Authentic Turkish Ezme Recipe (Spicy Tomato & Pepper Dip)

Turkish tomato and pepper dip in a bowl with pita chips near it.

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Authentic Turkish Ezme Recipe (Spicy Tomato & Pepper Dip)

Homemade Turkish ezme salad is a bold, spicy Mediterranean tomato pepper dip. I make ezme using the traditional hand-chopping method instead of a food processor. This gives the vegetables the perfect texture!

Prep Time20

Resting Time15

Total Time35

Course: All Day

Cuisine: Turkish

Diet:

Servings:

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Ruth Grindeland

Equipment

1 cutting board
1 sharp knife
1 medium bowl
1 wooden spoon

Ingredients

3 Roma tomatoes, seeds and watery pulp removed, finely diced
1 Romano or Serrano pepper, deseeded and finely diced
1 Turkish sivri biber or jalapeño, deseeded and finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 minced large garlic cloves
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste, Turkish-style if you can find it.
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses*
1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper, or pul biber
2 teaspoons sumac
1 tablespoon dried mint
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Prepare the tomatoes: Cut each tomato in half. Then, using a spoon, scoop out the watery center, seeds and all. Pat the tomato dry, finely dice it, and set aside.
Prepare the peppers: Cut each pepper in half. Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Finely dice both peppers and set aside.
Prepare the veggies: Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the parsley. Set aside
Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, add the veggies. To make the dressing, mix the tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper (or pul biber), sumac, dried mint, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Whisk until fully combined.
Combine all ingredients: Let the ezme stand at room temperature for 15–30 minutes. Serve with warm pita, crusty bread, grilled kebabs, or as part of a mezze platter.

Notes

Storing

Ezme tastes best within 1 to 2 hours of making it. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. The longer you store the ezme, the more the vegetables break down and become watery.

Pomegranate molasses substitute recipe

1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Instructions:

Simmer the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until it becomes thick and syrupy, about 30–45 minutes. Let it cool. Note: It will become thicker as it cools.

Recipe credit: This recipe was modified from Meliz Berg's recipe, which I found on the BBC.

Nutrition