Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (2024)

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By Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home • January 9, 2019

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4.9 from 9 reviews

21 comments

You’ll find amultitudeof uses for this flavorful Romesco Sauce Recipe. Earthy, smoky, and deep, it’s made with simpleingredients youprobably already have on hand. Easy, vegan and gluten-free, make this in 20 minutes. (Or see the 5-minute recipe in the notes!) Video.

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (1)

Romesco Sauce is a flavorful saucetypically made with roasted red peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, almonds(orhazelnuts) thatoriginates from the Catalonian region of Spain.

It tastes earthy, smoky, and slightly sweet with just a hint of heat –the perfect condiment for vegetables, meats and fish -complementing a wide range of meals.

The best part? It requires no hard-to-find ingredients (you already probably have everything on hand), is very simple and quick to make, and can be made ahead! Great for meal prepping for the busy week!

I’ve also included a quick 5-minute “cheater version” in the recipe notes made with jarred roasted peppers.

Romesco Sauce Video

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (2)

Ingredients in Romesco Sauce:

  1. red bell pepper
  2. tomatoes- optional
  3. onion
  4. garlic
  5. toasted almonds or hazelnuts
  6. olive oil
  7. salt and spices
  8. vinegar: sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

The addition of nuts ( typically almonds or hazelnuts)gives the Romesco Sauce a robust richness and heartiness. It’s a nice addition to what you are already cooking at home and can transform the ordinary into something really exciting.

How to make Romesco Sauce:

Step one:

Roast or saute the bell pepper, onion and garlic.

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (3)

Step two:

Add to a food processor along with the nuts and seasonings.

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (4)

Step three:

Add the olive oil and water.

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (5)

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (6)

Step four:

Blend until combined- and feel free to get this smooth or leave a texture.

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (7)

I like to leave a little texture here, but up to you!

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (8)

Variations of Romesco Sauce:

Feel free to experiment with the basic recipe, and feel free to add any of the following:

  • sundried tomatoes
  • roasted tomatoes
  • tomato paste
  • dried chilies that have been rehyrated
  • anchovy
  • other nuts or seeds ( pumpkin, pinenuts, sunflower, pecans, etc.)
  • grated parmesan
  • tomato paste
  • herbs!

What goes with Romesco Sauce?

Use Romesco Sauce like you would pesto- stir it into soups or stews, slather it into a panini, sandwich, or wrap, or toss it with pasta and sprinkle with shaved manchego, or simply serve it in a bowl like a dip, alongside crusty bread. I love its smokey flavor with:

  • Roasted Parsnips with Romesco Sauce
  • With buddha bowls,
  • roasted fish,
  • baked chicken
  • Tossed with pasta
  • Over eggs for breakfast!

It’s a good recipe to learn and keep in your repertoire – and the ingredients are ones I usually have on hand, making it easy to whip up. This romesco sauce recipe is also vegan and gluten-free.

Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (9)

In Spain, the traditional recipe also contains bread or bread crumbs for added texture (which I’ve left out this time) and Nora peppers which are difficult to find here in our area.I’ve kept this version intentional simple, easy and gluten-free- with more accessible ingredients. Feel free to embellish!

Elevate Romesco Sauce!

  • To elevate the flavors, try grilling or smoking the peppers and onions which will give it a little charred smoky goodness.
  • Play with adding different peppers… or reconstituted dried chilies.
  • In Spain, the traditional recipe also contains bread or bread crumbs for added texture (which I’ve left out this time) and Nora peppers which are difficult to find here in our area.I’ve kept this version intentional simple, easy and gluten-free- with more accessible ingredients, but feel free to embellish!

More flavorful sauces you may like:

  • Chimichurri Sauce
  • Peruvian Green Sauce (Aji Verde) Vegan-Adaptable
  • Authentic Harissa Paste
  • Green Tahini Sauce
  • Poblano Pumpkin Seed Sauce
  • Best EVER Thai Peanut Sauce!

Enjoy this very simplified version of Romesco Sauce and use it as a jumping-off base for your own creations.

xoxo

Sylvia

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Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (10)

Romesco Sauce Recipe

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.9 from 9 reviews

  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine| Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 1 ½ cups 1x
  • Category: condiment, sauce
  • Method: roasted
  • Cuisine: spanish
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

FlavorfulRomesco Sauce! You’ll find amillion uses for this robust & flavorful Spanish condiment.Earthy, smoky and deep, it’s made with simpleingredients youprobably already have on hand.EASY, Vegan & Gluten-free ( See 5-minute version in Notes)

Ingredients

UnitsScale

Instructions

Stovetop method (20 mins)

Dice the red bell pepper and onion. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and saute onion and pepper until tender and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add smashed garlic cloves and continue sauteing until onions and peppers start to caramelize.

