Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Muhammara

Name: Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Muhammara
Prep time: 17 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 24 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Syrian
Ingredients: 1¼ cups (125 g) raw walnut halves, measured as whole halves, toasted whole, cooled, then roughly chopped; 1½ cups (270 g) jarred roasted red peppers, drained, patted very dry with paper towels, and roughly chopped (about one 12-ounce / 340 g jar of peppers); ⅓ cup (35 g) plain dry breadcrumbs; 2 tablespoons (42 g) pomegranate molasses; 2 teaspoons (4 g) Aleppo pepper flakes; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and roughly chopped; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons (15 g) raw walnut halves, toasted together with the main batch, cooled, then coarsely chopped (optional); 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (total oil in the recipe: 80 ml + 15 ml = 95 ml); ¼ teaspoon (½ g) Aleppo pepper flakes, for sprinkling

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A smoky, tangy Syrian dip of roasted red peppers, toasted walnuts, pomegranate molasses and Aleppo pepper, blended to a rustic, spoonable texture. Serve with warm pita, vegetables or grilled meats.

Prep: 17 min
Cook: 7 min
Wait: 40 min
Total: 1 hr 4 min
Makes: About 1¾ cups (420 ml), serves 8 as an appetizer

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dip
1¼ cups (125 g) raw walnut halves, measured as whole halves, toasted whole, cooled, then roughly chopped
1½ cups (270 g) jarred roasted red peppers, drained, patted very dry with paper towels, and roughly chopped (about one 12-ounce / 340 g jar of peppers)
⅓ cup (35 g) plain dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons (42 g) pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons (4 g) Aleppo pepper flakes
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin
¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For serving
2 tablespoons (15 g) raw walnut halves, toasted together with the main batch, cooled, then coarsely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (total oil in the recipe: 80 ml + 15 ml = 95 ml)
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) Aleppo pepper flakes, for sprinkling

Equipment (7)

Food processor (7-cup / 1.7 L or larger)
Small skillet, 8-inch (20 cm)
Rimmed baking sheet or large plate for cooling nuts
Fine-mesh strainer
Chef's knife and cutting board
Rubber spatula
Serving bowl

Steps

Before you start

Use jarred roasted red peppers packed in water or brine, not oil-marinated ones, for the best texture and flavor.
Pomegranate molasses is tart and syrupy; look for one with pomegranate as the only ingredient.
Timing: about 24 minutes of hands-on work, plus 10 minutes of cooling the nuts and a 30-minute rest, for about 64 minutes total.
Aleppo pepper is mild to medium in heat; if you are unsure, start with 1 teaspoon in the dip and add more after the rest.

1
Toast the walnuts
- Set an 8-inch (20 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Add all the walnut halves, both the 125 g for the dip and the 15 g garnish portion (140 g total, about 1⅓ cups).
- Toast, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes.
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Ready when: Walnuts smell nutty and look a shade darker, with lightly browned edges.
Tip: Walnuts burn quickly and turn bitter; pull them off the heat as soon as they smell toasty.
2
Cool the nuts
- Tip the walnuts onto a rimmed baking sheet or plate in a single layer and let them cool for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Nuts are no longer warm to the touch.
3
Chop the walnuts
- Weigh out 15 g (about 2 tablespoons) of the cooled walnuts, coarsely chop them and set aside for garnish.
- Roughly chop the remaining 125 g into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces so they pulse evenly.
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Ready when: Dip walnuts are in pieces about the size of a pea to a small chickpea.
4
Dry the peppers
- Drain the roasted red peppers in a fine-mesh strainer, pressing gently.
- Pat them very dry with paper towels, then roughly chop to get 1½ cups (270 g).
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Ready when: Peppers feel tacky, not wet, when pressed with a paper towel.
Tip: Excess liquid makes the dip loose and watery.
5
Grind walnuts and crumbs
- Add the chopped dip walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper, cumin and salt to the food processor.
- Pulse 8 to 10 times, scraping down once.
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Ready when: Mixture looks like coarse sand with a few pea-sized walnut bits.
Tip: Do not run continuously or the walnuts will release oil and turn to butter.
6
Add the peppers
- Add the chopped peppers, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice.
- Pulse 6 to 8 times until the peppers are broken down and the mixture looks like a thick, chunky paste.
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Ready when: No large pepper pieces remain; the mixture is thick and slightly coarse.
7
Stream in the oil
- With the processor running, slowly pour in the ⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil through the feed tube over about 20 seconds.
- Stop when the dip is thick, spreadable and still slightly textured.
- Scrape down the sides.
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Ready when: Dip holds a soft mound on a spoon and is glossy but not smooth like hummus.
Tip: If it seems too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 2 tablespoons.
8
Rest and season
- Transfer to a serving bowl, cover, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- The breadcrumbs absorb moisture and thicken the dip.
- Then taste and adjust with a pinch more salt, a splash of pomegranate molasses or a little lemon juice if needed.
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Ready when: Flavor is balanced: tangy, lightly sweet, smoky and nutty, and the dip is thicker than when blended.
Tip: Season after resting, as flavors mellow and shift.
9
Garnish and serve
- Swirl the muhammara with the back of a spoon.
- Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil and top with the chopped garnish walnuts and ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper.
- Serve with warm pita, raw vegetables or grilled meat.
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Ready when: Surface is glossy with oil and topped with walnuts and red flecks.

Good to know

Tips

Pulse rather than puree: muhammara should be slightly coarse, not smooth.
Dry the peppers thoroughly; this is the most common cause of a runny dip.
Taste the pomegranate molasses first: brands vary in sweetness and tartness, so adjust accordingly.
Serve at room temperature for the best flavor; cold dulls the spices.

Make ahead

Make up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate, without the garnishes. The flavor deepens overnight. Let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, then add the oil, walnuts and Aleppo pepper.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in an airtight container, with a thin film of olive oil on top. Freezer: up to 2 months, though the texture may turn slightly grainy and the oil may separate; thaw overnight in the fridge and stir well, adding a little olive oil if needed.

Substitutions

Aleppo pepper flakes → 1 teaspoon sweet paprika plus ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Approximates Aleppo's fruity mild heat.
pomegranate molasses → 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon honey. Less complex but gives a similar sweet-tart balance; the dip will be slightly looser.
plain dry breadcrumbs → Crushed plain crackers or toasted day-old bread, finely ground. Use the same weight. Gluten-free crumbs also work.
raw walnut halves → Raw pecans. Milder and sweeter; toast the same way.