Muhammara

Muhammara is a red pepper and walnut dip from Syria. It is one of the best representations of Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisine, combining simple natural ingredients into a dish with bright colors and bold flavors.

You'll love muhammara because it connects you to distant cultures where food has been at the center of local communities for millennia.

You can make muhammara by coarsely blending roasted bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, olive oil, breadcrumbs, chilies, or red pepper flakes.

If you have it, top it with pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. Serve it at the center of the table, part of a beautiful appetizer platter with a warm pita or flatbread.

Watch the people at your table dig in, taste the Muhammara and be in awe. How can such a simple dip taste so good?

Attribution: This recipe is inspired by Ottolenghi's Muhammara.

Olive oil

We use good quality extra virgin olive oil to roast the veggies and drizzle on top of the dip.

Red bell pepper

We recommend using fresh red bell peppers and roasting them at home for the best results.

You can make muhammara with roasted jarred bell peppers; however, remember that those are often preserved in citric acid or vinegar, making the dish tangier than it should be. Still delicious but less authentic.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes add sweetness and natural acidity, and we roast them with bell peppers to enhance their flavor.

Onion

White or yellow onion, chopped into chunks and roasted with bell peppers and tomatoes.

Tomato paste

Tomato paste adds richness and umami. Get thick tomato paste that comes in a tube, not a can. We cook it with the garlic for a couple of minutes before adding it to the food processor with the other ingredients to make it taste less raw and more flavorful.

Garlic

Use fresh garlic, finely chopped or grated.

Red pepper flakes

We use red pepper flakes to add some spice to the Muhammara.

Substitute Aleppo pepper flakes, red chili peppers, or cayenne pepper for red pepper flakes. Add as much as you like.

Cumin

Cumin adds a beautiful aroma, and we strongly recommend it. You can use ground cumin or cumin seeds.

Walnuts

Walnuts are another traditional ingredient in muhammara. They add a pleasant nutty flavor and crunch to this red pepper dip.

Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs are optional, but we like to add them to thicken up the muhammara and make it more creamy and spreadable.

There are different ways of making this recipe that vary slightly based on local traditions. For example, some make a thick muhammara with breadcrumbs, while others leave the breadcrumbs out and make a thinner, runnier muhammara.

There's no right or wrong amount of breadcrumbs. Add as much as you need, depending on how wet your ingredients are until you reach your desired consistency.

Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you are allergic to gluten.

Pomegranate molasses

Pomegranate molasses is not the most common ingredient, so don't worry if you don't have them at home; you can make a delicious muhammara without it. We purchase it online.

Pomegranate molasses is reduced pomegranate juice, and they have a syrupy consistency and a sweet and sour flavor to add some tang to our dip.

You can replace them with a balsamic vinegar glaze or squeezed lemon juice.

Pomegranate seeds

We use pomegranate seeds as a garnish on top. They add a beautiful deep red color, freshness, and fruitiness to the dip.

Parsley

For garnish on top, optional. Flat-leaf parsley is best.

Salt and pepper

We use sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Equipment

While muhammara was originally made with mortar and pestle, we can easily make it at home with a food processor.

Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Rinse and chop the red bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion into large chunks and add them to the baking sheet.

Season them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss with your hands, then arrange the veggies on a single layer without too much overlapping.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the bell peppers are fully cooked and well charred outside.

Tip: charring equals flavor, so we want those dark colors to develop.

Let them cool down slightly, then peel the skin of the bell peppers. Try to peel off as much as possible, but don't worry if some don't come off. That's perfectly normal.

In the meantime, add olive oil, grated garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, and tomato paste to a small skillet.

Stir and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the tomato paste darkens in color and you smell the fragrant aroma of the spices.

Then to a food processor, add the tomato paste mixture, roasted bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses.

Pulse a few times until you reach a creamy yet coarse texture. Don't over-blend the ingredients; muhammara should be coarse, not perfectly smooth.

IMPORTANT: depending on your ingredients and how much water they hold, you can add in breadcrumbs to thicken up the dip.

