Muhammara
Roasted red pepper and hazelnut dip with pomegranate molasses.
Ingredients
- 3 Red bell pepper
- 100 g Hazelnuts
- 40 g Breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp Pomegranate molasses
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Salt
Method
- Roast the peppers until the skins are blackened, then put them in a covered bowl for a few minutes so the steam loosens the skins; peel and seed them.
- Toast the nuts in a dry pan until fragrant.
- Blend the peppers, nuts, breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, cumin, oil, and salt to a coarse dip.
- Spread on a plate and serve with bread.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Muhammara
Muhammara is a roasted red pepper dip that originated in Aleppo, Syria, and spread throughout the Levant as a staple of the mezze table. Its character comes from three things working together: sweet, smoky roasted peppers, toasted nuts for richness and body, and pomegranate molasses, whose dark, tangy sweetness gives the dip its distinctive sour-sweet edge. This version builds that base with hazelnuts and binds it with breadcrumbs to a coarse, scoopable texture, seasoned with cumin and olive oil. Charring the peppers until their skins blacken and then steaming them in a covered bowl is the step that both deepens the flavour and makes the skins slip off cleanly.
The finished dip is thick and rustic, tasting of sweet pepper and toasted nut with a bright pomegranate tang cutting through and cumin humming underneath. Left deliberately coarse rather than blended smooth, it has a pleasing rough texture that catches on torn bread. It's traditionally served at room temperature as part of a spread alongside hummus and other small plates, scooped up with warm flatbread, and it doubles happily as a sandwich spread or a sauce for grilled vegetables and meat. Vegan and quick at around twenty minutes, most of which is the pepper-roasting, it rewards a good bottle of pomegranate molasses more than any amount of effort.
Muhammara: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Muhammara?
A serving has about 254 calories — 4.3g protein, 18.5g carbs, 18.8g fat, 3.6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Muhammara gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Breadcrumbs. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Muhammara take to make?
About 20 minutes start to finish, but only around 8 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Muhammara make?
This recipe makes 6 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.