A couple times recently people have asked me what I do for a living. I didn’t really think about being asked this question when I decided to ditch being a lawyer in favor of this, but I guess it’s one of those questions people ask, so duh. “I’m a professional blogger.” That’s what I told them, because I couldn’t think of much else to say. And don’t even get me started on explaining to people that chose professional blogger over lawyer. So I went to law school to publish recipes on the internet. Sometimes I like to do things the hard way. And sometimes I have more fresh red bell peppers than I can come up with a practical use for. Just about every recipe I’ve ever come across for muhammara calls for jarred roasted red peppers. I’m not sure how authentic that method of making it is, but it’s easy, so it’s got that going for it. My method involves roasting your own peppers, so it takes a little more time. But I’m guessing anyone that’s got some red peppers planted in their backyard garden will have good use for a muhammara recipe that calls for fresh roasted red peppers. Also, it’s just better this way: see how thick and luscious it came out?! You know you want to make it!
How to Make Muhammara
As you may have guessed, the first thing you’ll want to do is roast your peppers. Place them in a skillet or roasting pan and bake them until they’re tender and their skins begin to blister.
Once they’re out of the oven, give them a few minutes to cool, and then peel off the skins. They should come off pretty easily, but don’t fret if you’ve got a few sticky spots. I always end up with a little bit of skin still on there, and it’s never noticeable in the final product. The next step is easy: stick everything in a food processor and blend!
Taste-test and adjust any seasonings to your liking. Then grab some pita bread and dig in!
Don’t feel like roasting your own peppers? I hear ya! Feel free to substitute jarred roasted red peppers. You’ll need about 1 ½ cups. Be sure to press out as much moisture as you can before adding them to the food processor! What is pomegranate molasses and where can I get it? Pomegranate molasses is basically concentrated pomegranate juice. (It’s not really molasses at all!) Look for it in your supermarket’s international foods section, and if you can’t find it, or don’t want to buy it for one recipe, try making your own using this recipe. It’s super easy. And if you buy or make some pomegranate molasses for this recipe and are looking for another use for it, try these stuffed squash or this soup. Need a gluten-free version of this recipe? Substitute gluten-free panko breadcrumbs. Muhammara will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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