Recipes

Muhamarra (Roasted Red Pepper & Walnuts Dip)

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 15 mins

| Cook Time: 30 mins

| Total Time: 45 mins

You may need: Aleppo Pepper

Discover The Recipe

By now, everyone knows the wildly popular Middle Eastern dip Hummus. But maybe you haven't yet heard of another Middle Eastern favorite called Muhamarra (Roasted Red Pepper & Walnuts Dip. Easy to make at home and absolutely loaded with flavor, Muhamarra is will earn a spot in your family favorites. Use this as a dip or spread in your mezze (appetizer) platter or scoop it on roasted chicken or fish.

Roasting red peppers at home is easy whether you have a gas range or just an electric oven. It's worth roasting a bunch of red peppers and then freezing them in ziploc bags to have ready to add to your recipes for a quick but massive addition of flavor. Roasted red peppers add a sweet, slightly smoky flavor and pair well with savory roasted walnuts. We add Aleppo Pepper flakes to our recipe to add some zing and a mild, fruity heat. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnuts

  • 3 large red bell peppers

  • ½ cup breadcrumbs

  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1.5 Tbsp Piquant Post Aleppo Pepper

  • 1 Tbsp. tahini

  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

  • ½ tsp. paprika

  • 2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 tsp sea salt

Notes

If you want a quick cheat when making this dip, try using jarred roasted red pepper in oil or water from the grocery store. You can also use frozen red belle peppers if you’d like as well.

If you’d like to have more texture to this dip, try making it in a mortar and pestle. It will will be delightfully chunky! Here’s a link to a recipe made in this manner.

Aleppo pepper is known for having a nice kick, but also having a complex fruity character. Read more about Aleppo pepper here

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the walnuts on a sheet pan and place in the oven and toast the walnut for 5-7 minutes or until toasted. Remove from the oven when they are done and reserve a few walnuts for garnish, and place the rest in a food processor.

Turn on the broiler in your oven and place the red bell peppers on the rack beneath the broiler. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the skin of the bell peppers are blackened. Place the peppers in a plastic bag at this point and allow them to steam in the bag for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the peppers from the bag and scrape off the blackened and remove the seeds and stem. Place the cleaned bell peppers into the food processor.

Add to the food processor the rest of the ingredients (the bread crumbs, olive oil, Piquant Post Aleppo Pepper, tahini, lemon juice, paprika, pomegranate molasses and sea salt). Purée until the mixture is well combined but still a little chunky. 

Transfer the muhamarra to a bowl and garnish with the reserved chopped walnuts, sesame seeds, olive oil and parsley. Serve with pita bread or fresh sliced veggies.

Alternatives & Substitutions

  • If you’d like a gluten free option to the breadcrumbs, try using some store bought gluten free breadcrumbs or make some of your own at home.

  • Muhamarra is a very versatile dip-use it as a condiment in sandwiches, as a part of a marinade for roasted veggies, as a pizza topping, or in a wrap with our lamb meatballs or falafel.

  • Pomegranate molasses is a traditional Middle Eastern ingredient that has a fruity sour flavor. It may be a little hard to find in some supermarkets but you can easily order it online. Or you can make a mixture of 3 parts balsamic to 1 part honey to sub in for Pomegranate molasses.

  • Aleppo Pepper flakes are a wonderful addition to many of your favorite dishes. With half the heat and twice the flavor of common red pepper flakes, these chilis are perfect or experimenting. Try making this Merguez Sausage, Eggplant and Feta Pizza or try our refreshing Lebanese Melon and Mint Salad.

  • Be sure to leave comments and feedback on your meals and experiments in the comments for others to read.

  • Post pictures of your masterpiece meal on social media and tag us. We repost!

Muhamarra (Roasted Red Pepper & Walnuts Dip)

Serves

4

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Piquant Post spice you'll need: Aleppo Pepper

Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnuts

  • 3 large red bell peppers

  • ½ cup breadcrumbs

  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1.5 Tbsp Piquant Post Aleppo Pepper

  • 1 Tbsp. tahini

  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

  • ½ tsp. paprika

  • 2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the walnuts on a sheet pan and place in the oven and toast the walnut for 5-7 minutes or until toasted. Remove from the oven when they are done and reserve a few walnuts for garnish, and place the rest in a food processor.

  2. Turn on the broiler in your oven and place the red bell peppers on the rack beneath the broiler. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the skin of the bell peppers are blackened. Place the peppers in a plastic bag at this point and allow them to steam in the bag for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the peppers from the bag and scrape off the blackened and remove the seeds and stem. Place the cleaned bell peppers into the food processor.

  3. Add to the food processor the rest of the ingredients (the bread crumbs, olive oil, Piquant Post Aleppo Pepper, tahini, lemon juice, paprika, pomegranate molasses and sea salt). Purée until the mixture is well combined but still a little chunky. 

  4. Transfer the muhamarra to a bowl and garnish with the reserved chopped walnuts, sesame seeds, olive oil and parsley. Serve with pita bread or fresh sliced veggies.

Notes

  • If you want a quick cheat when making this dip, try using jarred roasted red pepper in oil or water from the grocery store. You can also use frozen red belle peppers if you’d like as well.

  • If you’d like to have more texture to this dip, try making it in a mortar and pestle. It will will be delightfully chunky! Here’s a link to a recipe made in this manner.

  • Aleppo pepper is known for having a nice kick, but also having a complex fruity character. Read more about Aleppo pepper here

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