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This easy, from-scratch romesco sauce recipe features a unique sweet and savory flavor profile that’s perfect as a dip for crusty bread, raw veggies, or crackers, or as a condiment for anything that comes off the grill! This homemade version comes together in less than 30 minutes, and I also share a 5-minute shortcut if you’re in a time crunch.
Recently, I couldn’t resist a ton of gorgeous bell peppers at the farmers market. I made my easy pepper relish and stuffed pepper casserole, and still had peppers coming out my ears. With an heirloom tomato on hand, a well-stocked pantry, and a few friends coming over later for appetizers, I decided on romesco sauce.
What is Romesco Sauce?
Romesco sauce (aka salsa romesco) is a traditional red pepper, tomato, and almond-based sauce from the Catalonia region of Northeastern Spain. It’s a rich, flavorful, bright sauce with a thick dip-like consistency that usually has some texture.
Of course everyone’s recipe is a little bit different. I prefer it on the thicker side (perfect for dipping!) with a rich, nutty flavor and a well-balanced blend of sweet, tangy, and savory notes.
Romesco Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Sweet red peppers – The star of the show! When peppers are in season, this is a great way to use them.
- Heirloom tomato – Use any medium-large, deliciously ripe tomato you have on hand.
- Blanched almonds – Blanched almonds are whole almonds that have their skins removed. They’re sweeter than regular whole almonds because the skins can be bitter. For this recipe, we toast the blanched almonds to develop their flavor and aroma. Here they serve two functions: 1) add rich, nutty flavor, and 2) thicken the dip. Instead of almonds, peeled hazelnuts also work well here.
- Garlic – Garlic adds the perfect sharp bite to this dip.
- Sherry vinegar – You can use red wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar here. Or substitute with 2 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice instead.
- Smoked sweet paprika – This lends sweet, fruity, smoky complexity and amplifies the flavor of the roasted peppers.
- Salt – Salt pulls out the flavors of everything else.
- Cayenne pepper – This is optional. I add just a touch of cayenne pepper for complexity; you can leave it out or alternatively add more if you want your dip spicy hot.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Go for the good stuff here; deep green-gold in color with a peppery flavor.
- Minced fresh parsley – Adds a pop of contrasting color.
Wait, Romesco Sauce Usually Has Bread! How is This Recipe Thickened Without Bread and Still Gluten Free?!
Traditional Catalan recipes use bread as the thickener for romesco. However, I needed a gluten free appetizer! On the day I made this, I had friends coming over and one of them is gluten intolerant, so I whipped a gluten free version of this sauce. (Side Note: This grain and gluten free recipe is also naturally vegan, paleo, low carb, and keto-friendly.)
How is it thickened? We start by roasting the red pepper and tomato, which removes some of the excess moisture. However, toasted almonds (which are ground up with everything else) is the real thickener here.
How to Make Romesco Sauce
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Roast. Spread out the red pepper and tomato on a baking tray, and roast 10 minutes. Spread the almonds out on a small baking tray and roast 5 minutes. (Leave the red peppers and tomato in the oven; they roast for 15 minutes total.)
- Blend. Add the peppers, tomato, almonds, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the vinegar, smoked sweet paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and olive oil, and puree until it’s as smooth as you like (I leave a little texture). Stir in the parsley. Serve.
The 5-Minute Shortcut Version of Romesco Sauce
Use store-bought roasted red bell peppers, de-seed your tomato, and swap out the blanched almonds for store-bought roasted, unsalted almonds (sliced, slivered, or whole almonds, whatever you can find that’s toasted or roasted). Add everything to a blender, puree, and you’re good to go!
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I find that its flavor gets even more complex over time.
Tips For the Best Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe
- Roast fresh peppers for this recipe if possible (or grill your peppers). If not, jarred red bell peppers will also work.
- Make sure your spices are fresh and aromatic. We use minimal ingredients here, so a lot of the flavor comes from spices. Don’t forget, ground spices lose their potency faster than whole spices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Romesco is a complex, beautiful harmony of flavors; it’s sweet, savory, tangy, smoky, and nutty with a subtle hint of heat. It features sweet/smoky red peppers, sweet/tart tomatoes, nutty almonds or hazelnuts, savory garlic, peppery olive oil, and tangy sherry or red wine vinegar (or fresh lemon juice if that’s all you have on hand).
If you’re wondering how to eat romesco sauce, you are only limited by your imagination! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Condiment – It’s great on grilled chicken, steak, fish, or vegetables.
2. Appetizer – As a dip for crusty bread, naan, crackers, pretzels, or fresh sliced veggies (like broccoli, cucumber, carrot, etc.).
3. Flavor enhancer – Use it to kick up just about any sandwich, wrap, or avocado toast. Or try it spread on a bagel!
4. At breakfast – Put on eggs cooked any way you like. (Try it on an omelette or on an egg sandwich.)
5. Pasta sauce – Thin out this sauce with a splash of water, stock, or cream, heat it up, and toss in your favorite al dente pasta and any sautéed veggies you like.
Romeso sauce reminds me very much of Middle Eastern muhammara. They both have a base of roasted red peppers, but muhammara typically uses walnuts for nuttiness and pomegranate molasses for sweet, tangy flavor.
If You Like Red Bell Peppers, You’ll Love These Recipes
- Easy Crockpot Enchiladas
- White Bean Roasted Red Pepper Salad
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Open-Face English Muffin Egg Sandwiches With Egg, Manchego Cheese, and Smoky Red Pepper Balsamic Compote
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Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces sweet red peppers (de-seeded and quartered)
- 1 heirloom tomato (quartered)
- 3/4 cup blanched almonds (or hazelnuts)
- 4 large cloves garlic (peeled)
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar or 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice)
- 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional; for complexity)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Roast. Spread out the red pepper and tomato on a baking tray, and roast 10 minutes. Spread the almonds out on a small baking tray and roast 5 minutes. (Leave the red peppers and tomato in the oven; they roast for 15 minutes total.)
- Blend. Add the peppers, tomato, almonds, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the vinegar, smoked sweet paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and olive oil, and puree until it's as smooth as you like (I leave a little texture). Stir in the parsley. Serve.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I find that its flavor gets even more complex over time.
- 5-Minute Shortcut Version: Use store-bought roasted red bell peppers, de-seed your tomato, and swap out the blanched almonds for store-bought roasted, unsalted almonds (sliced, slivered, or whole almonds, whatever you can find that’s toasted or roasted). Add everything to a blender, puree, and you’re good to go!
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 2 cups of dip, or 8 (1/4-cup) servings.
- Net Carbs: 4 grams per 1/4-cup serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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