Muhammara

A Middle Eastern dip made with roasted red peppers and walnuts that is just as delicious as its better-known chickpea and eggplant cousins.*
Yield 1½ cups
Time 10 minutes
Tools
  • small frying pan
  • spice mill or mortar and pestle
  • food processor
  • shallow bowl
  • rubber spatula
Ingredients
  • 1 t cumin seeds**
  • 1 t coriander seeds**
  • ⅓ c dry white bread crumbs
  • ⅓ c walnuts
  • 2 roasted red peppers or 12 oz jarred roasted peppers
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 T pomegranate molasses***
  • 1½ t lemon juice
  • ½ t salt
  • ½ t red pepper flakes or cayenne (optional)
  • 2 T olive oil
Directions Heat the frying pan dry over medium heat, add cumin and coriander seeds, and toast until fragrant, a minute or so. Grind into powder.**

Combine bread crumbs and walnuts in the food processor and chop. Add everything but the oil and process into a thick paste.

With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until the paste is fairly smooth with a bit of texture.

Spread into the bowl and drizzle with a bit more oil.

Serve at room temperature or chilled, with pita bread, crackers, or raw vegetables.

Notes * Hummus and Baba ganouj. The three together make an unbeatable appetizer platter.

** Or toast 1 t ground cumin/coriander.

*** Pomegranate molasses is the traditional ingredient and is key to the best muhammara, but in a pinch, you can replace it with 1 T balsamic vinegar plus 1 T agave.

Vegan Eats WorldAdapted from the recipe for “Creamy Walnut Red Pepper Spread (Muhamarra [sic])” in Vegan Eats World (read my review).

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Muhammara