Color is Flavor– Yotam Ottolenghi
While on a recent plane trip from California to New York, I came across Yotam’s video recipe for this Mediterranean dip and I’m glad I did! This dish is loaded with color and therefore with flavor, provided by the zesty red bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses. It’s perfect for serving as a dip with pita bread or as a complementary sauce for chicken or fish.
Originating in Syria, the name Muhammara translates into the Arab word for “reddened” and it’s easy to see why! This recipe has a perfect balance between the spiciness of the red peppers, onion, and Aleppo pepper and the sweetness of the Pomegranate Molasses. You could dial the spiciness up or down as desired and even substitute sweet paprika for the Aleppo pepper if you don’t have it on hand.
I’ve altered Ottolenghi’s recipe a bit, but here are my suggestions for making a delicious Muhammara:
- First roast the red bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic in the oven until they blister. This gives these veggies a nice rich flavor before you pop them into the blender.
- Also, toast the Panko (or bread crumbs) and walnuts in a fry pan before adding them to the blender. Only pulse the blender a few times- the dip should still have a coarse texture (not smooth).
- Don’t forget to add the pomegranate molasses- essential ingredient for this dip!
- The dish isn’t complete until you finish with a swirl of olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and a few pomegranate seeds!
Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the two tomatoes in half lengthwise and place on the baking sheet, along with the 1/2 onion and two cored red bell peppers. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the veggies plus a good dusting of salt (about 1 Tbsp). Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the veggies start to char, turning then over half-way through. Place the 4 garlic cloves on the baking sheet during the last 5 minutes of baking, being careful not to burn them. Remove tray from oven and let cool for a few minutes then remove the skins from the tomatoes, bell peppers, and garlic cloves. Place all ingredients in a blender (including baking juices) along with the Aleppo pepper, ground cumin, and pomegranate molasses (and lemon juice, if using) and pulse a few times. In the meantime, toast the Panko crumbs (or bread crumbs) in a dry fry pan for several minutes, then add the walnuts and toast for another few minutes. Add these ingredients to the blender containing the veggies and pulse several times- the walnuts should still be a bit crunchy. Transfer the ingredients to a serving bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and pomegranate molasses and dust with chopped parsley and a few pomegranate seeds. You could also add a chopped chili pepper to the mixture to add a bit more spice.Muhammara Mediterranean Dip
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6 Comments
Chef Mimi
May 6, 2025 at 4:19 pmLove this! Great idea to roast everything. Yours is so red. It’s beautiful! I personally have never liked the color of pomegranate seeds on muhammarah. They clash too much for me!
Fran Flint
May 8, 2025 at 10:14 amThanks for your comment! I like the little ‘crunch’ that the pomegranate seeds give to the dip!
angiesrecipes
May 6, 2025 at 8:15 pmThat’s one of my favourite dips! Yours looks fabulous.
David Scott Allen
May 8, 2025 at 12:18 pmI’ve been making this for years, thanks to two chefs that owned a restaurant in New Hampshire. Lucky for me, there didn’t have garlic, so I could always eat it. However, they served it with stubby little pretzels in the Muhammara, which just got soggy and unpleasant. It really needs to have good bread to go with it.
Fran Flint
May 8, 2025 at 4:09 pmI guess you could leave out the garlic! That does sound strange serving the dip with pretzels! I prefer pita or Naan bread, myself!
L. Turk
May 18, 2025 at 3:04 pmI made this dip and it was delicious! I served it with pita bread and it was rich, but not over the top! Thanks for this recipe!