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Muhammara

A smoky red pepper and walnut dip with a sweet-sour edge from pomegranate molasses, best scooped up with warm bread.

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Brick-red muhammara in a shallow bowl, swirled and topped with a little olive oil and chopped toasted walnuts, AI-generated imageAI-generated image
At a glance
  • 530 gred bell peppers
  • 100 gwalnut halves
  • 30 gplain dry breadcrumbs
  • 30 gpomegranate molasses
  • 30 gextra virgin olive oil
Serves 4

Muhammara is a thick, brick-red dip of roasted red peppers, toasted walnuts, breadcrumbs, olive oil and pomegranate molasses. It is eaten across Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and neighboring regions as part of a meze spread, often with flatbread, raw vegetables or grilled foods.

This version roasts fresh peppers until the skins blister and the flesh turns sweet and smoky, then drains them well so the dip stays thick instead of watery. The walnuts are toasted in a dry skillet before the peppers go in, and the breadcrumbs give body without making the dip pasty. Most of the time is hands-off: roasting, steaming and a short rest.

Pulse rather than puree. A little texture from the walnuts is what separates muhammara from a plain pepper spread. The pomegranate molasses and lemon give it tang, and the chile gives a gentle, warming heat you can adjust to taste. Sweet peppers and rich walnuts need proper seasoning, so salt the dip until the flavors are bright rather than flat.

Muhammara

Formula & Method
Servings
4
Units
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Ingredients

To serve

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Preparation

  1. Step 015 min

    Toast all the walnuts first: put the 100 g walnuts and the 10 g garnish walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir often for 4 to 5 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Tip them onto a plate to cool so they do not keep cooking, then set the garnish walnuts aside.

  2. Step 0210 min

    Choose your roasting method. For the oven, heat it to 240°C (465°F) with a rack in the upper third. For the broiler/grill, heat it to high with the rack 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) from the element. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Do not use baking paper, which can scorch or ignite at this heat.

  3. Step 0330 min

    Oven method: place the whole peppers on the foil-lined sheet and roast, turning every 8 to 10 minutes, until the skins are blistered and blackened in patches and the peppers have collapsed slightly. Allow about 30 minutes.

  4. Step 04

    Broiler/grill method: place the whole peppers on the foil-lined sheet and stay at the oven. Check after 2 to 3 minutes. As soon as the skin on one side puffs up and blackens in patches, turn the peppers with tongs to a fresh side. Keep checking every 2 to 4 minutes and turning until the peppers are blistered all over and slightly collapsed, usually 12 to 20 minutes in total. Move any pepper that darkens faster away from the element.

  5. Step 0515 min

    Move the hot peppers to a bowl and cover with a plate or a lid. Let them steam for 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle and the skins slip off easily.

  6. Step 0615 min

    Peel off the skins, then pull out the stems and seeds. Do not rinse the peppers, which would wash away flavor. Lay the flesh on a double layer of paper towel for 5 to 10 minutes, pressing gently, until the surface is no longer wet.

  7. Step 07

    In a food processor, pulse the cooled walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, chile flakes, cumin and the 2.5 g salt until the walnuts are coarsely ground, with some pieces still visible.

  8. Step 08

    Add the drained peppers, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice. Pulse a few times, then add the 30 g olive oil and pulse until you have a thick, spreadable paste with some texture. If it looks stiff or crumbly, pulse in water, 5 g at a time.

  9. Step 0930 min

    Taste and adjust: the dip should taste distinctly seasoned, with the sweetness of the peppers balanced by salt and tang. If it tastes flat or sweet, add salt a generous pinch (about 0.3 g) at a time, stirring in and tasting after each, then add lemon for brightness or chile for heat. Scrape into a bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes so the flavors settle and the breadcrumbs absorb moisture. Keep the total time at room temperature, including serving, to 2 hours at most, or 1 hour if your kitchen is above 32°C (90°F). Otherwise cover and refrigerate.

  10. Step 10

    To serve, swirl the surface with the back of a spoon, drizzle with the 5 g olive oil and scatter over the chopped toasted walnuts. Return any leftovers to the refrigerator promptly.

Kitchen notes

  • Storage: refrigerate promptly in a covered container at 4°C (40°F) or below and eat within 3 to 4 days, as the dip contains raw garlic and oil. Take it out 20 minutes before serving, since it firms up when cold, and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours in total.
  • Freezing: it can be frozen in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, stir well, taste for salt, and add the oil drizzle and walnut garnish just before serving.
  • Make ahead: the flavor deepens after a few hours, so it is a good dip to make the day before. Add the final drizzle of oil and garnish just before serving.
  • Shortcut: swap the fresh peppers for about 350 g of drained jarred roasted red peppers. Pat them very dry, and skip the roasting and steaming steps. Jarred peppers can be salty, so add the salt in stages and taste before adding the full amount.
  • Texture: for a smoother dip, process longer. For a rustic one, stop as soon as the paste holds together.
  • Pepper weight: the 530 g is the edible flesh of the peppers, without stems and seeds, which is about 650 g of whole peppers. Weigh the peppers whole at the shop and expect to discard the stems and seeds.
  • Allergens: the dip contains tree nuts (walnuts) and wheat (gluten, from the breadcrumbs). It contains no milk or egg as written. Always read the label of your breadcrumbs for allergen and cross-contact statements, since these differ by product.
  • Vegan and dairy-free: this holds as long as the breadcrumbs contain no milk, egg or honey, so read the ingredients list and choose a plain or vegan-labeled product. Also check the label for soy, sesame or cross-contact warnings if those matter to you. If you replace the pomegranate molasses with lemon and sweetener, use sugar rather than honey, which is not vegan.
  • Gluten-free: replace the breadcrumbs with the same weight of fine gluten-free breadcrumbs (again with no milk, egg or honey) or ground toasted almonds (also a tree nut).
  • Salt: the 2.5 g of fine salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) is a balanced starting point for the whole batch. Pomegranate molasses is usually unsalted and plain breadcrumbs add little sodium, so the seasoning comes mainly from this salt. If you use salted jarred peppers, add the salt in stages.
  • Pomegranate molasses: brands differ, and some contain added sugar. Look for one that lists only pomegranate juice, and taste before adding extra lemon or salt.
  • Serving ideas: warm pita or flatbread, crisp cucumber and carrot sticks, spread on toast, or alongside grilled vegetables or falafel.

Diet and allergens

Suitable for: Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free.

Contains: tree nuts, gluten (wheat).

Labels come from the ingredient list by fixed rules. If you cook for someone with an allergy, check the labels of packaged ingredients such as stock, spice blends, tahini and bread, since brands differ. How labels work.

Frequently asked questions

What does muhammara taste like?

It is smoky and sweet from roasted peppers, rich and slightly bitter from walnuts, and tangy from pomegranate molasses, with a mild chile warmth.

Can I make muhammara without pomegranate molasses?

It is the defining tang, so it is worth finding in well-stocked supermarkets, Middle Eastern shops or online. In a pinch, use an extra 10 g lemon juice with 4 g (1 teaspoon) sugar, which keeps the dip vegan. Honey also works but is not vegan, and the flavor will be less deep either way.

Why is my muhammara watery?

Roasted peppers hold a lot of liquid. Drain them on paper towels before processing, and let the dip rest so the breadcrumbs can absorb moisture. Adding a spoonful more breadcrumbs also thickens it.

Is muhammara spicy?

Traditionally it has a gentle heat. Aleppo pepper is mild, so use more or add a pinch of cayenne if you want it hotter.

How long does muhammara keep?

Store it covered in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below for 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month.

References and sources

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