Muhammara red pepper dip originates from Aleppo, Syria but you can find variations of it throughout the Mediterranean and parts of the Middle East. Its such a flavorful dish and I call it the long lost cousin of Hummus and Baba Ghanoush. Maybe its because it has a funny name which is a little difficult to pronounce (Moo-ham-a-ra) but it has only recently gained in popularity outside the Middle East while its more famous cousins have been enjoying the spotlight for some time.
Middle Eastern Red Pepper Dip/Spread/Paste
Traditionally, it’s served right alongside the other mezza dishes for a collection of small plates for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is such a versatile dip, in fact I can use it one way or another everyday of the week for my family and they won’t even get tired of it.
Make chicken shish tawook and use it as a side dip, or use it as a base for soup, spread it on bread to take your sandwich to the next level, or make my famous muhammara chicken which literally is one of my husbands favorite dishes. There was even a stretch of a 2 week period where I made it every single day. Now we cut back to once a week.
The word muhammara, literally translates to “to get reddened” or to “be more red” obviously because of the beautiful red color from the peppers. And you’ll notice as it settles a little longer it will get darker and the shade of red will become deeper. It’s important to note when making this to not pulse for too long because then it will be too runny. Also if you do not have pomegranate molasses on hand just add more lemon and it will still taste amazing. A lot of people use a variety of spices including cumin seeds and chili powder.
I clearly love this dip so much and my mom is actually famous for her version. In fact when I first got into the food business everyone encouraged me to take my moms recipe and package it. And so thats exactly what I did. I underestimated the workload which in hindsight might have been a good thing because I might have been too intimidated to start! I entered the world of food manufacturing and with absolutely no background in food was able to get a certified product on the shelves on some top nationwide retailers and best of all win two very prestigious awards in the food industry! The SOFI awards and the Good Food awards are two awards that I’m very honored to have won. So try it for yourself! Let Deana and I know what you think in the comments below!
Middle Eastern Red Pepper Dip/Spread/Paste
Muhammara is a classic middle eastern dip that originates from Aleppo, is so rich in flavor and versatile. So simple to make and can easily be stored for later use!
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 jalapeno optional
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 3 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp tahini
- 1 juice of lemon approximately 1/4 cup
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
In a food processor add red bell peppers, onion and jalapeño
Pulse for 30 seconds
Add remaining 6 ingredients, pulse for additional 30 seconds
Add walnuts, pulse for 20 seconds
Slowly add olive oil in pulse for additional 20 seconds
Serve with pita chips, or on a sandwich, as a dip for veggies, or as a base for entree dishes
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