# Aleppo Muhammara with Walnuts and Pomegranate Molasses

> Muhammara is a paste of roasted red pepper, walnuts, pomegranate molasses and breadcrumbs. Its texture is **coarse, not smooth** — the walnuts are chopped by knife or short pulses, and over-blending turns it into an ordinary paste with no character.

**Syrian Cuisine · 55 min · 8 servings · 220 kcal per serving**

Muhammara is one of Aleppo's best-known mezze, and its combination of sweet, sour and hot in a single mouthful is what sets it apart from every other dip. The secret is the balance, not the ingredients.

## Ingredients

- 6 pieces — red bell peppers
- 1.5 cups — walnuts
- 0.5 cup — breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp — pomegranate molasses
- 0.25 cup — olive oil
- 2 cloves — garlic
- 1 tsp — Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1 tsp — cumin
- 1 tsp — salt

## Method

1. **Roast the peppers** — Roast the peppers over a direct flame or in the oven at its highest setting until the skin blackens and blisters all over, about 20 minutes with turning.
2. **Steam and peel** — Put the roasted peppers in a sealed bag or covered bowl for **10 minutes**. The trapped steam separates the skin from the flesh so it lifts off easily by hand.
3. **Drain** — Remove the skins and seeds and drain the peppers in a sieve for **10 minutes**. The water they release will make the muhammara loose if it goes in with them.
4. **Chop the walnuts** — Chop the walnuts **coarsely** — short pulses in a processor or a knife. Grinding them fine destroys the texture that defines muhammara.
5. **Combine** — Pulse the peppers with the garlic to a coarse paste, then fold in the walnuts, breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, oil and spices **with a spoon, not the processor**.
6. **Taste and rest** — Taste — you should register sweet, sour and hot together. Rest it in the fridge for an hour so the flavours settle, and serve with olive oil poured over.

## Tips

- Coarse, not smooth — that texture is what separates muhammara from any other pepper paste.
- Draining the roasted peppers is essential; without it the muhammara turns loose.
- Pomegranate molasses is the defining flavour — without it this becomes a different dish entirely.
- It keeps a week in the fridge and improves, and freezes for two months.

## FAQ

### Why is my muhammara runny?
The peppers were not drained after roasting. Drain them in a sieve for 10 minutes, and add more breadcrumbs if it is still loose — the crumbs are its natural thickener.

### Can I make it without pomegranate molasses?
Then it is not muhammara. The molasses provides both the acidity and the sweetness, and nothing substitutes for it. Lemon juice with date syrup is the closest approximation, but the difference is obvious.

### What is Aleppo pepper?
A coarsely crushed red pepper from Aleppo with moderate heat and a fruity, smoky flavour. If unavailable, use sweet paprika with a pinch of chilli — close in colour and taste.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/syrian-cuisine/aleppo-muhammara-walnut-pepper-dip
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-12