Muhummara is a classic condiment and dip in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. This spread is fabulous because it’s healthy, and so delicious you’ll want more and more.
By Pooja Mottl
Muhummara is a classic condiment and dip in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria. In western Turkey it is called acuka. Other spellings are moohummara or muhammara. This spread is fabulous because it’s healthy, (I use a relatively small amount of oil in this version versus traditional versions) and so delicious you’ll want to have made more. The roasted organic red bell peppers lend the sweetness, which is balanced out with a tiny amount of red chilies and the nutty, creaminess of raw walnuts. A little splash of acid from lemon juice, and this dish delivers on complex, rich flavor.
PrintMiddle Eastern Roasted Red Pepper Spread (Muhammara)
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Muhummara is a classic condiment and dip in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria. In western Turkey it is called acuka. Other spellings are moohummara or muhammara. This spread is fabulous because it’s healthy, (I use a relatively small amount of oil in this version versus traditional versions) and so delicious you’ll want to have made more. The roasted organic red bell peppers lend the sweetness, which is balanced out with a tiny amount of red chilies and the nutty, creaminess of raw walnuts. A little splash of acid from lemon juice, and this dish delivers on complex, rich flavor.
Ingredients
- 6 large red bell peppers, membrane, top, and seeds removed, sliced into quarters lengthwise
- 3 teaspoons organic extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt plus a few pinches (or 3/8 teaspoon)
- freshly ground black pepper, 24 to 36 turns of a peppermill (or more)
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ inch red Fresno chili
- ¾ cup raw walnuts
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 9 leaves fresh parsley
- 6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Whole wheat pitas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat pepper slices with olive oil and place, skin side up, into heavy bottomed roasting pan. Place pan in oven and roast for 30 minutes. Then turn oven to broil (if possible), and broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until tops of peppers have blistered and charred. Remove pan from oven and allow pepper to cool for 10 minutes. Keep oven on, turning to 350 F.
- Begin to peel off skins of peppers using fingers. Roughly chop all segments and place into blender.
- Place remaining ingredients for spread into blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to your dipping/serving bowl.
- Place pitas in oven to warm and remove after 2 to 3 minutes. Cut pitas into 6 to 8 triangles for dipping. Dip pitas into red pepper spread and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
