Muhmmara is a Middle Eastern walnut and roasted red pepper dip that’s all sorts of savory, sweet, slightly smoky, and just enough spicy! It is almost a cousin to Spanish romesco sauce. This muhammara recipe is easy to make, and I love serving it with warm pita as part of a Mezze platter, spread it on your sandwiches, or scoop it on top of grilled chicken or fish.

A couple of things make all the difference. Be sure to read through and watch my video below.

Muhammara roasted red pepper and walnut dip in a bowl, topped with walnuts and parsley for garnish

My love for muhammara began a few years ago. I was raving to a friend about roasted red pepper hummus when she asked, "have you tried muhammara yet?"  

She got me going on a muhammara hunt!

I have tried all sorts of it and have been playing around and perfecting this homemade muhammara recipe, which is now a constant on my table.

This is a different kind of red pepper dip--next level delicious. If you’re a fan of flavorful dips and spreads to serve with your veggies or pita, you’ll want to give this one a try. Leftover muhammara is great to spread on your sandwiches or serve with chicken or fish.

What is Muhmmara (or Mouhammara)?

Muhmmara is a hearty walnut and roasted red pepper dip or spread that’s all sorts of savory, sweet, slightly smoky, and just enough spicy!

The word muhammara is from the Arabic word ahmar, which literally means red. This red dip, originally from the Syrian city of Aleppo, this delicious dip made its way from the heart of the Levant to many parts of the world including Europe and the U.S. You may have even seen muhammara jars at the grocery store--word to the wise, make your own!

Muhammara in a bowl with a side of pita bread

What’s in this Muhammara recipe?

To get our heads around just how different and exciting this roasted red pepper dip is, let’s walk through the ingredients and what they each bring:

  • Roasted red peppers- I roast my own here, but you can use store-bought jars of roasted red peppers
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Walnuts (shelled)
  • Bread crumbs- this adds heft and texture giving muhammara a rustic finish
  • Pomegranate Molasses- adds a certain acidity, tang and sweetness. In a pinch you can substitute with a mixture of lemon juice and honey.
  • Aleppo pepper- distinctly Syrian chili pepper flakes from Aleppo. It is fairly mild and has the sweetness and roundness of the best sun-dried tomatoes you’ll try. Aleppo pepper is also slightly spicy, the heat will build slowly leaving a fruity flavor. Find Aleppo pepper at our online shop here.
  • Other flavor makers (this will vary somewhat from one recipe to another): tomato paste (I like this for added depth and color), garlic, and sumac (for extra tang), and a little cayenne pepper for more spice.

The more you make muhammara the more you’ll adjust the spices to your liking. If you enjoy hot dips, you can absolutely kick the Aleppo pepper and cayenne up a couple notches.

What can I substitute for Aleppo chili pepper

I’m such a big fan of the sweet, tangy, and just enough spicy Aleppo pepper flakes. You’ve seen me use it in chicken kofta, shrimp and rice, white bean salad, and even on baked eggs. And it’s a key element in muhammara.

Some say you can substitute Aleppo pepper for a bit of ancho chile pepper mixed with a pinch of salt and some cayenne. I cannot personally vouch for how close a substitution that will be.

(Note: check our online shop for all-natural Aleppo-Style Pepper).

What to serve with muhammara?

You will typically find muhammara served as a mezze dish with other dips like baba ganoush and hummus, of course. I also like to add a salad like tabouli, fattoush, or chickpea salad.

Storage

Muhammara will keep in the fridge anywhere from 4 days to one week, if properly stored. Some say you can freeze it, but I haven’t personally tried that, we’ve always been able to wipe that bowl clean! 

My father, who has been to Aleppo, Syria some years ago, speaks of the hospitable culture and the vibrant flavors of the city. I believe this muhammara recipe is just a tiny taste of that.

You may also enjoy our collection of Mediterranean diet recipes. For all recipes, visit us here

JOIN MY FREE E-MAIL LIST HERE. SHOP OUR ONLINE STORE FOR QUALITY OLIVE OILS, ALL-NATURAL SPICES AND MORE.