Roasting Method (40 mins)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut bell pepper in half, remove seeds and place open side down on a greased sheet pan. Add the onion, cutting ½ inch rings, add the garlic cloves whole, brush or spray with olive oil and roast 25-30 minutes, checking on garlic halfway through. Remove garlic when tender and golden. Continue roasting pepper and onion another 10 minutes, or until all are tender and slightly charred.

Blend Romesco Sauce:

Place the pepper-onion mixture a food processor with all the remaining ingredients (except the parsley). Pulse until combined. You can keep this quite coarse, with more texture, or blend until very smooth and creamy.

Add the chopped parsley and pulse a few times. Taste, adjust salt and heat.

To serve, place in bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley and crushed nutsif you like.

Notes

Extra Heat: Feel free to add fresh chilies to the cooking/roasting onion-pepper mixture. Or rehydrated dried chilies to the food processor.

5-minute version: Substitute jarred or canned Roasted Peppers (one cup, drained) (In this case, simply brown the onions and garlic on the stovetop- or use 1-2 teaspoons of each, granulated.

Store in a sealed jar, covering the sauce with a layer of olive oil to prevent discoloring.

The vinegar extends its shelf life- and will keep for 10 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 75
  • Sugar: 1.4 g
  • Sodium: 296.3 mg
  • Fat: 7.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 2.9 g
  • Fiber: 0.8 g
  • Protein: 0.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Comments

  1. Wow – this is so, so good. For those who haven’t made it yet, don’t deviate from the recipe. It’s perfect as-is. Thanks so much!

    Reply

    1. Glad you enjoyed!

      Reply

  2. Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply

  3. Sylvia!!!
    Another 5 star recipe…. so easy and sooooo delicious!!!
    I served this with Gluten-free spaghetti and it was a HUGE hit!
    Thank you very much for sharing!!!
    Judy

    Reply

    1. Yay!!! Great to hear. Thanks for sharing! 🙌

      Reply

  4. My husband said this is the best thing I have ever made for him – and we’ve been together 12 years so there’s a lot of competition!

    Reply

    1. Wow!That is amazing!

      Reply

  5. What a fantastic condiment. So many uses. Just love this with tapas.

    Reply

    1. So happy you like it! Yes, a good one!

      Reply

  6. I made this for Christmas with the t
    roasted potatoes and the moment I taste-tested it I knew it was just like my favorite Muhammara dip at a Mediterranean restaurant that I used to go to 10 years ago. I am *so* happy to find this version bc nothing I tried at restaurants or at home came close to this before. So, so good!!! Love all your recipes, thank you.

    Reply

    1. So happy you enjoyed this!!!

      Reply

  7. Delicious and tasted very close to the romesco we fell in love with in Barcelona!

    Reply

    1. So glad you liked it!

      Reply

  8. Pretty darned good! I made it twice – the second time I also added pine nuts – yowsa! So good!

    Reply

  9. Sylvia,

    This recipe is incredible I love it. As usual your recipes are amazing and so many of them are prepared regularly in my house making our everyday meals soooo good ! A huge thankyou!

    Annette.

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much Annette!

      Reply

  10. Sound very interesting and tasty. Will make it.

    Reply

  11. Love the romesco sauce! Tried the sweet potato balls, but had a hard time getting them formed–very gloopy. Next time, might try to refrigerate to firm up the mixture before coating with flour and searing. Other suggestions would be appreciated!

    Thanks for great ideas 🙂

    Reply

  12. I made this when it was first posted. Most delicious!

    Reply

  13. looks delish! beautiful photographs!

    Reply

  14. Wow that looks delicious…..Really need to give this a try…

    Simon

    Reply

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Simple Romesco Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is romesco sauce made of? ›

Romesco sauce comes from Tarragona, a Catalonian city just south of Barcelona on Spain's northeastern coast. Its base ingredients usually include nuts—often almonds and/or hazelnuts—tomatoes, dried peppers, garlic, bread, olive oil, and vinegar, all mashed or processed into a paste.

What is the difference between Romanesco and Romescos? ›

Confusing? One thing that Romesco and Romanesco have in common is that both are from the Mediterranean. Romesco is a Spanish sauce and Romanesco is an Italian 16th-century heirloom type of cauliflower in the cruciferous family that includes cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and kale.

