Walnut ezme looks like it requires more than a dozen steps, but it actually only takes 10 minutes to make. It’s not just a dip; It’s a texture feast. Crunchy. Creamy. Acidic. Everyone sits in front of their bowls, waiting for warm bread and crispy cucumber slices.
If you’ve ever stared at your fridge wondering what to do with half a tomato and a handful of walnuts, this is your answer. There’s a reason it’s a staple of Turkish cuisine. It’s also delicious cold, so you don’t need to heat it up to enjoy it. In fact, heat destroys this nuance. You want the raw flavor of the garlic and the earthiness of the roasted walnuts.
Here’s how to do it: It doesn’t take much effort.
List of ingredients
You don’t need fancy tools for this. All you need is a blender or food processor. The ratios matter more than the brand.
- 1 cup walnut halves : raw or lightly toasted. Toasting brings out the oils.
- 2 medium tomatoes : Ripe but firm. You want it to be flavorful, not mush.
- 2 green peppers : If you can’t find any of the spices, you can use green peppers.
- 2 red peppers : Adds color and a bit of spiciness.
- 1 medium dry onion : Yellow or white onion is standard.
- 3-4 cloves of garlic : Don’t skimp. Garlic is the star.
- 1 tsp pepper paste : This is biber salçası. It is dense and salty. If you can’t find it, you can use tomato paste with chili flakes as a backup, but it’s not authentic.
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes : Adjust according to your heat tolerance.
- 1 tsp black pepper : Freshly ground is better.
- Half teaspoon cumin : This is the secret scent. It shouldn’t be overwhelming, but it should be there.
- Fresh mint : A small bunch, finely chopped.
- Extra virgin olive oil : For drizzling at the end.
- Salt : You can get enough salt from the onion and pepper paste to taste.
How to make Walnut Ezme
Start with the aromatics. Peel the onions and garlic. Add to food processor. Blend until finely ground. No need for puree here. just a very fine chop. Scrape down the sides and transfer to a medium bowl.
Next, the crunch. Add the walnuts, green and red peppers to the processor. Pulse again. Stop before it turns to juice. You want small, distinct bits. Transfer the mixture to a bowl with the onion and garlic.
Now the tomatoes. First peel off the skin. This is an option if you are in a hurry, but the skin can be tough in a cold dip. Remove the stems, roughly chop and pulse in the processor until just blended. Add them to the bowl.
At this point you already have a chunky, colorful base. Next is the flavor layer. Add pepper paste, cumin, black pepper, red pepper flakes and chopped fresh mint. Mix it all together with a spoon. The