4.84 from 183 votes

Muhammara Recipe (Roasted Red Pepper Dip)

The Mediterranean Dish
Muhammara roasted red pepper and walnut dip in a bowl, topped with walnuts and parsley for garnish
Muhammara (roasted red pepper and walnut dip) makes the perfect addition to the mezze table next to other favorites like baba ganoush or hummus. Serve it with warm pita bread or pita chips. For a shortcut, feel free to use roasted red peppers from a jar if you don't have time to roast your own peppers.
Prep – 10 minutes
Cook – 30 minutes
Cuisine:
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Serves – 6 people
Course:
Appetizer

Ingredients
  

  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
  • ¼ lb shelled toasted walnuts
  • 1 garlic clove roughly chopped
  • 2 ½ tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¾ cup bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Brush the bell peppers with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and place in a lightly oiled oven-safe pan or cast-iron skillet. Roast the peppers in the 425 degrees F heated oven for 30 minutes or so, turning them over once or twice.
    bell peppers roasted in a pan
  • Remove from the oven and place the peppers in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap for a few minutes. This traps the steam from the roasted peppers, making them easy to peel. When cool enough to handle, simply peel the peppers, remove the seeds and slice the peppers into small strips.
    roasted peppers sliced into strips
  • Now in the bowl of a large food processor, combine the roasted red pepper strips with 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, garlic, walnuts, tomato paste, bread crumbs, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper, sugar, sumac, salt and cayenne. Blend into a smooth paste.
    muhammara dip in the food processor
  • Transfer to a serving bowl. You may cover the muhammara and refrigerate, but be sure to bring the dip to room temperature before serving.
  • When ready to serve, top the dip with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with a little more walnuts and fresh parsley, if you like. Serve with pita bread or pita chips. Enjoy!
    Muhammara dip in a bowl. A side of walnuts and pita

Video

Notes

  • Storage: You can refrigerate muhammara in a tight-lid container for 4 days and up to one week. A thin layer of extra virgin olive oil to cover the top of the dip will help preserve it. 
  • Find Aleppo-style pepper here and extra virgin olive oil here. 
  • Visit our Online Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including all-natural and organic spices, extra virgin olive oil and more. 

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcalCarbohydrates: 21.5gProtein: 5.5gFat: 22.6gSaturated Fat: 2.6gPotassium: 267.6mgFiber: 3.1gVitamin A: 1511.8IUVitamin C: 52.5mgCalcium: 48.4mgIron: 1.7mg
Tried this recipe?

This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2016 and has been updated with new information and media for readers' benefit

Share it with the world

I'm Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I'm all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you're here...
Learn More

Get our best recipes and all Things Mediterranean delivered to your inbox.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was such a delicious recipe and made the perfect afternoon snack; even my picky eaters gobbled this up!

  2. 5 stars
    I made this my husband and I while we grilled dinner yesterday and it was AH-amazing! Had some pitas chips and carrot chips for me!

  3. I just wanted to say that I love the video you made. Your personality really comes through and I love that you share all of these great recipes!

  4. 5 stars
    I make a batch of this almost every week and I’m still not tired of it - it’s delicious!

  5. 5 stars
    I made this a few minutes ago, had to leave you a comment :). Almost forgot to add the molasses, but it tasted really good even without it. The molasses put it over the edge. The only thing is, it came out a little too thick, so I added the juice that I strained from the roasted peppers. It's going on my favorites list! Thank you!

  6. 5 stars
    I made this today at it’s fabulous! I didn’t have an Aleppo pepper or pomegranate molasses so I just left them out but it was great anyway. I got a lot of compliments. I would like to try it with the pepper and molasses if I can find them.

  7. Amazing as usual. Thanks so much. Slowly working my way through all of your recipes. So many of them have become household favourites. Thanks from Perth, Western Australia

  8. 5 stars
    I just made this and it's delicious! The first time I made the pomegranate molasses I reduced it too much and it turned into candy, so I had to remelt it with more juice and it fixed it.