Muhammara – a roasted red pepper and walnut dip, is thought to have originated in Aleppo, Syria – a city steeped in culinary history. While its exact origins are unclear, food historians believe muhammara has been enjoyed since at least the 18th century. This brick-red dip has been a staple in my house and on my menus for years, adding vibrant colour and flavour to any mezze or platter.
The core ingredients blend roasted red peppers (jarred work perfectly when fresh are out of season), walnuts, and pomegranate molasses. Like many beloved recipes, muhammara has traveled beyond borders, finding homes in Lebanon, Turkey, and Armenia. Each country adds its own twist – Turkey spices it up with cumin and coriander, while in Armenia lemon juice may be used to replace the pomegranate molasses.
My version incorporates sun-dried tomatoes for extra umami depth. When I need a nut-free option, sunflower seeds step in admirably for walnuts. The result is a dip that’s rich and smoky, with a hint of sweetness and as much heat as you dare to add. It’s fantastic spread on warm pita, as a dip for vegetables, or even as an unconventional sauce for grilled vegetables. The smoky notes in muhammara particularly complement the char from grilling, making it an excellent pairing for barbecues.
Muhammara – A Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip
Ingredients
- 500g roasted red peppers
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 30ml pomegranate molasses
- 100g sundried tomatoes
- 150g walnuts
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Aleppo chilli
- 1-2 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
- sea salt to taste
Method
Pre heat oven to 180ºC.
If not using jarred roasted red peppers, put the red peppers on a lined baking tray and roast in the oven until the skin is dark and blistered. Place in a bowl and cover with a plate or paper bag so they sweat and the skins are easier to remove. Once cooled, peel the skins and removes the stems and seeds.
Toast walnuts or sunflower seeds on a lined baking tray for 10-15 minutes.
Grate or finely chop the garlic. Put in to a blender or food processor with all the ingredients except the dry spices.
Add the smoked paprika, Aleppo chilli, and a teaspoon each of ground coriander and cumin, blend and taste. Add more of any spice to create a flavour you like and season with sea salt to taste.
To Serve
To make your own mezze or platter, just add little plates of your favourite things. You could add some falafel, dolmades (my recipe is delicious, but they’re also tasty from a can), pickled turnips, some creamy soy labneh, a bowl of eggplant based moutabel and don’t forget the hummus and some bread for dipping. So easy to adapt to suit groups of any size, with drinks, as an appetiser, or serve with roasted broccoli as a main
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