Pecan Muhammara – Sweet Potato Soul

Creamy, smoky, tangy, lightly spicy, and sweet, this Muhammara Recipe is a flavorful and delicious Syrian dip. Preparation is quick and easy — just blend the ingredients and serve — and a guaranteed way to add a zingy pizzazz to appetizer platters, wraps, sandwiches, veggies, and main dishes.

Have you tried muhammara? It’s one of my favorite healthy dips — so good that I featured it in my first cookbook, Sweet Potato Soul. Not only is it complex and flavorful — sweet, smoky, spicy, and tangy — it’s versatile, naturally plant-based, and insanely easy to make.

I first experienced this dip over a decade ago at my foodie-aunt’s house, and I immediately knew it was the beginning of a long love story. Tangy, sweet, savory, and rich, it elevates anything it touches.

As I am known to do, I played around with adding a Southern flair. The twist of choice? Swapping toasted pecans for walnuts. These roasty, softer nuts blend up well and add a buttery finish to the dip, making it extra creamy and rich. Though you can certainly make a delicious Muhammara dip with traditional walnuts, I recommend trying it pecans if ever you have them on hand.

For more Middle Eastern-inspired recipes, check out my Grilled Eggplant, Za’atar Roasted Cabbage, Sweet Potato Hummus, and Beet and Sweet Potato Fritters.

What is Muhammara?

Muhammara is a roasted red pepper and walnut dish which originated in Aleppo, Syria, but is now enjoyed in many parts of the Middle East. Varieties in other countries like Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine can differ, but the main ingredients are always the same: roasted red peppers, nuts, Aleppo pepper, pomegranate molasses, and olive oil.

The red pepper walnut dip is ultra-flavorful, featuring earthy, sweet, nutty, tangy, and spicy notes. Though some versions are smooth, often it is chunkier than hummus. Muhammara is made in a few simple steps — just add the ingredients to a food processor, blend, and serve! — making it a quick and easy recipe way to jazz up appetizers, sides, and mains!

Muhammara Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper: For a sweet, earthy flavor! You can use jarred, store-bought peppers or make your own in the air fryer or oven. If using pre-roasted peppers, I do not recommend rinsing them before using. The packing liquid has additional delicious, tangy flavor.

Nuts: Traditionally, muhammara dip is made with walnuts. I like toasting the nuts lightly before adding to enhance their depth of flavor. But for a tasty Southern-inspired twist, make the dip with toasted pecans!

Pomegranate Molasses: One of my top pantry staples. Made from simmering pomegranate juice down into a thick syrup, this ingredient is sweet, tangy, and zingy. You can find it in well-stocked grocery stores, Whole Foods, and online. It’s also quite simple to make from scratch! If needed, you can substitute a 1 tablespoon of maple syrup plus a small squeeze of lemon.

Aleppo Pepper: This Mediterranean pepper, named after the Syrian city, is smoky, moderately spicy, and lightly sweet. It can be found in most well-stocked grocery stores, spice shops, and online. If needed, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika.

Breadcrumbs: These thicken the red pepper dip. I recommend traditional breadcrumbs, but you can substitute panko if needed, though the texture may be slightly looser.

Aromatics and Seasonings: A garlic clove adds a touch of pungency and spice, cumin contributes earthiness, and salt seasons the roasted red pepper dip, enhancing all its flavors.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This adds a touch of richness, making the dip luxurious and creamy.

How to Make Muhammara

• Toast the nuts. Preheat your oven to 325°F and spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet. Toast for 12 minutes, or until the nuts are fragrant and gently browned. Be careful not to burn them. Alternatively you can toast them on the stove in a skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir often, until they are browned and fragrant.

• Chop the nuts. Place the toasted nuts into the food processor and pulse a couple of times to chop them.
• Combine Ingredients. Place all of the remaining ingredients in the food processor.

• Blend. Blend the ingredients until the muhammara has your desired texture. It can be slightly chunkier than hummus if preferred.

• Enjoy! Garnish and serve the dip with pita bread and vegetables as an appetizer or as a topper or condiment for your favorite meals and sandwiches.

Jenné’s Recipe Pro-Tips

• Blend to preference. For a chunkier dip, blend it until the olive oil is just combined. For a smoother dip, perfect for spreading, blend it until smooth and creamy, almost the texture of hummus.
• Blending alternatives. If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender or immersion blender to make the muhammara recipe. If blending, add the liquid ingredients (excluding the olive oil) first, followed by the spices and red peppers. Then, drizzle in the oil while blending. If using an immersion blender, add the ingredients to a large, wide cup, and tilt it slightly while you blend.

Serving Suggestions

One of my favorite ways to serve this muhammara dip recipe is on eggplant grilled cheese sandwiches (with vegan cheese, of course). It’s sublime! I also like to enjoy it as an appetizer with toasted pita or naan bread, crackers, or sliced veggies like cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, and tomatoes. You can also add it to mezze platters, alongside hummus, baba ganoush, stuffed grape leaves, olives, or falafel.

But that’s not all. It also phenomenal with the following:

Storage Directions

• Refrigerating: Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: The roasted red pepper spread can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost it overnight in the fridge before enjoying.

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