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    Home » Recipes » Dips & Sauces

    Muhammara Recipe - 10 Minute Spicy Red Pepper Dip

    Aug 3, 2022 · Modified: Aug 30, 2022 by Gönül

    Jump to Recipe

    You will fall in love with this muhammara recipe that takes less than 10 minutes with minimal cleanup! Made in one bowl with a store-bought jar of roasted red bell peppers, healthy toasted walnuts, tangy pomegranate molasses, and delicious spices. This versatile muhammara dip is accidentally vegan and full of flavor!

    roasted red pepper and walnut muhammara in a blue bowl
    Jump to:
    • 🇸🇾 What is Muhammara and Where Is It From?
    • 🌶 Muhammara Recipe Ingredients
    • 🔥 Optional: How to Roast Peppers
    • 📝 Instructions for the Muhammara Recipe
    • ⏳ Saving Muhammara
    • ❓Muhammara Recipe FAQs
    • 🥗 Other Flavorful Recipes on AD
    • 📖 Recipe

    🇸🇾 What is Muhammara and Where Is It From?

    Muhammara is a roasted bell pepper & walnut dip whose roots are mainly associated with the Syrian city of Aleppo.

    It is also very popular in the southeastern region of Turkey and goes by the same name.

    olive oil being drizzled onto a bowl of muhammara

    Muhammara is very similar to my other pepper & walnut dip recipe: Turkish acuka. The main difference is that acuka uses store-bought "kapya" pepper paste (which can be difficult to source) and no pomegranate molasses or breadcrumbs.

    I love them equally, but muhammara is a lot more accessible and just as quick when you make it with already-roasted bell peppers! I love dipping Turkish flatbread (gozleme) into muhammara.

    It also goes so well with side dishes like roasted carrots and a white bean salad for a complete Mediterranean feast!

    🌶 Muhammara Recipe Ingredients

    The main ingredients of muhammara are roasted bell peppers and walnuts.

    The rest of the ingredients differ based on locality, but the best version I ever made has pomegranate molasses, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, and a few special spices like Aleppo & Urfa pepper flakes and sumac.

    flatlay of muhammara ingredients

    Roasted Bell Peppers

    I often use store-bought roasted peppers for muhammara, and it works great! If you have an immersion blender, you could even make the entire dip in the same jar after draining it.

    trader joe's roasted pepper jar

    If you'd like to roast peppers at home instead, see the section right below for all the relevant tips and tricks on roasting veggies!

    Toasted Walnuts

    Toasting walnuts is the part that takes the longest in this recipe! I've tried muhammara with both toasted and untoasted walnuts before, and the toasted version has always been the obvious winner.

    I wouldn't recommend skipping this step!

    toasted walnuts

    Pomegranate Molasses

    You may substitute the pomegranate molasses with half its volume of lemon juice, but I'd recommend getting a bottle if you can.

    It packs so much flavor in each drizzle and I guarantee you'll easily use it up on dishes like this Mediterranean bean salad or the beloved Turkish raw bulgur "meatballs": cig kofte.

    Seasoning & Special Spices...

    If you've perused this website before, you know that we use tons of Aleppo and Urfa pepper flakes, as well as sumac!

    All three are unique spices and can't be substituted for in a recipe without affecting the outcome a little bit.

    I'd say this stands for muhammara as well, but the 5-star New York Times recipe for muhammara omits sumac completely and the special pepper flakes are only a suggestion.

    And the people who didn't use them still seem to enjoy their muhammara a lot!

    spices used in muhammara in a small pinch bowl

    We'll also use some sugar to balance the acidity. Regarding salt, check the tomato paste you're using before adding the entire amount of salt listed on the recipe card.

    Some tomato pastes, like most Turkish ones, include a lot of salt so this may throw off the seasoning. If that's the case, start low and add more if needed.

    Olive Oil

    I highly recommend using the BEST extra-virgin olive oil you have access to for making muhammara.

    Our family has a membership for the freshly-pressed olive oil club (not sponsored) and I always open a new bottle for dips like this.

    Think of olive oil like juice, the longer it sits on store shelves, the less flavor (and polyphenols) it will have!

    Having said all that, regular EVOO will work too, of course. I just like to make suggestions to make things even more flavorful. 🙂

    olive oil being poured into a bowl

    See the recipe card below for exact quantities.

