Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip)
Smoky, tangy walnut and roasted red pepper dip with pomegranate molasses — great as a mezze dip or sandwich spread.
Muhammara is a smoky, slightly sweet dip from the Levant that sings on a mezze board. Roasted red peppers and toasted walnuts make a rich, spreadable dip that’s at home with flatbread, crudités or slathered on sandwiches.
This version is simple to make at home: roast, peel, blitz and chill. The pomegranate molasses gives the lift that makes people come back for more.
Ingredients
- 800 g red peppers — about 4 large
- 150 g walnuts
- 50 g breadcrumbs — fresh or dried
- 60 ml pomegranate molasses
- 75 ml olive oil — reserve about 15 ml for serving
- 30 ml lemon juice — juice of about 1 medium lemon
- 1 garlic clove — peeled
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml red chilli flakes — adjust to taste
- 5 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 10 g flat-leaf parsley — to garnish
Equipment
- food processor or blender
- baking tray
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan/240°C conventional. Line a baking tray with foil for easy cleanup.
Halve the red peppers, discard seeds and membranes. Toss the peppers skin-side up with 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and arrange on the baking tray. Roast for 30 minutes or until the skins are deeply charred and the flesh has collapsed.
Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan so they colour evenly. Remove once fragrant and slightly browned.
Set the toasted walnuts aside to cool for 10 minutes on a plate.
When the peppers are roasted, transfer them to a large bowl and cover tightly with cling film or a plate to steam and cool for 20 minutes. This makes the skins lift away cleanly.
Peel the skins from the peppers and squeeze any remaining juices from the skins into the bowl (keep the juices). Roughly chop the pepper flesh.
In a food processor, add the peeled red pepper flesh, cooled walnuts, breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, garlic clove, smoked paprika, ground cumin, red chilli flakes, sea salt and black pepper. Pulse to a coarse paste, then with the motor running drizzle in the remaining olive oil (about 60 ml) until the texture is glossy but still has bite. Taste and adjust seasoning or pomegranate molasses for sweetness/tang.
Spoon the muhammara into a bowl, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours marry.
Before serving, scatter over a few chopped walnuts and chopped flat-leaf parsley, and drizzle the reserved olive oil. Serve with toasted flatbreads, crudités or as part of a mezze board.
Tips
- Steam the peppers immediately after roasting — that loosens the skins and makes peeling much easier.
- If you don’t have a food processor, use a sturdy blender and pulse in short bursts to retain texture.
- Make ahead: muhammara keeps 3–4 days refrigerated and the flavour improves after a day.
- To freeze: pack into an airtight tub for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and stir before serving.
- If the dip is too thick, stir in a teaspoon of the reserved pepper juices or a little extra olive oil to loosen it.
Substitutions
walnuts → hazelnuts, same quantity
Stays closebreadcrumbs → ground almonds, same weight (useful for gluten-free)
Stays closepomegranate molasses → 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar + 1 tbsp maple syrup, mix and taste
Noticeably differentolive oil → mild rapeseed oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 370
- Calories
- 5 g
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbs
- 29 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 400 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I roast the peppers on the hob instead of the oven?
Yes — you can char them directly over a gas burner or under a grill until blackened, then steam and peel as instructed. Watch for hot spots and rotate frequently.
How long will muhammara keep in the fridge?
Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days. A thin film of oil on top helps preserve it and keeps the surface from oxidising.
Can I make muhammara nut-free?
You can replace walnuts with ground sunflower seeds or extra breadcrumbs; texture and flavour will change but you'll keep a good spreadable result.
Is muhammara very spicy?
Not necessarily — this recipe uses a small amount of chilli flakes for warmth. Adjust the chilli to taste or omit for no heat.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
Rate this recipe
More like this
Smoked salmon, lemon zest and petit pois risotto
Wild garlic pesto pasta with peas, lemon and toasted walnuts