What does Romesco go with? ›

Romesco sauce
  1. on top of roasted veg (particularly slices of grilled aubergine or roast potatoes)
  2. as a dip.
  3. stirred into pasta or rice.
  4. dolloped on top of soup or a veggie stew.
  5. as a toast topper or in a sandwich or wrap.
  6. drizzled over steamed dark green veggies like seasonal greens or kale.
Feb 7, 2023

What sauce is made from bell peppers? ›

Romesco Sauce Recipe Ingredients

Roasted red bell peppers – They add a sweet, smoky flavor to this brilliant orange sauce. Use jarred roasted red peppers, or make your own. Tomato paste – Traditional romesco sauce recipes call for roasted tomatoes, but I like to use tomato paste for a quick and easy shortcut.

What's in Trader Joe's Romesco sauce? ›

It's Trader Joe's Romesco Dip.

“This bright and zesty Spanish inspired sauce is made with roasted red peppers, tomatoes and crushed almonds,” the label helpfully explains. Zesty is right. Garlic, vinegar, parsley, and crushed red pepper see to that.

Why is it called Romesco sauce? ›

Origins of Romesco Sauce Romesco originates from Tarragona in Southern Catalonia. The term 'romesco' comes from the Mozarabic “remescolar,” meaning "to mix." This sauce was first made by fishermen in the 15th century using simple ingredients like garlic, dry peppers, olive oil, dry bread, and wine.

What can I use instead of Romanesco? ›

Beautiful lime green romanesco is somewhere between broccoli and cauliflower in flavour and you can generally substitute it for either. It has a nuttier, sweeter edge that children tend to like, and is rich in fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants.

What does Romanesco mean in English? ›

Romanesco is an Italian adjective meaning "pertinent to the medieval and modern Roman people". Romanesco may refer to: Romanesco dialect, an Italian dialect spoken in the city of Rome and its surroundings. Romanesco broccoli, a kind of cauliflower.

What is a substitute for Romanesco? ›

When prepared the simple Italian way, with a basic sauce of olive oil, garlic, and peperoncino (chili pepper or red chili flakes), the vegetable takes on a tender and deeply satisfying texture. For this recipe, easily swap out the Romanesco for equal amounts of broccoli. Or use a combination!

What does romesco sauce taste like? ›

What does Romesco sauce taste like? Romesco has a lightly sweet and zippy flavor, with hints of garlic and smoky flavors, and a touch of spice. It's once of those sauces that adds the perfect amount of flavor to almost any dish.

Where does Romesco originate? ›

Romesco (Catalan pronunciation: [ruˈmɛsku]) is a tomato-based sauce that originated from Valls, province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The fishermen in this area made this sauce to be eaten with fish.

What is Sriracha best with? ›

Enter sriracha and its superpowers for transforming the humdrum into something extraordinary. Add it to potato, pasta and grilled vegetable salads and your friends will be begging for seconds. Sriracha is great on eggs and avocado toast, but there are so many other ways you can put it to use at breakfast and brunch.

What is Carolina Reaper sauce? ›

This hot sauce is made exclusively with Carolina Reaper Peppers, one of the hottest pepper in the world, according to the Guinness world records.

What is ghost pepper sauce? ›

Ghost pepper sauce is a type of hot sauce that is made with ghost peppers, also known as Bhut Jolokia peppers. It is usually red or orange in color and has a thick, pudding-like consistency. Watch out because it is very spicy with a slow-building heat that lingers long after you've eaten it.

What is the famous sauce from Chilli and pepper? ›

The most popular sauce is the Diaguitas brand, made of pure red (very hot) or yellow (hot) Chilean peppers mixed only with water and salt. Other hot sauces are made from puta madre, cacho de cabra, rocoto, oro and cristal peppers, mixed with various ingredients.

What is Arby's spicy sauce called? ›

Bronco Berry Sauce®

It is a sweet and spicy sauce with a distinctive flavor that adds a delicious kick to Arby's sandwiches. Made with a blend of red jalapeno peppers, sugar, and spices, Bronco Berry Sauce® is a favorite among fans of sweet and spicy flavors.

What is in a jar of Bolognese sauce? ›

Ingredients. INGREDIENTS LIST: Tomato (67%), Partially Reconstituted Tomato Purée (24%), Sugar, Onion, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Cornflour, Onion Powder, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Herbs, Garlic Purée.

What pepper is crystal hot sauce made from? ›

Ingredients. Aged red cayenne peppers, distilled vinegar, water, salt, natural flavorings, xanthan gum.

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