Muhammara

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Roasted red peppers (jarred), drained well
• 1 cup Walnuts, toasted
• ⅜ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp Pomegranate molasses
• 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• ¾ tsp Red pepper flakes
• ½ Lemon
• ¾ tsp Kosher salt
• 4 Whole wheat pita, for serving

Method

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan 4 minutes until they smell like walnuts rather than like nothing.
2. Pulse the walnuts and panko to a coarse meal. The breadcrumbs are the traditional thickener and they keep it from being oily.
3. Add everything else and pulse to a coarse, spoonable paste — not smooth. Muhammara should have grain to it.
4. Taste. It should hit sweet, sour and smoky in that order, then the heat arrives after. Adjust with molasses and lemon.
5. Spread it in a shallow bowl, make a swirl with the back of a spoon, pour olive oil into it, and serve with warm pita.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

Pomegranate molasses is the ingredient that makes this taste like Aleppo and not like a red pepper dip. It keeps a year in the fridge.

🧒 For the kids

Halve the pepper flakes. It is sweet and nutty underneath and reads a bit like a savory jam.

🥡 Leftovers

Keeps 5 days and improves for two. Also a sandwich spread and a sauce for roast vegetables.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.