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The best homemade Romesco Sauce is made with freshly-fired bell peppers and tomatoes, not the jarred, brine-packed peppers from the store. I love a culinary shortcut, but donโt take it here.
Megganโs notes
Iโm all about shortcuts to save time, money, or stress, but I only make that compromise when flavor doesnโt suffer. When it comes to Romesco sauce, starting with jarred roasted red peppers is a shortcut to skip. Those peppers are packed in a brine that overpowers everything else in your Romesco, and once you try it truly from scratch, youโll never look back.
There are so many ways to roast peppers and tomatoes: on a gas stove, in the oven, under a broiler, in an air fryer, on a grill, pick your favorite! As a classically-trained chef, I urge you to go the distance (an extra 15 to 20 minutes) and promise youโll be rewarded with the best possible flavor.
Fresh garlic, a splash of red wine vinegar, and almonds to thicken all lead to one incredible, truly special sauce. Serve Romesco with simple grilled chicken or pan-fried fish (I love it with Air Fryer Cod), add it to a charcuterie board or Mezze platter, or slather it on a sandwich.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Red bell peppers:ย While you can substitute a 16-ounce jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained, from the store, the finished sauce will suffer. Jarred bell peppers add a briny taste that is completely different, and inferior, to roasting fresh bell peppers, in my opinion. Itโs worth the effort to roast the peppers yourself. (I promise itโs easy!)
- Tomato:ย You can substitute โ cup of diced tomatoes, drained, for the fresh tomatoes, but I donโt recommend it. Roasting a fresh tomato provides the best possible flavor for this Romesco Sauce.ย You can multitask and roast peppers and tomatoes together to lend a lovely fresh, smoky flavor to this sauce.
- Sliced almonds: These help thicken the sauce and make it ultra-creamy. For even more flavor, consider toasted almonds. While almonds are traditional, hazelnuts, pine nuts, or even sunflower seeds work in a pinch.
- Cayenne pepper: This recipe features just a pinch (โ teaspoon) of this punchy spice. Crushed red pepper flakes are a terrific substitute. If youโre really opposed to spicy foods, feel free to swap in smoked paprika.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Arrange peppers and tomato in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Broil the peppers until the skin is charred and blistered but not ash white, turning occasionally, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand until the skin starts to loosen and the peppers are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Wearing gloves or using a clean kitchen towel, carefully rub off and discard the blackened pepper and tomato skin. Remove the stem and seeds and chop peppers and tomato.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sautรฉ until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add roasted peppers, tomato, almonds, and cayenne, and sautรฉ to allow flavors to meld, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer pepper mixture to a food processor or blender, add vinegar, tomato paste, ยฝ teaspoon salt, and ยผ teaspoon pepper. Pulse until smooth.
- Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature (shown below with Air Fryer Cod).
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield:ย This recipe makes 1 ยฝ cups Romesco, enough for 6 servings, ยฝ cup each.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead:ย The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator.
- Freezer:ย Package the sauce into freezer-safe containers (I like Mason jars; leave 1/2-inch headspace). Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to serve this robust, smoky sauce as a dip; simply drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and pair with crusty bread or add to a charcuterie board or mezze platter. Itโs also a delightful condiment for chicken, steak, or fish. You can also toss with pasta, use it as an alternative to marinara on pizzas, or feature it as a spread on a sandwich.
Absolutely. A high-powered blender is a terrific alternative to a food processor. Traditionally, cooks made Romesco Sauce using a mortar and pestle. This requires some muscle and more time, but will treat you to a chunky, flavorful blend.
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Romesco Sauce
Ingredientsย
- 2 large red bell peppers (see note 1)
- 1 medium tomato (about 5 ounces, see note 2)
- 2 large cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructionsย
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Arrange peppers and tomato in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Broil the peppers until the skin is charred and blistered but not ash white, turning occasionally, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand until the skin starts to loosen and the peppers are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Wearing gloves or using a clean kitchen towel, carefully rub off and discard the blackened pepper and tomato skin. Remove the stem and seeds and chop peppers and tomato.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sautรฉ until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add roasted peppers, tomato, almonds, and cayenne, and sautรฉ to allow flavors to meld, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer pepper mixture to a food processor or blender, add vinegar, tomato paste, ยฝ teaspoon salt, and ยผ teaspoon pepper. Pulse until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Red bell peppers: While technically you can substitute a 16-ounce jar of roasted bell peppers, drained, from the store, the finished sauce will suffer. Jarred bell peppers add a briny taste that is completely different, and inferior, to roasting fresh bell peppers.ย
- Tomato: You can substitute โ cup of diced tomatoes, drained, for the fresh tomato, but I donโt recommend it. Roasting a fresh tomato provides the best possible flavor for this Romesco sauce.ย
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 ยฝ cups Romesco, enough for 6 servings, ยฝ cup each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.