Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 400 g red bell peppers, whole
- 5 g garlic, peeled
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Pantry
- 100 g walnuts, raw halves or pieces
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml pomegranate molasses
- 30 g breadcrumbs, unseasoned
Spices
- 10 g aleppo pepper
- 3 g ground cumin
- 3 g sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 177 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 178 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Potassium
- 259 mg
- Calcium
- 37 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 40 mg
- Phosphorus
- 70 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 105 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 66 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 41 mcg
- Water
- 50 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 230C (450F). Place whole red bell peppers on a baking sheet and roast until the skins are deeply blistered and blackened all over, turning occasionally.
Transfer the hot, blistered peppers to a heatproof bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a large plate and let them steam to loosen the skins.
Peel the blackened skins off the peppers and discard. Remove the stems and seeds. Do not rinse the peppers under water, as this will wash away the smoky flavor. Roughly chop the remaining flesh.
Place walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the toasted walnuts, garlic, and breadcrumbs. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse, wet sand.
Add the chopped roasted red peppers, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper, ground cumin, and sea salt to the food processor. Process until the mixture is cohesive and mostly smooth, but still retains a slight rustic texture.
Transfer the muhammara to a serving bowl. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the spices, sweetness, and acidity to meld before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Pomegranate molasses varies wildly in tartness between brands. Always taste your brand before adding the full amount; add a pinch of sugar if it is overwhelmingly sour.
- For a more authentic, intensely concentrated flavor, replace half of the fresh roasted red peppers with 2 tablespoons of traditional Turkish pepper paste (biber salcasi).
- Allowing the dip to rest in the refrigerator overnight drastically improves the depth of flavor. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.
- If you want to enhance the smokiness further, char the peppers directly over an open gas stovetop flame instead of baking them in the oven.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil poured over the surface to prevent drying and oxidation.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture may become slightly grainy upon thawing; stir vigorously before serving.
Troubleshooting
The dip is excessively watery or thin
Cause: Peppers retained too much moisture during the peeling process, or too much olive oil was added
Fix: Pulse in an additional 10 to 15 grams of breadcrumbs or finely ground walnuts, then let the dip rest for 10 minutes to absorb the excess liquid
Prevention: Thoroughly drain and gently pat the peeled peppers dry with a paper towel before adding them to the food processor
The dip tastes too bitter
Cause: Walnuts were burnt during toasting, or burnt pepper skins were left in the mixture
Fix: Blend in a small pinch of granulated sugar and an extra splash of pomegranate molasses to mask the bitterness
Prevention: Watch walnuts closely while toasting and peel peppers thoroughly
Cultural Context
While Muhammara originated in Aleppo, Syria, it has become a beloved staple in Turkish cuisine, particularly in the southeastern Hatay region where it is often referred to as Cevizli Biber. The liberal use of pomegranate molasses and mild pul biber (Aleppo pepper) gives this meze its signature balance of sweet, sour, and gently spicy notes.
