down and up the sides. You should get about 6-8 circles per wrap depending on size and cutter size.

3. Brush with oil: Brush both sides of each tortilla circle with vegetable oil. This helps them crisp up beautifully in the oven and gives them a lovely golden colour.

4. Shape into cups: Press each oiled tortilla circle into a muffin tin hole, creating a little cup shape. Press it down into the base and up the sides. They don't need to be perfect - rustic is fine!

5. Bake the cups: Pop the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 10-13 minutes until the tortilla cups are golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on them - they can burn quickly towards the end. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly in the tin before carefully lifting them out.

6. Blanch the peas: While the tortilla cups are baking, bring a small pot of water to the boil. Add the frozen peas and blanch for 1 minutes until they're cooked through and bright green. Drain them and run under cold water to stop the cooking and preserve that gorgeous green colour.

7. Make the purée: Add the blanched peas to a blender or food processor along with the miso paste, chilli crunch, coriander, and sesame oil. Blend until smooth. If you want a creamier texture, add a tablespoons of Greek yogurt or soft cheese and blend again. Keep some whole peas aside for garnish if you like.

8. Season and adjust: Taste the purée and adjust the seasoning. You might want more chilli crunch for heat, more miso for umami depth, or a pinch of salt and pepper. The miso is already quite salty, so go easy on the salt!

9. Fill the cups: Spoon the pea purée into each crispy tortilla cup. Fill them generously - don't be shy!

10. Garnish and serve: Top each cup with fresh coriander leaves, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, an extra drizzle of chilli crunch, and a few whole peas if you kept some aside. Serve immediately for the crispiest cups!

Chef's Tips

Cup or cutter: If you don't have a round cutter, just use a cup or mug to trace and cut around with a sharp knife. Easy!

Oil both sides: Make sure you brush both sides of the tortilla with oil so they crisp up evenly and don't dry out.

Watch them bake: Tortilla cups can go from perfect to burnt quite quickly. Check them at 10 minutes and adjust if needed.

Cool before removing: Let the cups cool for a minute in the tin before trying to remove them - they'll be sturdier and less likely to break.

Cold water stops cooking: Running the peas under cold water after blanching stops them cooking further and keeps that vibrant green colour.

Adjust consistency: If the purée is too thick, add a splash of olive oil or more yogurt. If it's too thin, add more peas.

Make ahead option: Tortilla cups can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. The purée can be made the morning of and kept covered in the fridge.

Substitutions & Variations

Roasted vegetable version: Use leftover roasted pumpkin, beetroot, or sweet potato instead of peas - blend with the same flavourings

Different wraps: Use corn tortillas for gluten-free, or even filo pastry works for a flakier cup

Herb swap: Use basil or mint instead of coriander for a different flavour profile

No miso? Use soy sauce 

Dairy-free: Skip the yogurt or use coconut yogurt instead

Extra protein: Add a dollop of labneh or cream cheese on top before the pea purée

Edamame version: Use shelled edamame beans instead of peas for extra protein

Ginger addition: Add a small piece of fresh grated ginger to the purée for extra zing

Storage & Reheating

Best served fresh: These tortilla cups are at their absolute best served immediately while they're still crispy.

Storage: Store the tortilla cups and pea purée separately. Cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Purée in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Assembled cups: Once filled, eat within 30 minutes or the cups will soften.

Refresh crispy cups: If the cups have softened, pop them back in a hot oven (200°C) for 2-3 minutes to crisp up again.

Bring purée to room temp: If you've made the purée ahead and stored it in the fridge, bring it to room temperature before filling the cups for the best flavour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use fresh peas instead of frozen? A: Yes! Fresh peas work beautifully. You'll need about 100g podded weight. Blanch them the same way.

Q: My tortilla cups cracked. What happened? A: They might have been too dry or baked too long. Make sure you oil them well and watch them closely in the oven.

Q: Can I make this without a blender? A: You can mash the peas with a fork for a chunkier texture, but a blender gives the smoothest, most vibrant purée.

Q: What's chilli crunch? A: It's a Chinese condiment with crispy chilli, garlic, and oil. You can find it in most supermarkets now (Lao Gan Ma is a popular brand) or use chilli oil instead.

Q: Can I use roasted vegetables instead of peas? A: Absolutely! Leftover roasted pumpkin, beetroot, or sweet potato work brilliantly. Just blend with the same flavourings.

Q: How do I stop the purée going brown? A: Running the peas under cold water after blanching preserves the bright green colour. Make the purée as close to serving time as possible.

Q: Can I make larger cups? A: Yes! Use a larger muffin tin or even a cupcake tin. You might just get fewer cups overall.

You Might Also Like

Salmon Rillette - Another brilliant way to use up leftover ingredients for impressive party food.

Zaalouk - Moroccan Roasted Aubergine Dip - Another vibrant vegetable dip that would be amazing in these tortilla cups!

Chicken Liver Parfait - If are looking for something a little more fancy!

Enjoy!

Del x

These miso pea purée tortilla cups are the PERFECT way to use up leftover wraps! Crispy baked cups filled with vibrant green pea purée flavoured with miso, chilli, coriander, and sesame. They're fresh, flavourful, stunning to look at, and ready in just 15 minutes. Perfect vegetarian canapé for your New Year's party!