Add a few tablespoons at a time, pulse, then add more, if necessary, until you reach your desired consistency.

We've done this recipe many times, and it's impossible to give precise measurements for breadcrumbs. We usually add between ½ cup and 1 cup of breadcrumbs.

Taste and adjust for salt and molasses, then transfer on a serving platter or bowl, spread it out with the back of a spoon, drizzle with pomegranate molasses, extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley.

Our favorite way of serving muhammara is as part of a mezze or appetizer platter with warm pita bread or flatbread and dukkah, a crunchy Egyptian and Middle-Eastern nut-spice mix that tastes incredible.

Other easy and delicious appetizer recipes to serve it with are:

• Tahini sauce (tahini, lemon, garlic, water).
• Hummus (chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic, cumin).
• Grilled eggplant or other roasted vegetables.
• Shirazi salad (cucumber, tomato, white onion, mint, lime juice).
• Tabbouleh or lentil tabbouleh (tomato, parsley, bulgur, mint, scallions, lemon juice).
• Lentil hummus (canned lentils, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin).
• Tzatziki sauce (cucumber, yogurt, garlic, salt).
• Warm pita bread or pita chips.
• Homemade flatbread.
• Oven-baked falafel (store-bought or homemade).

Or serve it as a dinner with one of our veggie-packed mains, such as:

• Stuffed eggplant (eggplant, cherry tomatoes, basil, green pesto, cheese).
• Microwave sweet potato (sweet potato, couscous, parsley, chickpeas, tomato, cucumber).
• Whole roasted cauliflower (cauliflower, harissa, tahini, chimichurri dressing, almonds).
• Loaded zucchini boats (zucchini, lentils, crushed tomatoes, walnuts, soy sauce, parsley).

Freshly roasted bell peppers vs. jarred bell pepper

If you don't have time to roast the bell peppers yourself, we recommend using jarred roasted bell peppers and tweaking the recipe slightly.

1. Omit the tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes are way too watery and acidic to add to this dip without roasting them, so keep them out.
2. Chop the onion finely, then fry it in a pan with olive oil for 5 minutes before adding grated garlic, tomato paste, cumin, and red pepper flakes and frying for another couple of minutes.
3. Now add all ingredients, except bread crumbs, to the food processor and pulse until you reach your desired texture.
4. Add bread crumbs a little at a time until you reach your desired texture.

Questions

Make ahead: to get ahead in the kitchen, we recommend roasting onion, tomatoes, and bell peppers and peeling the bell peppers ahead of time. You can do so up to 3 days in advance and store them in the fridge in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.

Refrigerator: store leftover muhammara in the fridge for up to 5 days. We recommend putting it in a small bowl or an airtight container, covered by a thin layer of olive oil and plastic wrap to keep it fresh.

Freezer: transfer it to a freezer-friendly container - we often use a jar - and freeze it for up to 6 months.

Thaw: defrost in the fridge slowly, for example, overnight.

Reheat: muhammara is served at room temperature, so there's no need to reheat it. However, we recommend taking it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving it to allow the flavors to come alive.

More Dips and Spreads

• Romesco sauce with bell pepper and almonds is amazing for pasta, toast, and salads.
• Avocado spread: perfect for avo toast, sandwiches, and as dip with pita.
• Hummus with chickpeas; or our 5-minute lentil hummus.
• White bean dip with tahini, a smooth and slightly tangy condiment.
• Sun-dried tomato pesto: ready in just 5 minutes and great with pasta and bread.
• Eggplant dip with roasted eggplant and fresh herbs, a creamy Middle-Eastern favorite!

• Red pepper pasta with a super creamy sauce, roasted cauliflower, and fresh herbs.
• Roasted pepper: a complete guide on how to roast bell peppers.
• Red pepper pesto with grilled or canned bell pepper is a healthy sauce idea for pasta.
• Stuffed bell peppers with veggie-packed fillings are a wholesome and fun dinner idea.
• Kale and quinoa salad: a meal-prep-friendly salad with pepper, pumpkin, and healthy grains.

For more condiment ideas, check out our dressing and sauces category page.