With a little bit of help, roasted red pepper makes for a delicious, flavour-packed accompaniment! Here’s how I make one of my go-to party sides which also makes a great everyday snack…
INGREDIENTS
The base:
Red bell pepper (of course!)
Walnuts (for flavour and texture)
Butter beans (to get that creamy quality)
Spices and aromatics:
Harissa paste – I used rose, but a standard harissa will work just as well (this is a flavour-explosion – make your own or buy it in a jar)
Paprika (for warmth and depth)
Coriander seeds
Garlic
The rest:
Olive oil
Sesame seeds (as a topping)
TIPS
When making dips and soups with red pepper, I find that I get the best consistency by roasting the red pepper whole, allowing it to cool once it’s thoroughly cooked, and then peeling the skin off. It naturally will shrink and the flesh and skin separate quite a bit as it cools down to a temperature where you can handle it. After this, slice the red pepper into sections and de-seed.
Roasted Red Pepper Harissa Dip
A smoky red pepper dip that's the perfect party side
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 200g of butter beans (1/2 a 400g tin) (drained)
- 3 walnuts (optional – roast in the oven for 10 minutes with the other ingredients)
- 1 tsp of rose harissa
- 1/2 a tsp of paprika
- 1/2 a tsp of whole coriander seeds (optional – pan fry for a few minutes to release aromas)
- 1/2 a tbsp of sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp of olive oil (plus extra for cooking)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 160C
- Add the red pepper whole to an oven dish, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil
- Chop the ends off the garlic, put on a small piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper – fold the garlic in the foil and add to the oven dish
- Roast for 20-30 minutes, put the sesame seeds into a small oven-proof bowl and add this to the oven for 10 minutes to toast lightly
- Pulse together the coriander seeds and walnut in the food processor until it’s a crumb / paste
- Once the red pepper and garlic are roasted, remove from the oven and leave the red pepper to cool for 10+ minutes (ideally, covered with a tea towel)
- Peel the skin from the red pepper, slice it into quarters and remove the seeds
- Add the garlic, red pepper, butter beans, paprika and harissa paste and pulse with the walnut / coriander paste
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the olive oil, pulse together until you achieve your desired consistency
- Serve topped with the toasted sesame seeds
Let me know if you try my red pepper harissa dip this party / festive season!
Check out the video here:
But First, Food 
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