Muhammara

A Middle Eastern vegan dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min

Organic sourcing

Red bell peppers are on the Dirty Dozen list, thus worth sourcing organic. Walnuts have a thick shell, lowering pesticide residue, so organic is less critical.

Ingredients

• 4 large red bell peppers
• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 slice day-old bread, crust removed
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Place the whole red bell peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Roast the peppers for about 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and charred.
4. Remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a plastic bag or covered bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Once cooled, peel the skins from the peppers and remove the stems and seeds.
6. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts and garlic until finely ground.
7. Add the roasted peppers, bread, pomegranate molasses, cumin, paprika, olive oil, and lemon juice to the processor.
8. Blend until the mixture is smooth but still has some texture.
9. Season the muhammara to taste with salt and black pepper.
10. Transfer the dip to a bowl and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Serve muhammara with warm pita or vegetables.
• Pomegranate molasses is key; if unavailable, reduce pomegranate juice until syrupy.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Middle Eastern recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.