Muhammara – An easy Middle Eastern dip made with roasted red peppers and walnuts.
Muhammara is a lovely Middle Eastern red pepper dip with plenty of flavour and a gloriously creamy texture. It is traditionally made with roasted peppers and walnuts, blended with spices and oil into a rich, full-flavoured dip that goes with everything from flatbread and vegetable sticks to tapas, mezze and grilled dishes.
In this version I roast the peppers in the oven, which brings out their sweetness and gives them a slightly smoky flavour, while the walnuts are toasted in a dry frying pan to bring out their nutty aroma. Together with garlic, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, cumin and a touch of chilli, you get a dip with the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity and heat.
Traditionally, muhammara is often made with pomegranate molasses, which adds both sweetness and acidity. Here I have chosen to replace it with honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice, which most people find easier to get hold of. If you do have pomegranate molasses in the cupboard, you can of course use it instead. Start with about 3 tbsp and adjust to taste if you want a more intense sweetness and tang.
Muhammara is well worth making ahead of time, and it actually tastes almost better the next day, once the flavours have had a chance to develop. Serve it in a bowl or spread it out on a platter and, if you like, top with chopped walnuts, fresh parsley and a good olive oil.
It is excellent as part of a mezze spread, with tapas, as a dip for vegetables or served alongside spiced meatballs, warm flatbreads and a cooling garlic yogurt.
One last tip: muhammara should have a little texture. Avoid blending it completely smooth – it tastes and feels best when there is still a bit of bite from both the peppers and the walnuts.
Muhammara – Red Pepper Dip with Walnuts
Ingredients
- 3 large red peppers
- 100 g walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- Salt
- Olive oil
To serve
- Chopped walnuts and parsley, for the top
- A little olive oil
Method
- Halve the peppers, remove the seeds and core and place them skin side up on a baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in a preheated conventional oven (top and bottom heat) at 220°C for about 30 minutes.
- Transfer the peppers to a plate, cover with cling film and leave to stand for about 15 minutes. Then peel off the skins and leave the peppers to cool completely in the fridge.
- Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan and set aside.
- Put the walnuts, peppers, garlic, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, cumin and chilli flakes in a mini chopper and blend to a coarse purée.
- Add the panko breadcrumbs and blend again – take care not to over-blend. The dip should be coarse but soft in texture – it should not become completely smooth.
- Season to taste with salt and, if needed, a little more olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and chilli.
- Spread the dip out on a plate and, if you like, top with a little olive oil, chopped walnuts and parsley.
Nutrition
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