This Red Pepper Dip with Olives is sweet, smoky, and incredibly creamy. Made by blending walnuts, chickpeas, garlic, and spices with roasted red peppers, this stunning dip is packed with bold Mediterranean flavors and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
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Dips are the ultimate wing person at any party. It’s the appetizer equivalent of someone who can keep guests happily entertained and engaged while you wrap up last-minute prep in the kitchen at a party. Whether it’s our dill pickle hummus, roasted beet cauliflower hummus, or even the white bean dip we serve on our crudités platter, we’re convinced dips are the secret to effortless entertaining.
This Smoky Red Pepper Dip is a cross between a creamy hummus and a smokey muhammara dip. Bursting with roasted red peppers, walnuts, and smokey paprika, and blended with chickpeas for added smoothness, this easy and unique dip recipe is the ultimate make-ahead recipe. Trust us, it’s so good it was even featured in the 2024 winter issue of Elle Gourmet magazine.
Garnished with fried olives and fresh parsley, it pairs beautifully with crostini or crackers for dipping. It’s an ideal Valentine’s Day recipe, Christmas recipe with its red and green components, or appetizer recipe for any party.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s flavorful: Roasting the peppers and garlic adds an earthy depth to this dip, and when combined with nutty walnuts, slightly sweet chickpeas, and salty olives, this dish is an explosion of flavors!
- It’s gorgeous: The bold red of the peppers mixed with chickpeas and walnuts makes for the most vibrant of dips. Topped with fried olives, this dish is an elegant appetizer that’ll impress anyone you make it for.
- It’s make-ahead: Any dish that can be made ahead especially for a party, is a winner. You can either roast the red peppers ahead of time before you make the dip to save on time, or make the entire dip ahead of time and pull it out of the fridge before serving.
Spread it on toast with homemade ricotta cheese, serve it on a cozy cheeseboard alongside warm olives, or spread on top of your favorite sandwich recipe for added richness.
Ingredient List
- Walnuts: whole or half walnuts are best. Avoid stale walnuts for the best flavor.
- Red peppers: the main flavor profile in the dip so use the freshest peppers you can find. Orange and yellow sweet peppers will work too but will make the dip more brown than red.
- Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil, the best quality available.
- Garlic: fresh garlic with minimal blemishes. The whole head is used so get the best and biggest-looking garlic.
- Chickpeas: we use canned chickpeas to help this dish come together quickly, but soaked and boiled dried chickpeas will give amazing results, both in terms of texture and flavor.
- Lemon: fresh lemon juice for acidity.
- Paprika: smoked paprika gives this dish its smokey flavor. Use the best quality paprika available. Sweet paprika can be used in a pinch but will alter the flavor of the dish.
- Parsley: use fresh chopped parsley, both the stems and leaves.
- Olives: Castelvetrano olives are our preferred choice. They are slightly sweet and bright green which is a nice contrast to the dip.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Substitutions and Modifications
- Make it spicy: add heat to the dip by roasting 1-2 chili peppers along with the red peppers in step 1 or add a big pinch of chili flakes when blending.
- Go nut-free: the walnuts can be swapped for pumpkin seeds (pepita) or sunflower seeds.
- Cheese please: feta cheese makes a perfect addition as a garnish to this dip.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
1. Roast the peppers and garlic.
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Coat the peppers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut the top off the garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and wrap it loosely in foil. Place the peppers (cut side down) and garlic on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the peppers are charred.
2. Peel the peppers.
Move the peppers to a bowl and cover with a plate or plastic wrap for 10 minutes to loosen the skins. Open the foil and let the garlic cool. Once cool, peel the skins off the peppers.
3. Blend the Dip.
Put the peppers in a blender. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the blender. Add ½ cup olive oil, walnuts, chickpeas, lemon juice, black pepper, paprika, and parsley. Blend until smooth, about 10-20 seconds. Set aside.
4. Fry the olives.
Heat some olive oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the olives and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until lightly browned.
5. Garnish and serve.
Spoon the red pepper dip into a bowl and swirl it with the back of a spoon. Top with fried olives and extra parsley. Serve with crackers or toasted bread for dipping.
Chef’s Tips
- Char Thoroughly: Roast the bell peppers until the skin is black and blistered. This will make peeling easier and ensure a smoky flavor.
- Add Acidity: Add more lemon juice to brighten the dip and balance the flavors of the peppers, if necessary.
- Chill Before Serving: Let the dip sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Repurpose Leftovers: Use as a spread for sandwiches, a sauce for pasta, or a topping for grilled chicken or fish.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Make ahead: Make the dip a day in advance to allow the different ingredients to meld and enhance its flavor. When making the dip ahead of time, fry the olives the day of to ensure they stay crispy.
Storage: Keep the dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: The dip can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the fridge for 2 days before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, using store-bought red peppers is a great way to save time, though the flavor will likely be less intense. Ensure to drain them well before adding them to the blender.
Yes, as long as the peppers are sweet, the flavor will be the same. The color will change accordingly.
We prefer whole spices over ground. Once blended, the flavor is much more potent and strong. You may want to adjust the amounts since freshly ground spices can be more intense.
Craving More Unique Dip Recipes?
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Recipe Card
Red Pepper Dip with Olives
This Roasted Red Pepper Dip is smoky, creamy, and packed with bold Mediterranean flavors. Made with roasted peppers, chickpeas, garlic, and olive oil, it’s an easy-to-make appetizer that’s perfect for entertaining. Garnished with fried olives and fresh parsley, it pairs beautifully with crostini or crackers for dipping.
Servings: 8 servings
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 450°F.
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Rub the peppers with olive oil, season with ½ teaspoon salt, and arrange them cut side down on a baking sheet. Cut the top off a garlic bulb to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and loosely wrap in foil. Place the garlic on the baking sheet with the peppers.
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Roast the peppers and garlic for 20-25 minutes, or until the pepper skins are charred and bubbling.
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Transfer the roasted peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid to steam for 10 minutes. Open the foil-wrapped garlic and let it cool.
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Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skins and place the peppers in a blender or food processor. Pinch the garlic bulb’s base to squeeze the roasted cloves into the blender.
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Add ½ cup olive oil, walnuts, chickpeas, lemon juice, black pepper, paprika, and chopped parsley to the blender. Blend until smooth, about 10-20 seconds. Set the dip aside to cool.
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Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olives and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred.
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Spoon the red pepper dip into a shallow serving bowl, using the back of a spoon to create swirls or divots in the surface. Top with the fried olives and extra parsley, then serve with crostini, crackers, or fresh vegetables.
Recipe Notes
Time-Saving Tip: If you’re in a rush, use pre-roasted peppers instead of roasting your own, however, the dip may turn out a little thinner and with slightly less flavor.
Char Thoroughly: Roast the bell peppers until the skin is black and blistered. This will make peeling easier and ensure a smoky flavor.
Add Acidity: Add more lemon juice to brighten the dip and balance the flavors of the peppers, if necessary.
Chill Before Serving: Let the dip sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Repurpose Leftovers: Use as a spread for sandwiches, a sauce for pasta, or a topping for grilled chicken or fish.
Make ahead: Make the dip a day in advance to allow the different ingredients to meld and enhance its flavor. When making the dip ahead of time, fry the olives the day of to ensure they stay crispy.
Storage: Keep the dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1874IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
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