Romesco sauce
Smoky Catalan red pepper and almond sauce — vibrant, versatile and perfect with fish, roasted veg or as a dip.
Romesco is the sort of sauce that makes everything taste Spanish — smoky roasted red pepper, toasted almonds and a slick of olive oil. It’s gloriously versatile: spoon it over grilled fish, serve it with roast veg, or use it as a punchy dip for crusty bread.
This version keeps things simple and vegetarian/vegan-friendly, using everyday ingredients and a blender. It’s forgiving, but a few small steps — toasting the almonds and steaming the peppers — make all the difference.
Ingredients
- 2 red peppers — about 400 g total
- 300 g ripe tomatoes
- 1 garlic — head of garlic
- 75 g blanched almonds
- 30 g stale white bread — torn into pieces
- 30 ml sherry vinegar
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 g tomato purée — about 1 tbsp
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 0 ml cayenne pepper — optional
- 5 ml fine sea salt
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
Equipment
- food processor or blender
- baking tray
- frying pan
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Line a baking tray. Cut the tomatoes in half and slice the top off the head of garlic so the cloves are exposed.
Place the whole red peppers, the halved tomatoes (cut-side up) and the garlic head on the tray. Drizzle about 15 ml of the extra virgin olive oil over them and roast until skins are blistered and tomatoes collapse, 25 minutes.
Transfer the hot vegetables to a large bowl and cover tightly (lid or cling film) to steam for 10 minutes — this loosens the pepper skins and softens the tomatoes.
While the veg steam, toast the blanched almonds in a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, 4–5 minutes. Set aside a small pinch for garnish if you like.
Tear the stale white bread into pieces and drizzle with the sherry vinegar, pressing to moisten. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off skins, remove stalks and seeds, and roughly chop. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins.
Put the chopped peppers, roasted tomatoes, squeezed garlic, toasted almonds (reserve a pinch if garnishing), soaked bread with vinegar, tomato purée, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), fine sea salt, black pepper and chopped parsley into a food processor or blender.
Pulse until roughly combined, then stream in the remaining extra virgin olive oil while running the processor until you reach a coarse but spreadable texture — about 60 seconds. Taste and adjust salt, acidity with a splash more sherry vinegar, or texture with a little cold water or more oil.
Transfer the romesco to a jar, cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavours marry before serving.
Tips
- If you don’t have a food processor, use a sturdy blender in short bursts and add oil slowly to avoid overheating the motor.
- Steaming the hot peppers in a covered bowl makes peeling far easier — don’t skip the 10-minute rest.
- Reserve a few toasted almonds and a little parsley to scatter on top for texture and colour right before serving.
- Make ahead: flavours improve after a day in the fridge. Keeps 4–5 days in a sealed jar.
- To loosen a very thick romesco, add a teaspoon or two of cold water or more olive oil — add little and taste as you go.
Substitutions
blanched almonds → hazelnuts, same weight
Stays closesherry vinegar → red wine vinegar, same quantity
Noticeably differentred peppers → charred aubergine in the same weight (roast until very soft)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 280
- Calories
- 5 g
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 23 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 350 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make romesco without nuts?
Yes — swap almonds for toasted sunflower seeds for a nut-free version. The texture and flavour will differ (less richness) but it remains a great sauce.
How long will romesco keep?
Stored in a sealed jar in the fridge it keeps 4–5 days. The oil may solidify slightly when cold — bring to room temperature before serving.
Can I use bottled roasted peppers?
You can in a pinch, but home-roasted peppers give a fresher, less metallic flavour. If using jarred peppers, reduce added vinegar slightly and taste.
Is romesco gluten-free?
Not as written — this recipe uses stale white bread. Use gluten-free bread or omit it and add a little extra almond and olive oil to adjust texture.
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