Description
Muhammara is a vibrant and flavorful roasted red pepper and walnut dip originating from the Middle East. This sweet, smoky, and tangy dip is quick and easy to prepare, perfect for serving with warm pita, as part of a mezze platter, or as a spread for sandwiches and grain bowls. Its rich nuttiness and bright flavors make it an irresistible appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dip Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce/450g) jar roasted red bell peppers (or 3 medium/large fresh red bell peppers, see Note 1)
- 1 cup (112g) walnuts
- ½ cup (40g) panko breadcrumbs, fresh breadcrumbs, or fine breadcrumbs (see Note 2)
- 1 fat clove garlic, chopped (or 2 regular sized cloves)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons pure pomegranate molasses (see Note 3)
- ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (1 tsp for mild heat)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or heaping ½ teaspoon sea salt)
- 1 small handful fresh mint leaves, chopped or torn (or flat-leaf parsley)
- 1 small handful pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Prepare Peppers: Drain the jarred roasted red peppers without rinsing to avoid watering down the dip. Pat them dry thoroughly with a clean towel and tear into pieces by hand. If using fresh peppers, roast, peel, and prepare as noted.
- Toast Walnuts and Breadcrumbs: Reserve 1 or 2 walnuts for garnish and finely chop them. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and toast walnuts for 3 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Add breadcrumbs and toast 3 more minutes until golden brown and aromatic, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Remove from heat.
- Process Walnut-Breadcrumb Mixture: In a food processor, combine the toasted walnuts, breadcrumbs, and chopped garlic. Blend until broken down into fine crumbs.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the drained roasted peppers, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper, cumin, and salt into the food processor with the walnut mixture.
- Blend the Dip: Pulse repeatedly until the dip is mostly smooth with a little texture remaining. Taste and adjust seasoning with more pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, or salt as desired. For a completely smooth dip, blend continuously until smooth.
- Serve: Transfer the dip to a serving dish and create decorative waves with the back of a spoon. Drizzle with extra olive oil, and garnish with the reserved chopped walnuts, fresh mint leaves, and pomegranate seeds.
Notes
- Muhammara is a deliciously addictive dip combining roasted red peppers, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses with a smoky, tangy flavor profile.
- Enjoy it with warm pita, in sandwiches or wraps, as part of a mezze platter, or served atop grain bowls.
- For fresh peppers, roast under a broiler or over a flame until charred, then peel and deseed before using.
- Adjust the heat level using Aleppo pepper to suit your taste, from mild to spicy.
- Fresh breadcrumbs or panko can be used depending on availability and texture preference.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days for best freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 189
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 354.2 mg
- Fat: 14.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12.56 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
