Muhammara – How to Make The Perfect Red Pepper Dip!

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I like hummus more than muhammara. Perhaps that is blasphemous considering my Syrian roots as it is a recipe born in Aleppo. However, my preference for hummus does not negate the fact that muhammara is delicious and a staple on nearly every mezze platter.

If you’re curious, muhammara is a roasted red pepper dip that consists of walnuts, breadcrumbs, and pomegranate molasses. Back in the day, it was reserved for the upper class because of the ingredients, which are still not cheap, but perhaps more accessible at your local grocery store.

True to form, my muhammara is switching things up a little. I think one of the reasons that it is not my favorite dip is because to me, the consistency can be kind of gritty. Because of this, I am going to omit the breadcrumbs. I am also not a huge molasses fan, so I am using regular pomegranate seeds. And for my final act of defiance, I am making this spicy and garlicky. There, I fixed it.

If you dare, try this on your next mezze appetizer spread and let me know if you prefer my method or the traditional preparation of muhammara.

Makes about 1 cup and stores well in the fridge in an airtight container for about a week. However, this is best served slightly warm or a room temperature, so keep that in mind before you dig in.

Tools:

You will need a food processor or blender to get this smoothed into the perfect consistency.

Ingredients:

2 red peppers

1 Thai red chili

1/2 cup of walnuts

2 cloves of garlic, raw or roasted

1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

Instructions:

1. Roast the red peppers whole along with the Thai red chili for 30 – 45 minutes at 400F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove the core and seeds.
2. Place the red peppers in the food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Run the food processor for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is the consistency you like.
3. Serve this with Arabic bread and/or part of a mezze platter. This can also be used as a spread on a sandwich.

If you like this, be sure to try my other Middle Eastern recipes. Or if you are a red pepper finatic, try my creamy red pepper pasta!