Romesco is a wonderful, thick, tasty sauce from the Catalonia region of Spain. It's traditionally served along with big, thick spring onions, grilled to perfection, in cookouts called Calçotades . So delicious you'll want to slather it on everything! So rich and full of flavor people will be asking for the recipe.
Why we love this romesco sauce recipe:
Growing up in Spain, we learned to love so many traditional recipes. It's a wonderful heritage we love sharing with you. Here are all the reasons to love making homemade romesco sauce.
- It's easy to prepare at home.
- It is slightly sweet from the roasted veggies and tangy from the vinegar.
- It has very simple ingredients: red bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, bread, hazelnuts or almonds, and seasoning.
- It can easily be made gluten-free. Just use gluten-free bread!
- Use matzah instead of bread to make it Passover-friendly.
- Don't feel like making roasted red peppers and tomatoes? Just use them out of a jar or can. You can also use sun-dried tomatoes if you have them.
- You can adjust the seasoning to your liking. Use sweet or smoked paprika or a combination of both.
- Make sure you use a flavorful extra virgin olive oil, and don't skip the vinegar.
- Allergic to nuts? Use sunflower seeds instead.
What is Romesco Sauce?
This beautiful, traditional sauce from Spain is similar to pesto in that it is thickened with nuts and fairly chunky. The difference is in the tomato/pepper base, which gives it an incredible flavor profile that is nutty, fruity, and even a little bit sweet.
Ingredients for Romesco Sauce
- Red Bell Peppers.
- Plum or Vine Ripe Tomatoes.
- Garlic Bulb.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Day-Old Italian or French bread. You can substitute one slice of sandwich bread, Gluten-free bread, or Matzah.
- Red Wine Vinegar. Or sherry vinegar.
- Sweet Paprika. Smoked paprika or a combination of both to taste. If you prefer some heat, add hot paprika instead.
- Sea Salt.
- Roasted Hazelnuts. Almonds or even pine nuts can work.
How to Make a Traditional Romesco Sauce
- Roast red bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic.
- Carefully place them in a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and let it rest for 20 minutes. This process will allow the skins of the peppers and tomatoes to come off easily.
- Remove the skin and seeds of the peppers and discard whatever liquid formed inside the peppers. Remove the skins of the fire-roasted tomatoes, and keep their seeds and juice. Cut the bottom part of the garlic bulb and squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the skins. Place everything in the food processor. While the sauce is traditionally made with mortar and pestle, I'm so thankful for modern conveniences.
- Add roasted hazelnuts, toasted almonds, extra virgin olive oil, sweet or smoked paprika, red wine vinegar, and salt.
- Process until you get a thick chunky sauce. If you prefer a creamier sauce, blend it until creamy. We prefer the sauce a little chunky which is how it is served in Spain.
Step by Step Images of How to Make Romesco Sauce
- Roast red bell peppers, tomatoes and garlic.
Place roasted veggies in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap
Once the vegetables are cool, peel them and place them in a food processor and squeeze the roasted garlic on the veggies
Add Olive oil, vinegar, paprika, hazelnuts, and bread.
Pulse until you get a thick chunky sauce
How to use Romesco
- On grilled potatoes
- On roasted vegetables
- On grilled cheese
- On roasted potatoes
- On toasted bread or crackers
- On grilled spring onions
- On roasted celeriac
- In Spain, Romesco is traditionally used on grilled veggies, spring onions, or seafood. It can also be used on chicken. or roasted cauliflower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze Romesco Sauce?
Yes. Place it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to six months.
How do you roast red peppers?
These can be roasted on the grill or in the oven. Set the oven to 400ºF and roast until starting to blacken on the edges or curl up.
How do I store leftover Romesco Sauce?
Place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for a few days.
Are canned, fire roasted tomatoes an adequate substitute for fresh tomatoes when making roasted romesco sauce at home?
No. You want the flavor of a true freshly roasted tomato, and if you can pick some up at the farmers market to roast, even better.
Check out these other recipes from Spain
- Patatas bravas
- Tortilla de patatas
- Authentic Spanish Gazpacho
- Membrillo
- Hot Chocolate Barcelona Style
- Montadito de Berenjena
- Crema Catalana
- Espinacas a la Catalana
- Pan con Tomate
Romesco Sauce
- Total Time: 75
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Romesco is a wonderful, thick, tasty sauce from the Catalonia region of Spain. It's traditionally served along with big, thick spring onions, grilled to perfection, in cookouts called Calçotades . So delicious, you'll want to slather it on everything!
Ingredients
- 2 medium red bell peppers
- 2 plum or vine ripe tomatoes
- 1 head of garlic
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 slice day-old Italian or French bread ( you can substitute one slice of sandwich bread, Gluten-free bread or Matzah)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp sweet paprika, smoked paprika or a combination of both to taste (See Note 1)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup roasted hazelnuts or almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- Wrap the head of garlic in aluminum foil
- Place the peppers, tomatoes and garlic on a large baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the peppers are tender
- Carefully place the peppers, tomatoes, and garlic in a glass bowl while still hot. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit, covered for 30 minutes or longer. This process will make it easier to peel the peppers and tomatoes once cooled
- When the peppers are cool, remove and discard the skin and seeds. Remove and discard the tomato skins as well. Transfer them to the bowl of a food processor
- With a sharp, serrated knife, cut the bottom of the head of garlic. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the food processor. Add extra virgin olive oil, sweet paprika, salt, and red wine vinegar
- Add the bread and chopped hazelnuts and pulse a few times until smooth
Notes
- Romesco sauce is NOT a hot (spicy) sauce. You can add heat by adding hot paprika to taste
this post was originally published on November 18,2019
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: Spain
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 54
- Sugar: 1.6
- Sodium: 83.7
- Fat: 4.1
- Saturated Fat: .4
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 3.9
- Fiber: 1.1
- Protein: 1.2
- Cholesterol: 0
Laana says
Great recipe! Easy, fast and delicious! Even my super picky 8 year old likes it with his pasta, which is unbelievable. Tried both versions with hazelnuts and almonds, both work, the almond version is milder in taste. Thank you!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you Laana, we love it when even kids like our recipes! Enjoy!
adrian dean molina says
Hi,
I just made some the other for some of my Calçot I bought the other day, I wish I could send you a picture. I love romesco sauce I put it on everything so easy to make. I use the broiler myself I can't wait 50 min 🙂
this site is starting to lock up on me keep it short.
chao,
-A
Linda says
Can Iuse almond flour instead of grinding almonds?
Vicky and Ruth says
Good question. The almonds or whatever nut you are using contribute to the texture of the romesco. You have to put everything in the food processor anyway. We've never tried this recipe with almond flour, but if you try, please let us know how it comes out.
tamarque says
What can be used instead of bread. I don't do breads.
Is bread only for thickening? Can Flax seed ground be used?
Vicky and Ruth says
Yes, bread is used as a thickener. You can either leave it out or add a little bit more nuts. I think flax seeds will check the flavor of the romesco
Susan Bruce says
How long can you keep this for please
Vicky and Ruth says
You can keep it for 4-5 days in the fridge or you can freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container.