Healthy Muhammara Dip is a Middle Eastern-inspired dip made from roasted red peppers and toasted walnuts. This chunky dip is so versatile and delicious with anything from pita bread to veggies to sandwiches!
| Whole30 + Paleo + gluten free + vegan + dairy free |
If you’ve never tried muhammara, here’s your chance!
This chunky roasted red pepper dip is made right in your food processor with minimal work involved. And there’s just about a million things you can do with it.
My husband and I are such huge fans of Middle Eastern cuisine. We’re constantly scouting out new Mediterranean, Lebanese, or Indian restaurants. I will never, ever get sick of it!
Case in point:
- Healthy Chicken Shawarma Hummus Bowls
- Lebanese Beef Kofta Meatballs with Tahini
- Weeknight Roasted Za’atar Chicken with Herbed Tahini & Leeks
- Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice Pilaf with Olives & Dates
- Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Dal
- Vegan Sweet Potato Korma Curry
Oh, and let’s not forget ALL things tahini, like
- Banana Tahini Swirl Muffins
- Vegan Mediterranean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Tahini Sauce
- Chocolate Chunk Paleo Tahini Blondies
Those ought to keep you busy for a while!
What is Healthy Muhammara Dip?
Muhammara hails from Syria, but looks a little different in other Middle Eastern countries. It can be chunky or smooth, but is usually made from roasted red peppers and toasted walnuts. The key to muhammara is pomegranate molasses, but I’ll be honest – I didn’t want to buy a whole bottle of it just for this dip.
So I made it Whole30 and Paleo by using a date instead. Or honey. Or maple syrup. Or you can not be like me and just buy the bottle of pomegranate molasses!
Muhammara also usually calls for breadcrumbs to thicken the dip. I opted for gluten free breadcrumbs (I really like Ian’s brand), but to keep it Whole30 and Paleo, you can certainly substitute more walnuts (or even toasted almonds!).
I wanted this Healthy Muhammara Dip to be accessible, with things you probably already have lurking in your pantry.
It’s also made right in your food processor for a super quick recipe with minimal clean-up. Really, the only work involved is toasting the walnuts! Then it’s just a simple matter of tossing everything in a food processor and blending to your preferred consistency!
How to serve muhammara:
I love this dip with pita or naan bread, but if you’re following a Paleo or Whole30 diet, there are many other ways you can serve it!
- with fresh vegetables
- on top of a Buddha bowl in place of dressing/vinaigrette (I served it on a grain bowl with sauteed kale, a roasted veggie blend, lentils, and chickpeas!)
- as an appetizer for parties & gatherings
- as a sandwich spread
You can also find this muhammara as part of a Buddha bowl topping round-up!!
Muhammara can be made a couple days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, but it can also be frozen in an airtight container or jar. So if you happened to grow a lot of bell peppers this year, this dip is totally for you!
In other life happenings, my (ex) trusty Ford Escape finally took a dive. The transmission gave and just wasn’t worth fixing. So Josh and I have spent the better part of the last few weeks car shopping! Which is totally fun, but a little more stressful when you’e pressed for time. I realized that I sort of took my vehicle for granted because getting around with only 1 car has been a little hard lately, especially with a 30-minute commute to work for me. There may or may not have been a couple Uber rides involved for my poor husband…
In the process, though, we discovered Carvana. We haven’t used it yet, but I’d be curious if any of you have? Would love to know thoughts and opinions!
Enjoy this delicious dip!
Come hang out with me on Instagram, and tag me if you make this!
Pin this Healthy Muhammara Dip for later!
A chunky, Middle Eastern roasted red pepper and walnut dip made right in your food processor. Whole30 & Paleo option, naturally gluten free & vegan.
- 1 (12-oz.) jar roasted red peppers
- 1 c. chopped walnuts
- 1/2 c. gluten free breadcrumbs (sub more walnuts for Paleo/Whole30)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey (sub 1 softened Medjool date for Whole30)
- 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. salt
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Heat a skillet over medium heat; add the chopped walnuts and breadcrumbs, if using. Toast, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
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Add the drained red peppers to the bowl of a food processor along with the toasted walnuts, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup/honey/date, red wine vinegar, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. Process, scraping down the sides as necessary, until the mixture is well-combined and a bit chunky.
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Serve with pita or naan bread, sliced vegetables, as a sandwich spread, or on top of a Buddha/grain bowl. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.
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*Note: for a smoother consistency, add another 2 Tbsp. olive oil and continue to process until mostly smooth.
Nutrition information per serving (roughly 8 servings, but adjustable!):
Calories: 160 Protein: 3g Carbs: 10g Fat: 13g
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