Muhammara (Syrian Roasted Red Pepper Dip)
Discover the delightful Muhammara, a naturally vegan Syrian roasted red pepper dip by Waseem Hijazi from Plant Based Arab. Made with pantry ingredients, this bold and vibrant appetizer is perfect for summer barbecues and breakfast Mezze.
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Servings: 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper - 4 slices, roasted - See Notes (1)
- 1/3 cup 50g walnuts, toasted - optional
- 1/2 onion
- 1 garlic - peeled
- 1/4 chili pepper - deseeded (or pinch of cayenne pepper) - optional
- 1/2 cup 115g red pepper paste
- 1/3 cup 50g breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp tahini - See Notes - 2
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1/4 cup 50ml olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried coriander
- 1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper
- Pinch of sumac
- 1/4 tsp salt - adjust to taste
The Rest:
- Tin foil / parchment paper
- Extra virgin olive oil - used for roasting and plating
- Pomegranate seeds
- Walnuts
- Fresh mint
Instructions
Making the Roasted Pepper
- Preheat oven to 400F (or 205C) at roast setting.
- Wash the bell pepper. Pat dry with clean cloth. Cut into 4 slices, removing the stem and seeds.
- Cover both sides of each slice with olive oil. Place on sheet pan lined with tin foil, skin side touching the pan.
- Roast for 30 minutes on top rack, flipping halfway. The skins should be slightly charred. Add another 5 to 10 minutes if needed.
- Immediately empty into a bowl and cover with food wrap. Rest for 30 minutes to cool down. Should be ready to peel off the skin easily. Set aside to use in making the dip.
Making the Muhammara
- Add the roasted red pepper slices, walnuts, onions, garlic, and chili pepper (if using) to a food processor.
- Pulse to break everything down (don’t over-blend). Scrape down the sides if needed.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and process on low for a few seconds to combine. The
- dip should be somewhat thick and sticky, but easy to spread - with a bit of texture.
Plating and Serving
- Spread the dip into a serving plate and flatten down. Add a drizzle of olive oil (to make plating easier), then gently press down with the back of a spoon around the edges.
- Garnish with pomegranate seeds and walnuts, with a fresh mint in the centre.
Equipment
Notes
- Homemade Roasted Pepper vs. Jarred: Skip the cooking process and replace the roasted pepper with jarred ones instead. Use 3 to 4 slices. Make sure to strain the liquids back into the jar when picking out (no need for extra moisture in the dip).
- Tahini: Make sure it’s runny, not thick/paste-like. If needed, whisk in splashes of water with the tahini in a bowl until it becomes runny. It will look chunky and crumbly at first, but keep whisking and adding splashes of water and it will work out.
- Food Processor vs. Handmade: If a food processor is not available, you can make the dip by mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Make sure to prepare the ingredients first by finely chopping the roasted pepper, walnuts, onions, garlic, and chili pepper (if using).
- Cooking Time: I use an air fryer on roasting setting. Because it’s a smaller basket size, it takes less time to roast (around 20 to 25 minutes). Cooking time for you may be slightly longer, depending on oven size and settings. Add another 5 to 10 minutes, until nice and charred.
- Preferred Texture: Depending on your preferred texture, you can fairly chop up the ingredients before pulsing in the food processor, for a smoother consistency.
- Adjusting Flavour & Consistency: If it’s too thick and paste-like, add a drizzle of olive oil (or pomegranate molasses, if the taste test calls for it). If it’s a bit runny, add some more breadcrumbs and/or an extra dollop of pepper paste to balance out the flavour.
- Toasting Walnuts: To enhance the flavour, the walnuts are often slightly toasted in a dry pan (no oil) for a couple of minutes, before blending. Optional if you have the time.
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