This classic Spanish Romesco sauce recipe is made with roasted bell peppers, tomato, garlic, almonds and thickened with bread, super versatile.
We're cooking up a quick batch of Romesco Sauce in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. Have you ever cooked with romesco sauce? Now is the time!
Romesco sauce is a Spanish sauce from Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain made with red peppers and almonds or other nuts.
Typically the nuts are slightly roasted then processed with roasted red peppers and thickened with a stale or toasty bread. The nutty flavor is apparent and compliments any number of dishes, and can be used as a simple condiment, left out as a spread, or spooned over proteins.
The red wine vinegar is an ideal finisher for this sauce and you can vary up the zing quality with more or less vinegar in the end.
There are so many ways to enjoy this sauce. It's an ideal condiment served at the table for use with any preferred ingredient. I always enjoy it with pork.
Let's talk about how to make romesco sauce, shall we?
Romesco Sauce Ingredients
- Roasted Red Bell Peppers.
- Tomatoes. I used roasted tomatoes, but sun dried tomatoes are a good option. Fire roasted tomatoes are awesome here.
- Garlic.
- Italian Bread. For thickening the sauce. Stale or lightly toasted bread is important.
- Almonds. 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup, depending how much nutty flavor you're looking for. Hazelnuts are a nice swap. Try both almonds and hazelnuts to change it up. Pine nuts are great here, too.
- Red Wine Vinegar.
- Olive Oil. Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the most flavorful romesco.
- Sea Salt. You can use other seasonings, like sweet or smoked paprika for a smoky flavor or dried herbs, if desired.
How to Make Romesco Sauce - Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe
Roast the Pepper and Tomatoes. To make classic this Spanish Romesco recipe, first slice the tomatoes and bell pepper in half. Set them onto a baking sheet. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil with a bit of oil and a dash of salt. Set it with the tomatoes and pepper.
Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the peppers and tomato skins loosen and char. Remove from heat and cool.
Dry Toast the Almonds. Heat a small pan to medium heat and dry roast the almonds about 5 minutes. Set into a food processor.
Food Processor. To the food processor, add bread and pulse a few times to break it all apart.
Peel the skins from the tomatoes, pepper and garlic.
Into the food processor they go with a bit of salt.
Process the Mixture. Process until a paste forms. It should be fairly wet.
Olive Oil. Pour in olive oil in a stream while processing. Process until it smooths out.
Vinegar and Salt. Add vinegar and pulse. Taste. Need more vinegar for zing? Need more salt? Adjust as you’d like.
Boom! Done! Your romesco sauce is ready to serve. We love this sauce. A true classic.
Serving Romesco Sauce
Romesco sauce is great with any type of fish or grilled meats. It will add loads of punch and flavor to your roasted or grilled vegetables as well. Serve it as a dipper for your guests.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your new romesco sauce recipe! Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear.
Try Some of My Other Popular Sauce Recipes
- Mojo Picon - Canarian Red Pepper Sauce
- Bravas Sauce (Salsa Brava)
- Green Chimichurri (Chimichurri Verde)
- Red Chimichurri (Chimichurri Rojo)
- Chermoula
- Homemade Harissa
- Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Sambal Oelek
- Peri Peri Sauce
- Ajvar
- Muhammara
- Zacusca: Romanian Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Sauce
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Romesco Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large red bell pepper roasted and chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced in half
- 6 medium garlic cloves peeled
- 1 slice Italian bread stale or lightly toasted
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- A few dashes of sea salt
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes and bell pepper in half. Set them onto a baking sheet.
- Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil with a bit of oil and a dash of salt. Set it with the tomatoes and pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the peppers and tomato skins loosen and char. Remove from heat and cool.
- Heat a small pan to medium heat and dry roast the almonds about 5 minutes. Set into a food processor.
- To the food processor, add bread and pulse a few times to break it all apart.
- Peel the skins from the tomatoes, pepper and garlic and into the food processor they go with a bit of salt.
- Process until a paste forms. It should be fairly wet.
- Pour in olive oil in a stream while processing. Process until it smooths out.
- Add vinegar and pulse.
- Taste. Need more vinegar for zing? Need more salt? Adjust as you’d like and serve.
Video
Nutrition Information
This recipe was updated on 3/8/22 to include new information. It was originally published on 12/29/2013.
nathan says
Hi Mike
I want to add chillies to this, is it better to roast them or grind them fresh
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nathan, I would roast them with the other ingredients, or if using powder, just stir it in. Let me know how it turns out for you.