Nutty, rusty-red muhammara has deep roots in Aleppo, where Syrian home cooks have been combining nuts, red peppers, and spices into this sweet-and-spicy dip for centuries.
Traditional recipes call for Aleppo peppers, but jarred roasted red peppers proved an easy-to-find substitute; we quickly processed them to a spreadable consistency. Toasting the walnuts underscored the peppers’ smoky quality.
Bread is a standard muhammara ingredient, but we turned to crumbled wheat crackers (Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers worked well) for texture and some extra nutty impact. Finally, we added some pomegranate molasses, which gives the dip its hallmark sweet yet slightly bitter flavor.
If you can’t find pomegranate molasses, you can make your own (see here). Serve with Olive Oil–Sea Salt Pita Chips, fresh warm pita, or raw vegetables.
Ingredienst
- 11⁄2 cups jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted
- 1 cup plain wheat crackers, crumbled
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Lemon juice, as needed
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
1- Pulse all ingredients except parsley in food processor until smooth, about 10 pulses. Transfer to serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. (Dip can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature before serving.)
2- Season with lemon juice, salt, and cayenne to taste and sprinkle with parsley, if using, before serving.
