*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »
This muhammara recipe is going to upstage your whole dang mezze game. It's a killer-addictive Middle Eastern dip made with all the good things: red peppers, toasted walnuts, sumac, and pomegranate molasses. What could go wrong?
Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
Swap the breadcrumbs for ground toasted pumpkin seeds, gluten-free oats, or gluten-free breadcrumbs if you can find them vegan.
Stick with jarred roasted red peppers instead of roasting your own, it skips 15-20 minutes of prep with no real difference in the final dip.
Use tomato paste instead of Turkish pepper paste, it's the cheaper pantry staple and the recipe already lists it as an option.
Trim the olive oil that gets blended in down to two tablespoons, you'll still get plenty of richness from the walnuts.
Swap in gochugaru for the Aleppo pepper flakes, or mix a teaspoon of sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne pepper instead. Tomato paste is fine instead of Turkish pepper paste.
Watch the walnuts and cumin seeds closely as they toast. When you can smell their aroma just faintly, they're ready.
Make sure your jarred roasted red peppers are thoroughly drained. Excess liquid will make your muhammara runny and dilute the flavors.
For authentic muhammara, maintain some texture rather than processing until completely smooth. You want to see tiny little specks of nutty walnuts throughout.
Oodles more tips, step-by-step recipe photos, info on weird ingredients, and FAQs are all still here. I just tucked 'em out of the way so you can start cooking sooner.
Muhammara, which means "reddened" in Arabic, probably originated in Syria, but it has become a beloved staple throughout Lebanon and the Levant. If you're digging the flavor, you should totally check out some other Middle Eastern bangers like mutabal, zhoug, and vegan labneh.
Seve this heavenly stuff with pita chips or crudite, or just go in trough-style like a gosh darned animal because you might not be able to help yourself here…
Mark my words, m'dear. After just one bite, your guests will be annoying you to death, trying to get at your recipe.
Truly excellent - just the right combo of sweet and savory. I was worried it wouldn't come out right because I didn't have all the ingredients (sorry!). I used apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice, panko as my bread crumbs, and used all the suggested substitutes (gochugaru and tomato paste and coconut sugar).Much deeper, richer flavor than other recipes I've tried. Great addition to a mezze spread or just a quick snack.
Jump to:
🥰Why you'll adore this muhammara recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Like all of my vegan Middle Eastern recipes, this muhammara is free of butter and all other animal-based ingredients.
🔥 Depth From Toasting: Taking just 3 minutes to toast the walnuts and cumin seeds releases their essential oils, transforming the entire flavor profile from good to mind-blowing.
⏱️ Ready in 10 Minutes: From start to table in just 10 minutes of active time, making this impressive dip accessible even on your busiest days.
🌎 Adaptable Ingredients: The recipe includes easy-to-find substitutions if you can't source traditional ingredients like Aleppo pepper or pomegranate molasses.
Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of the vegan recipes I share, after testing and perfecting, I passed it along to my trusty recipe testers from around the globe-and they absolutely love the heck out of it.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🌰Muhammara Ingredients
Cumin Seeds
I'm crazyyy about the wild mountain cumin from Burlap and Barrel. Toasting whole cumin seeds brings a deeper, earthy flavor to muhammara, and Israeli hummus too. If you can't find them, regular cumin seeds, or even ground cumin work-just toast the ground stuff for less time.
Get my fave cumin seeds for free!
Using this link, add the wild mountain cumin to your cart, spend at least $15 on some of the other absurdly good spices from Burlap & Barrel (they all seriously slap) and the bottle of this bangin' wild mountain cumin becomes FREE, and you will love it so much.
Aleppo Pepper Flakes
Aleppo pepper flakes, named after the Syrian city where muhammara is rumored to come from, bring a unique balance of heat and fruitiness. If you have leftovers, toss 'em in other dishes like soslu patlican, amba sauce, ezme, or during the fall, cranberry ezme).
No Aleppo pepper in your pantry? Gochugaru's a solid swap, or you can mix sweet paprika with cayenne pepper for a quick fix. You could also use chili powder, red pepper flakes, or chile flakes according to your personal taste.
Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs provide texture and help bind the dip to the perfect consistency. Traditional recipes use day-old bread soaked in water, but breadcrumbs offer convenience without sacrificing quality.
If you're going gluten-free, swap in ground toasted sunflower seeds or gluten-free bread crumbs. Just make sure your breadcrumbs are vegan if that's a concern for you, like it is for me!
Roasted Red Peppers
Roasted peppers are the flavor backbone of muhammara, giving you that sweet flavor, smoky depth. I use them in my harissa paste too-just make extra sure you're using unsweetened jarred red peppers. Drain, rinse, and dry them well before adding to the recipe, because no one wants that watery brine in their muhammara! You can also roast bell peppers yourself for the best flavor (although it tacks on a bunch of time to this project).
Turkish Pepper Paste
This sweet-mild pepper concentrate (tatli biber salçası) makes for the most authentic muhammara. You can use aci biber salçası (made from hot peppers), or some harissa if you want a spicier dip.
Tomato paste makes a very good substitute, and it's got just about the same exact consistency and sweetness.
