Muhammara is a delicious red pepper and walnut dip common in Turkish and Lebanese cuisine. It is savoury, sweet, spicy and acidic with a wholesome walnut crunch. My version uses jarred red peppers for the ultimate quick and easy Middle Eastern dip.
Servings6
Equipment
- Food processor – or mortar and pestle.
Ingredients
- 1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained*
- ½ cup roughly crushed walnut pieces, and extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more to drizzle
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs (optional)
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, or 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or chilli flakes (add more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
Instructions
- Drain the peppers well and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend into a thick, coarse paste.
- Transfer the muhammara to a serving bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil, coarsely chopped walnuts, and a sprinkle of chilli flake.
Notes
- I buy 12 oz (340 gram) jars with a drained weight of roughly 7.5 oz (270 grams). This recipe is very flexible. Weigh your drained peppers and roughly scale the recipe accordingly.
- A food processor works best for this recipe. Don’t use a high-speed blender. You want a coarse paste, not a pureé. You can also use a mortar and pestle though it will require some elbow grease!
- The breadcrumbs thicken the muhammara from a sauce into a paste but feel free to omit it for a naturally gluten-free sauce.