    🔥 Optional: How to Roast Peppers

    If you have extra time and want to play with open fire, do try roasting your own peppers for an even more flavorful muhammara!

    roasting vegetables in the Turkish village

    Similarly to roasting eggplants, I recommend roasting all vegetables on open fire. All you need to do is to turn the burner up as high as it will go and place the pepper directly on the flame.

    Turn the pepper with a pair of tongs until it's almost completely blackened.

    Once roasted, place the pepper into a bowl and cover with cling wrap to loosen the skin. After 5 minutes or so, the pepper will be cool enough to touch and you can then remove the skin with your fingers or a fork.

    I don't like to get rid of the entire skin as some of the blackened bits help deepen the flavor with their smokiness.

    roasting a vegetable on the stove

    Unfortunately, with this method, the cleanup is a mess! I've tried everything from using aluminum foil atop the burner to a special roasting gadget, but all forms take some elbow grease to clean up.

    Still, the "gadget" leads to the least amount of cleanup. The famous chef and editor Christopher Kimball of Milk Street is also obsessed with roasting veggies on an open flame, so their store actually sells it: Közmatik. A rough translation from Turkish for this pan is "ember machine".

    The main downside of Közmatik is that it won't work on an electric stove; the other is the price.

    The markup, without exaggeration, is more than a hundredfold between the Milk Street store and the bazaar in Izmir that I bought it from ($40 vs. ¢30). But it is still totally worth it if you like to roast and char vegetables often!

    Roasting vegetables on Kozmatik | Credit: Eric Magnussen for the New York Times

    Roasting the peppers in the oven is another option, but it isn't ideal. The one exception is if your oven has a strong broiler. The broiler could produce similar enough results to open fire.

    📝 Instructions for the Muhammara Recipe

    Once you gather all the ingredients, the rest is a breeze!

    Toast the Walnuts:

    Place the walnuts into a small pan on medium-high heat, and toast for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Make sure to move the pan around frequently so that the walnuts don't burn!

    Blend Everything:

    Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until mostly smooth, about one minute.

    If you have an immersion blender, you can mix everything in a bowl and blend there—or simply use the roasted pepper jar after draining it.

    The Trader Joe's 340-gram roasted pepper jar works perfectly.

    muhammara being blended with an immersion blender

    I prefer the immersion blender method. There is almost no waste that sticks to a food processor or blender I won't be able to scrape.

    Serve:

    Finish off with a drizzle of olive oil and use muhammara as a dip for raw vegetables or with a flatbread. You can use muhammara just as you would hummus!

    I also like to lather it onto toasts and sandwiches, as well as mixing it with a bit of pasta water to make a quick weeknight spaghetti dish!

    ⏳ Saving Muhammara

    You may save muhammara in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil right before serving each time.

    ❓Muhammara Recipe FAQs

    What is muhammara?

    Muhammara is a roasted bell pepper & walnut dip whose roots are mainly associated with the Syrian city of Aleppo. It is also very popular in the southeastern region of Turkey and goes by the same name.

    Is muhammara vegan?

    99% of the time, yes, muhammara is vegan! Most store-bought jars or online muhammara recipes, including this one, are totally vegan.

    Is muhammara healthy?

    Muhammara is a vegetable dip, so mostly, yes! But of course, exactly "how" healthy will depend on how much olive oil, salt, and breadcrumbs you add.

    Is muhammara spicy?

    Muhammara is usually mildly spicy, but you can always add more Aleppo pepper to make it spicier!

    Is muhammara similar to harissa?

    Syrian muhammara and Tunisian harissa are similar, but harissa is usually made with dry chili peppers instead of roasted bell peppers. Therefore, harissa is often spicier than muhammara and is more of a condiment (a paste) than a dip.

    What does muhammara taste like?

    Muhammara tastes like spicy roasted peppers and toasted walnuts. The texture is silky and very similar to that of hummus.

    What does muhammara mean in Arabic?

    Owing to the color of the dip, muhammara means "reddened" (محمرة) in Arabic. Red is "'ahmar" in Arabic.

    How to use muhammara?

    Use muhammara as a dip for raw vegetables or crackers, just as you would hummus. I also like to lather muhammara onto toasts and sandwiches, as well as mixing it with a bit of pasta water to make a quick weeknight spaghetti dish!

