Turkish Ezme: Spicy Tomato Pepper Dip

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

No ratings yet

Turkish Ezme: Spicy Tomato Pepper Dip

Homemade Turkish ezme salad is a bold, spicy Mediterranean tomato pepper dip. I make ezme using the traditional Turkish method of hand chopping the vegetables instead of using a food processor. This gives it the perfect texture! Try this spicy Mediterranean dip with pita chips, served alongside falafel or kebabs, or as part of a Mediterranean mezze.

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: Start by cutting each tomato in half. Then using a spoon, scoop out the watery center, seeds and all. Pat the tomato dry, finely dice and set aside.
Prepare the peppers: Cut each pepper in half. The use a spoon to remove the seeds. Finely dice both peppers and set aside.
Prepare the veggies: You will need to finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the parsley. Set aside
Make the dressing: I make the dressing in a medium bowl and then 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: Once everything is combined, 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 with in 1 – 2 hours of making it. You can store it up to in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 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
1–2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Instructions:

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

Recipe credit: Recipe was modified from Meliz Berg recipe found on BBC.

Nutrition