My love for middle-eastern food is not a secret, and as I mentioned in my hummus post, I love all their dips and condiments. Their dips are very versatile and easy to make too. This muhammara is a famous middle-eastern dip made with roasted red bell peppers, walnuts, molasses, Aleppo pepper, and other spices. It is originally from Aleppo, a city in Syria. We use the Aleppo pepper to spice this dip which is mild and not-so-spicy.
A versatile dip
This muhammara pairs well with pita chips, but this dish is not just a dip; it’s beyond that. Use it as a sandwich spread, mix it with some pasta, or pair it with any bread, including Indian roti. You can even mix it with rice and make muhammara rice. I have few recipes coming up with this dip. And you can see this as a part of my meal prep from now on. Now coming to the recipe, I won’t call mine the authentic one as I went with substitutes, especially for the pomegranate molasses. I know for sure I will use sumac spice and Aleppo peppers, but with pomegranate molasses, I wasn’t sure if I would use it up, all, and I didn’t want to buy just for this recipe. So I used regular molasses and lemon juice instead of pomegranate molasses. Also, I skipped garlic, and we liked the dip without garlic. You can add one to two small cloves of garlic for added flavor. Like loubia, you can find several recipes online for this muhammara, and I went through quite a few and came up with my measure and substitutes.
Ingredients
Red bell peppers: I used two red bell peppers. We roast them, peel and skin, and then use them for the dip. You can also use canned roasted red bell pepper. For this, below measure, you need approx 5 oz or 140 grams of canned roasted red bell pepper. Walnuts: Use good quality walnuts. Roasted is fine but use unsalted ones. Bread crumbs: Bread crumbs add an excellent texture to this dip and make it more like a thick chutney. You can use store-bought bread crumbs or make your own at home too. I made mine at home, and this is how I made it: Homemade bread crumbs: Tear two to three bread slices into small pieces and spread them on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake it in a preheated oven at 300 deg F for 12 to 15 minutes. Let it cool and pulse it. That’s it; homemade bread crumbs are ready. Olive oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for enhanced flavor. I wouldn’t recommend any other oil for this dip. Molasses and lemon juice: As I mentioned before, the original recipe calls for pomegranate molasses, but I went with a regular one and added extra lemon juice. Sumac: I also added some sumac for added flavor. But it’s optional. Apart from this we also need some salt.
Dietary specifications and storing suggestions
This muhammara dip is vegan. Make sure to use vegan labeled molasses. Use gluten-free bread crumbs for a gluten-free dip or add more nuts. But I haven’t tested this recipe without bread crumbs. Serve this dip with chips and vegetables, or use it as a dip for your mezze platter. You can also use it as a sandwich spread. Store it in an air-tight container, and it stays good for 2 to 3 when refrigerated. Now without any further ado, let’s see how to make this muhammara dip.
Muhammara recipe with detailed step-wise pictures
Roast the walnuts
Heat a skillet or pan, toast the walnuts for three to four minutes over medium heat, and set it aside.
Roast the bell peppers
Generously brush the red bell peppers with ½ tbsp olive oil and place them on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil.
Now broil them for 30 minutes at broil-high setting. Make sure to turn them in every 10 minutes for even cooking. It should be charred like below.
Cover this broiled bell pepper with a foil or place a container on top like below to trap the steam. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Then peel the skin and remove the seeds and the core and chop them roughly. After this process, I got about 138 grams. So if you are using store-bought roasted bell pepper, use 135 to 140 grams for the below measure.
Prepare the muhammara
In a blender or mixer jar or food processor, add the bread crumbs, toasted walnuts, roasted bell peppers, Aleppo pepper, red chili powder, sumac, salt, molasses, lemon juice, and two tbsp olive oil.
Blend until smooth. Transfer it to a bowl, drizzle the remaining olive oil, sprinkle more Aleppo pepper and walnuts, and serve it with chips or vegetables.
Recipe notes
If you are using pomegranate molasses, reduce the lemon juice to ½ tbsp. You can also add ground cumin for added flavor.Adjust salt and spice to taste. Please refer to the ingredient section in the post for making homemade bread crumbs.
Explore other dips and condiments
Are you looking for some easy dips and condiments? Here are some of our favorites.
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📖 Recipe