    Is muhammara gluten-free?

    Often, no, muhammara is not gluten-free because most recipes use regular breadcrumbs.

    🥗 Other Flavorful Recipes on AD

    I love dipping zucchini fritters or gozleme into muhammara! These will go so well with side dishes like roasted carrots and a Mediterranean bean salad.

    • Vegan Zucchini Fritters - Traditional Turkish Mücver
    • Authentic Gozleme 👵🏼 - Turkish Flatbread with Fillings
    • Roasted Carrots with Tahini and Pomegranates
    • Mediterranean Bean Salad (Turkish Piyaz in 10 Minutes!)
    closeup of muhammara

    Did you make this muhammara recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a star🌟 rating below. This helps me run Aegean Delight and I always appreciate it 🙂

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    📖 Recipe

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    Muhammara Recipe - 10 Minute Spicy Red Pepper Dip


    • Author: Gönül
    • Total Time: 10 minutes
    • Yield: (330 grams total)
    • Diet: Vegan
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    Description

    You will fall in love with this muhammara recipe that takes less than 10 minutes with minimal cleanup! Made in one bowl with a store-bought jar of roasted red bell peppers, healthy toasted walnuts, tangy pomegranate molasses, and delicious spices. This versatile muhammara dip is accidentally vegan and full of flavor!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup (220g drained weight from 1 jar) roasted bell pepper
    • 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil (+more to top)
    • ½ cup (50g) walnuts
    • 1 tablespoon (20g) tomato paste (See Notes)
    • ¼ cup (30g) breadcrumbs
    • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
    • ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes (or sub regular chili flakes)
    • ½ teaspoon Urfa pepper flakes (or sub regular chili flakes)
    • 1 teaspoon sumac (or sub ½ tsp lemon juice)
    • ¼ teaspoon sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    1. Place the walnuts into a small pan on medium-high heat, and toast for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Make sure to move the pan around frequently so that the walnuts don't burn!
    2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until mostly smooth, for about one minute. If you have an immersion blender, you can mix everything in a bowl and blend there—or simply use the roasted pepper jar after draining it. The Trader Joe's 340-gram roasted pepper jar works perfectly. I prefer the immersion blender method. There is almost no waste that sticks to a food processor or blender I won't be able to scrape.
    3. Finish off with a drizzle of olive oil and use muhammara as a dip for raw vegetables or with a flatbread. You can use muhammara just as you would hummus! I also like to lather it onto toast and sandwiches, as well as mix it with a bit of pasta water to make a quick weeknight spaghetti dish.
    4. You may save muhammara in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil right before serving each time for best results!

    Notes

    If you'd like to roast peppers at home instead of using a store-bought jar, turn the burner up as high as it will go and place the pepper directly on the flame. Turn the pepper with a pair of tongs until it's almost completely blackened. Once roasted, place the pepper into a bowl and cover with cling wrap to loosen the skin. After 5 minutes or so, the pepper will be cool enough to touch and you can then remove the skin with your fingers or a fork. I don't like to get rid of the entire skin as some of the blackened bits help deepen the flavor with their smokiness. You could also broil the peppers in an oven for 15-20 minutes for similar results. For reference, one medium-sized bell pepper weighs approximately 100 grams, so use two bell peppers for the original recipe.

    Check the tomato paste you're using before adding the entire amount of salt listed on the recipe card. Some tomato pastes, like most Turkish ones, include a lot of salt so this may throw off the seasoning. If that's the case, start low and add more salt if needed.

    I highly recommend using the BEST extra-virgin olive oil you have access to for making muhammara. Our family has a membership for the freshly-pressed olive oil club (not sponsored) and I always open a new bottle for dips like this. Think of olive oil like juice, the longer it sits on store shelves, the less flavor (and polyphenols) it will have! Having said all that, regular EVOO will work too, of course. I just like to make suggestions to make things even more flavorful. 🙂

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Method: Blend
    • Cuisine: Syrian, Turkish, Levantine

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @aegeandelight on Instagram and hashtag it #aegeandelight

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    Hi! I'm Gönül

    I share flavorful vegan recipes that are mostly from the Aegean. It is a cuisine filled with incidentally-vegan gems and I can't wait for you to try some of them!

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