When enjoying a mezze platter, the dips are the star component that make the dish truly shine. These creamy, flavor-rich Mediterranean pastes like hummus and muhammara are delicious both as accompaniments and centerpieces to a meal. They can elevate everything from Greek grilled chicken pitas to classic sandwiches, though even serving as a humble dip they can really add to a dish.
While both are dips and have similar nomenclature, how much do muhammara and hummus really have in common? Though they both have Mediterranean origins and are sometimes even served together, there are notable differences between these two dips that set them apart from one another, particularly in their core ingredients. As tasty as many modern variations of hummus can be, including hummus with white beans and even butternut hummus , we'll want to compare the two dips in their most basic form. The main difference, when it comes to basic ingredients, is that while hummus is made of chickpeas and tahini, muhammara is mainly composed of nuts and red peppers.
What is muhammara? Muhammara is a Mediterranean dish that is believed to have originated in Syria, specifically Aleppo, but also has roots in Turkey. It is a dip that contains pureed spicy red peppers and nuts, typically roasted red pepper (and/or Aleppo pepper) and walnuts. Muhammara means reddened in Arabic, with red peppers providing the bright maroon shade of its namesake.
Other common ingredients in the dish include cumin, oil, garlic, lemon ju.