This bold and savoury Muhammara (Roasted Pepper Dip) is an easy no-cook recipe that can be on the table in about 5 minutes. Made in one bowl, and happens to be naturally-vegan. A rich, hearty, and vibrant appetizer to enjoy over a Mezze for any meal!

About The Recipe

• Naturally-Vegan: Muhammara is made with only pantry ingredients that happen to be vegan already.

• Summer BBQ Mezze: This Roasted Red Pepper dip is known to be paired over a Mezze, especially during summer barbecues. Making a hearty cold appetizer to enjoy on a hot sunny day.

• Easy No-Cook: If using store-bought roasted red peppers instead of making your own at home (which we show how in this post), you can just dump all the ingredients into a food processor (if available), and blend to combine.

• Ready in 5 Minutes: You can save a lot of time by skipping out on preparing the ingredients and roasting the pepper. Just gather everything in one-bowl (or food processor) to make the dip.

What Is Muhammara?

Pronounced: Mu-ham-ma-ra. That’s Arabic for “reddened”, or “made red”. It’s the name of this hearty Roasted Pepper Dip. Referencing the bright and vibrant redness of the dish.

Muhammara originates from a city in Syria called Aleppo, known for it’s rich and flavourful cuisine. It’s made of roasted red pepper, and red pepper paste. Mixed with toasted walnuts, onions, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper (authentic to its origins), and a few other ingredients. Creating nutty, savoury, and bold flavours in every bite.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Roasted Red Pepper: Make your own at home (recipe in this post), or use store-bought instead.

• Red Pepper Paste: I find it’s more affordable and convenient to use store-bought red pepper paste, rather than making it at home (using lots of pepper). Choose the level of spiciness (or none) that works best for you.

• Walnuts: To enhance the flavour of this Muhammara, toast the walnuts ahead of time by flipping in a hot pan (without oil) for a couple of minutes.

• Onions: Depending on preferred texture, you can chop it up finely ahead of making the dip, or just blend it up with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor.

• Garlic: Optional to add a clove of garlic for bonus aromatic flavours.

• Breadcrumbs: Use gluten-free if needed.

• Tahini: Use high quality smooth liquid tahini for best results.

• Pomegranate Molasses: Essential to bind the flavours and bring out the tangy savoury kick.

Note: Make sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredients list.

How To Make Roasted Pepper

Preheat the 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.

Watch how it’s made here:

Note: Skip the cooking process and have Muhammara ready in about 5 minutes. Simply 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).

How To Make Muhammara

Making this hearty vibrant dip is a very easy process. The recipe can be done all in one bowl (or food processor). Depending on your preferred texture, you can choose to chop up the ingredients for a smoother consistency, or drop everything as is and blend it up to combine.

After the Muhammara comes together, give it a taste test to check if you need to adjust the flavours. The dip should be somewhat thick and sticky (it will smoothen out when plating with olive oil). With bits of texture from the walnut, onion, and pepper. If it’s too thick and paste-like, add a drizzle of olive oil (or pomegranate molasses, if the taste calls for it). If it’s a bit runny, add some more breadcrumbs and/or an extra dollop of red pepper paste to balance out the flavour.

Note: 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).

Video Tutorial

Watch this short video tutorial for how to make Muhammara here:

Plating Muhammara

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 fresh mint in the centre.

FAQs

• Can I use store-bought roasted pepper instead?
  For sure! You can use store-bought roasted red pepper instead of making your own at home. Simply replace with 3 to 4 large slices, after draining the liquids back into the jar.

• Do I need a food processor to make Muhammara?
  Nope, while a food processor can be convenient to speed things up, you don’t need it. 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).

• How to serve Muhammara?
  Muhammara makes a great side dish to summer BBQs, part of a breakfast Mezze, or turned into open-face pies (also known as Fatayer Muhammara). Serve it in a shallow plate, with a drizzle of olive oil, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and mint.

Related Recipes

This vibrant Muhammara (Roasted Pepper Dip) is a versatile appetizer to pair up with many other Mezze dishes. Perfect with Homemade Hummus, Falafel, Yalanji, Tabbouleh, and many others!

Muhammara Recipe

If you have any questions about this recipe, or gave it a try, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Remember to rate the recipe with ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. This will help us sustain Plant Based Arab.

Snap a photo of your dish, and tag us on Instagram @PlantBasedArab, so we can see and share your remake!

Muhammara (Syrian Roasted Red Pepper Dip)

Recipe by Waseem HijaziCourse: Breakfast, Mezze, SidesCuisine: Arabic, Middle EasternDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

35

minutes

This bold and savoury Muhammara (Roasted Pepper Dip) is an easy no-cook recipe that can be on the table in about 5 minutes. Made in one bowl, and happens to be naturally-vegan. A rich, hearty, and vibrant appetizer to enjoy over a Mezze for any meal!

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper (4 slices), roasted – See Notes (1)

• 1/3 cup (50g) walnuts, toasted – optional

• 1/2 onion – See Notes (5)

• 1 garlic, peeled

• 1/4 chili pepper, deseeded (or pinch of cayenne pepper) – optional

• 1/2 cup (115g) red pepper paste – See Notes (8)

• 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 – optional

• 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

Directions

• Making the Roasted Red 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. See Notes (4)
• 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. See Notes (5)
• 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.

Notes

• (1) 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).
• (2)  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.
• (3)  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).
• (4)  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.
• (5)  Preferred Texture: Depending on your preferred texture, you can fairly chop up the ingredients before pulsing in the food processor, for a smoother consistency.
• (6)  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.
• (7)  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.
• (8) Red Pepper Paste: Choose the level of spiciness (or none) that works best for you.

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