The Best Muhammara Recipe

My aunt was the queen of Muhammara sauce! It was a vegetable dip I grew up eating. We literally put it on everything – pasta, eggs, vegetables – and brought it to all our special occasions. Being one of the popular recipes of the Turkish Cuisine, pita chips and muhammara dip was our version of bread and butter.

If you’ve never heard of this Middle Eastern pepper sauce, prepare to be amazed! Similar to its simpler version roasted red pepper walnut dip, it is robust in flavor with sweet red peppers, nutty walnuts, and pomegranate molasses added to it to make it closer to its traditional version. All you need is a food processor and 30 minutes for a Meditteranean-inspired dip that is bright in both color and flavor! Intrigued? Let’s break it down.

If you are a fan of Middle Eastern dips and sauces, be sure to check out my Eggplant Yogurt Dip (a recipe similar to baba ganoush), Roasted Carrot Hummus, Mediterranean Hummus, and Roasted Vegetable Dip recipes as well.

Key Ingredients

To make this Mediterranean red pepper sauce, you will need the following ingredients:

• Red Bell Peppers – Purchase fresh, organic, sweet red bell peppers the day you are going to prepare the dip for the best flavor. If you’re in a pinch, jarred roasted red peppers can be substituted, however, it’s worth noting that the flavor of homemade roasted red peppers is much sweeter than using ones from a jar and the texture is softer.
• Raw Walnuts – Toasting the walnuts beforehand brings out more of their nutty, creamy flavor. I like to purchase a bulk of walnuts and toast them in a single layer on a large baking sheet in a 350-degree oven until light golden brown (about 7 minutes) as soon as I get home from the store, then cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. That way I have toasted walnuts at the ready any time I need them!
• Crackers – The traditional muhammara recipe is made with bread crumbs. In this modern version, I followed in the footsteps of the authors of the Vegetable Illustrated and used crackers instead. You can use any type of lean crackers, such as the simple water cracker. However, for even more flavor variation, use a cracker scented with rosemary, thyme, flax seeds or sesame seeds. For best results, gently crack the crackers in a zip-top bag and finish crushing with a rolling pin.
• Scallions – Use both green and white parts and be sure to roughly chop prior to adding to the bowl of your food processor.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This is a raw, uncooked sauce, so a good-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil makes all the difference. My favorite is California Olive Ranch (affiliate link).
• Pomegranate Molasses – If you are not familiar with pomegranate molasses, it is a slightly sweet, slightly tart syrup made from boiling down pomegranate juice (similar to the way balsamic glaze is prepared). It is a very popular ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine and an authentic ingredient for this red pepper spread. Nowadays most supermarkets sell pomegranate molasses, but you can also purchase it online. If you need a suggestion, this pomegranate molasses (affiliate link) is the brand I use.
• Lemon Juice – A hint of fresh acidity goes a long way and locks in the color of those beautiful roasted red peppers.
• Paprika – I prefer sweet paprika over hot since the spice factor will come from the cayenne.
• Cumin – Although not typically included, I like the punch of savory, smoky goodness cumin brings to this dip. It complements the fire-roasted red peppers so well.
• Kosher Salt – Use the amount called for in the recipe and adjust the taste to your liking at the very end. I also recommend finishing it off with some flaky sea salt.
• Cayenne Pepper – A slight kick from the cayenne pepper transforms it into a healthy spicy capsicum dip (capsicum is another word for pepper). If you are not into spiciness, you can simply omit it.
  Alternatively, if you can get your hands on it, you can swap cayenne pepper with Aleppo red pepper flakes.

How to make roasted red pepper dip

To make this Middle Eastern pepper sauce, simply:

1. Roast bell peppers. Prepare the bell peppers by slicing off the stem end, removing the seeds and core with a spoon, slice in half and cut each half in three pieces. Remove the stem from the end and slice the end into large chunks. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes, or until skins are well charred, making sure to rotate halfway through.
2. Steam the bell peppers. Once roasted and charred, transfer the red bell peppers to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam for 10 minutes (this makes it easier to remove the skins). At this point, you can either leave the skins on for extra charred flavor or remove them.
3. Crush the crackers. Place the crackers in a plastic bag, seal tight and gently crush with your hands. Finish crushing the crackers into coarse crumbs by rolling over with a rolling pin.

4. Process all the ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor, add the roasted red peppers, walnuts, crackers, scallions, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, salt, and cayenne and process until smooth, about 15-20 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
5. Garnish and serve. Transfer to a small bowl, spread it with the back of a spoon, garnish with fresh dill, scallions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with more crackers, pita or crudites.

Ways to serve this Syrian pepper sauce recipe

There are a number of ways to serve this muhammara dip recipe, such as:

• Dip: Definitely the most authentic, serve it as a dip with more crackers, pita bread, or fresh sliced vegetables.
• Spread: Slather it on sandwich bread, fresh pita bread, or your morning toast. In my opinion, leftover muhammara make the best sandwich spread.
• Pasta Sauce: Prepare your favorite pasta and toss it in a large bowl with the muhammara and a bit of pasta water – no additional cooking required!
• Pizza Sauce: Replace the tomato sauce on pizza with muhammara – such a fun, Meditteranean twist!