Around 2013 a friend loaned me a tatty paperback of Syrian recipes — the kind of book that had clearly been used, passed around, and used again. It was full of dishes I wanted to cook, and it assumed, repeatedly, that I had a jar of homemade muhammara on my shelf. No explanation, no recipe, no footnote. Just muhammara — as if everyone already knew. I didn't. I researched it, made my own, and filed it away as something to return to.

Homemade muhammara — Casa Adora

By 2018 it had become confident enough to anchor a proper mezze lunch on the roof terrace at Casa Adora. Sara and Simon were frequent visitors — they had a second home in a nearby village, one of those easy friendships built around food, wine, and the particular pleasure of a long Andalucían afternoon. Simon is a vegetarian, which makes Middle Eastern food a natural call — there is no cuisine more generous to people who don't eat meat. I laid out a spread: flatbreads, dips, roasted vegetables, things to tear and share in the midday heat.

Sara fell in love with the muhammara. Before she left she insisted I write the recipe down for her.

Muhammara originates from Aleppo in Syria — roasted red peppers blended with walnuts, pomegranate molasses, cumin, and red pepper flakes. It is thick, slightly smoky, faintly sweet, and considerably more interesting than anything you will find in a jar. The pomegranate molasses is what separates it from a generic red pepper dip — that dark, tart sweetness is the whole point. Don't skip it.

It takes twenty minutes. Once you have a jar of it in the fridge, it becomes indispensable.

How to Make Homemade Muhammara

Makes one generous jar. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

Ingredients

• 1 large roasted red pepper, skinned and deseeded, roughly chopped
• 180g walnuts, carefully toasted
• 4–6 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to loosen
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
• 6 small spring onions, roughly sliced

Method

1. Toast the walnuts — Spread the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat. Toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Watch them carefully — they go from toasted to bitter quickly. Remove and leave to cool. Reserve a small handful for garnish.
2. Blend — Add all ingredients except the reserved walnuts to a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth-ish paste, drizzling in olive oil until the consistency is thick but spreadable. Muhammara should have some texture — don't over-blend it.
3. Taste and adjust — More lemon for brightness, more pomegranate molasses for depth, more pepper flakes for heat.
4. Serve — Spoon into a bowl or jar and crumble the reserved walnuts over the top. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil.

The Flexible Chef Tip: The roasted red pepper can be from a jar — good quality, properly drained — or roasted fresh if you have the time. Either works. What doesn't work is skipping the pomegranate molasses. It keeps for months in the cupboard and this is an excellent reason to have it there.

Spread generously on flatbread or pitta, serve as part of a mezze, or alongside grilled lamb and chicken. It also does remarkable things thinned slightly and used as a pasta sauce.

This recipe is part of my Spice Blends & Condiments collection.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef