How to Make Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)

Muhammara is a thick, brick-red dip of roasted peppers and walnuts, sharpened with pomegranate molasses and warmed with Aleppo pepper. The name comes from the Arabic word for “reddened”. It started in Aleppo, just across the border, and is now a fixture of Lebanese mezze next to hummus, baba ghanoush and labneh.

A good muhammara balances four things: smoky sweetness from the peppers, richness from the walnuts, a gentle heat and a tangy, fruity finish. It should be coarse rather than silky, so you still feel the nuts. It also tastes better after a few hours in the fridge, which makes it a perfect make-ahead dish for guests.

Ingredients

• 3 large red bell peppers (about 600 g / 1⅓ lb)
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve
• 100 g (1 cup) walnut halves
• 30 g (½ cup) dry breadcrumbs, or 1 small pita, toasted and crushed
• 1 tbsp red pepper paste (dibs flayfleh) or tomato paste
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) pomegranate molasses
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 to 2 tsp Aleppo pepper (or ½ tsp chili flakes)
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp sugar (only if your peppers are not sweet)

To garnish

• A few chopped walnuts, a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Rub the whole peppers with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and place them on a lined baking sheet.
2. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway, until the skins are blistered and blackened in patches and the peppers have collapsed. You can also char them directly over a gas flame, turning with tongs, for about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with a plate and leave for 15 minutes. The steam loosens the skins.
4. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant and a shade darker. Let them cool.
5. Peel the peppers, remove the stems and seeds and pat them dry with paper towel. Excess liquid makes the dip runny.
6. Put the walnuts, breadcrumbs and garlic in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, about 10 short pulses.
7. Add the peppers, pepper paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper, cumin and salt. Pulse until you have a thick, slightly coarse paste.
8. With the machine running, pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Taste and adjust: more molasses for tang, more Aleppo pepper for heat, more salt to bring it together. If it is too thin, pulse in another spoon of breadcrumbs.
9. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the flavors settle.
10. Bring it back to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. Spread it on a plate, make a well with the back of a spoon, fill it with olive oil and top with walnuts, a thread of molasses and parsley.

Tips for the best muhammara

• Pulse, do not blend. A little texture is the point.
• Dry the roasted peppers well, or the dip will weep.
• Use real pomegranate molasses (debs remman), not a sweetened syrup. It should taste sour first.
• Toasting the walnuts takes away their bitterness.

How to serve and store

Serve with warm Lebanese bread, toasted pita chips or raw vegetables, as part of a mezze with baba ghanoush and fattoush. It is also excellent spread in a grilled chicken sandwich or spooned next to grilled fish and kebabs. Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, with a thin layer of olive oil on top.

The two ingredients that matter most are the molasses and the oil. Debs w Remman makes pomegranate molasses in North Lebanon, and Koura producers such as Solar Olives press single-estate extra virgin olive oil.

Frequently Asked Questions