Sumac
Sumac is like lemon's dry spice cousin, adding a tart, zesty punch to muhammara. Make sure you're using regular sumac, not the cured kind-cured sumac will throw off the saltiness of your muhammara. If you have leftovers, use it in lahana sarma, shirazi salad, or bolani.
Pomegranate Molasses
Pomegranate molasses is key to muhammara's signature tangy-sweet flavor. It's also key in dishes like kisir, vegan shakshuka, and Turkish cig kofte. If you can't find it, you can reduce ½ cup pomegranate juice with 1 teaspoon sugar until thick and syrupy.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
📖 How to make muhammara
Nail this walnut and roasted red pepper dip recipe on your first time by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or, if you hate pretty photos and are more of a "just give me the recipe" type, scroll down for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Cumin at Ya:
Toast cumin seeds and walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring until fragrant and golden.
Step Two
Spice Jam:
Add toasted cumin and walnuts to a food processor with Aleppo flakes, breadcrumbs, roasted peppers, pepper paste, garlic, olive oil, sumac, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, brown sugar, and salt.
Step Three
Whirl'd Domination:
Blend for 90 seconds until mostly smooth with a bit of texture. Scrape down sides as needed for even blending.
Step Four
Dressed to Impress:
Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl. Garnish with olive oil, herbs, and pomegranate seeds. Serve with pita chips.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
💡Serving Ideas
Serve your muhammara slathered onto grilled sourdough or alongside taboule with vegan shawarma or vegan kofta.
Scoop the darn stuff up with kuboos, grilled sourdough bread, or even freshly baked parotta. Or just use it in place of hummus in a sabich sandwich already!
👉Top tips
- Toast With Care: Watch the walnuts and cumin seeds closely as they toast-they can go from perfectly golden to burnt in seconds. When you can smell their aroma just faintly, they're ready.
- Drain Those Peppers: Make sure your jarred roasted red peppers are thoroughly drained and even patted dry with a clean kitchen towel. Excess liquid will make your muhammara runny and dilute the flavors. And let's be honest, is that jarred brine yummy? No. It sucks, so get rid of the darned stuff!
- Texture Control: For authentic muhammara, maintain some texture rather than processing until completely smooth. About 90 seconds of processing in the food processor usually creates the perfect balance-you want to see tiny little specks of nutty walnuts throughout. You can also use the back of a spoon to create a nice texture when serving.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Substitute the breadcrumbs with ground toasted pumpkin seeds, gluten-free oats, or gluten-free breadcrumbs (if you can find 'em vegan).
Korean gochugaru works beautifully, or use a mix of 1 teaspoon sweet paprika with ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper for a similar flavor profile. Chilli flakes can also work in a pinch.
Authentic Muhammara has a mild, warming heat rather than being truly spicy. It should have a gentle kick that complements the sweet-tart flavors without overwhelming them.
Yes! Roast bell peppers until charred, then steam, peel and seed them. This adds about 15-20 minutes to prep time but deepens the flavor significantly. Place them on a baking sheet or baking tray lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
It's typically served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
🧊 Refrigeration:
Transfer cooled muhammara to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid or an airtight container. Cover the surface directly with a thin layer of olive oil before sealing to prevent oxidation and maintain freshness. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. The flavors actually improve after the first day as they have time to meld together.
❄️ Freezing:
Muhammara freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Place in a freezer-safe container, leaving about 1 cm. of headspace for expansion. Cover with a layer of olive oil on top to prevent freezer burn. Divide into smaller portions before freezing for easier thawing.
🌱 Thawing Instructions:
Thaw frozen muhammara in the refrigerator overnight. After thawing, give it a good stir to recombine any separated oils. For best flavor and texture, bring to room temperature before serving and add a fresh drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
✌️You'll love these vegan Middle Eastern recipes too:
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
Muhammara
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or gochugaru
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 12 ounce roasted red peppers drained (the contents of a 16 oz. jar)
- 2 tablespoons mild Turkish pepper paste or tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 4 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
To Garnish & Serve:
- Additional extra virgin olive oil
- Paprika
- Flat leaf parsley leaves
- Cilantro leaves
- Pomegranate seeds
- Pita chips
Instructions
- Place a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and walnuts and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown.
- In a food processor, combine the toasted cumin and walnuts, Aleppo pepper flakes, breadcrumbs, roasted red peppers, pepper paste (or tomato paste), garlic, olive oil, sumac, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, brown sugar, and salt.
- Blend for about 90 seconds until the mixture is mostly smooth, with just a little texture. Scrape down the sides as needed to ensure even blending.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, a light dusting of paprika, flat leaf parsley leaves, cilantro leaves, and pomegranate seeds. Serve with pita chips.
Notes
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
KRB says
Truly excellent - just the right combo of sweet and savory. I was worried it wouldn't come out right because I didn't have all the ingredients (sorry!). I used apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice, panko as my bread crumbs, and used all the suggested substitutes (gochugaru and tomato paste and coconut sugar).Much deeper, richer flavor than other recipes I've tried. Great addition to a mezze spread or just a quick snack.
Cy says
Have been looking a recipe! Love this!
Tim says
This is one of those dishes that makes you stop and wonder: WHAT AM I TASTING? Sweet..tangy...and ... what IS all the rest of that? So so good.
I'm putting it away now so i don't eat it all before the guests arrive.