Make this easy, 5-minute romesco sauce, then put it on everything! You’ll fall in love with the bold flavors from sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, parsley, garlic, and more. It’s excellent served with grilled meats, roasted cauliflower, on sandwiches, in pasta, paired with eggs…so many ways to enjoy it!
It’s no secret that we love homemade sauces here at FITK. They can instantly transform a meal from blah to wow, changing up the vibe immediately and they add a whole lotta flavor. So, are you ready to completely change your sauce game?!
As in, are you prepared to serve romesco sauce with anything and everything for the rest of all time?! It’s loaded with flavor, super easy and quick to make, and takes dishes to a whole new level. It’s incredibly versatile, with uses in appetizers, lunch, dinner, and everything in between.
What is Romesco Sauce?
Romesco sauce is a pepper and tomato-based sauce that originated in Catalonia, Spain. Fishermen would pair this flavorful sauce with fish (so so good). It is traditionally made from a mixture of roasted tomatoes, garlic, almonds, oil, and peppers. Sometimes stale bread is added for texture, too.
It’s a rustic sauce that’s packed with texture and bold flavors that you won’t be able to get enough of. It’s really versatile, and although it did originate to be served with seafood, it can also be served with so much more – from chicken, grilled steaks, roasted vegetables, or enjoyed as a dip with flatbread.
You’ll note a few variations in my version of Romesco, like using roasted red peppers instead of the more authentic nyora peppers, which are a sun-dried variety of red bell peppers, and I make it a little more coarse. The beauty of homemade sauces? Being able to adjust to your preferences!
The Ingredients
- Roasted Red Bell Peppers – slightly smoky, sweet! Find them in a jar in your local supermarket, usually by the sun-dried tomatoes and olives.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – they’re sweet, umami-filled and slightly smoky, adding so much flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic – it’s bold, it’s fresh, it’s garlic and I need not say more. The raw garlic gives a punchy kick to the sauce.
- Almonds – they add a lot of texture to the sauce. If I have extra time I like to toast them for a little extra depth of flavor, but it’s not necessary. I also use sliced almonds, but you can use whole almonds, too.
- Parsley – it’s fresh, bright, and earthy.
- Red Wine Vinegar – for a little tang.
- Cayenne Pepper – for a slight kick.
- Olive Oil – to smooth out the sauce. If you’re looking for a smoother sauce, you might want to add more olive oil while mixing it together.
- Salt – to bring out all the flavors. Very important to taste test!
Hello. Hi. I mean, can you imagine it now? Is your mouth salivating? Ready to smear it all over your breakfast sandwiches, toast boards, weeknight pasta, fish packets, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING FOR ALL TIME?
Great, let’s get to making it then!
How to Make this Easy Recipe
This recipe is really as easy as 1 – 2 – …and no 3, it’s just that easy.
Step One: the almonds. I use sliced almonds, but if you don’t have sliced almonds, go ahead and use whole almonds, you will just have to pulse them a few extra times to make sure they’re combined. If you want to be next level, toast the sliced almonds before adding them to the sauce. This brings out a warm, roasted note to the almonds.
But if I’m being honest, I don’t always toast my almonds.
Whew. I’m glad I got that off my chest. So do you know what that means? You don’t always have to toast them either. I do prefer the slightly more earthy, nutty flavor that toasting brings out, but really, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t toast them. I know how it goes sometimes, and sometimes you need to just hurry things along.
Step Two: Place the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Now, after toasting the almonds (or not), place all of the ingredients except for the olive oil into the bowl of a food processor (or blender).
Pulse the ingredients together until a coarse mixture forms, then, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Pulse until it all comes together, and until the desired texture is reached.
I prefer a slightly more coarse texture, however, you can continue to blend the sauce together until as smooth as you’d like, adding more olive oil if needed to make it into a smoother sauce.
That’s it! In no time – really, like 5-minutes – your uber-flavorful Romesco Sauce will be ready.
How to Use Romesco Sauce
I love keeping a jar of Easy Romesco Sauce in my fridge so I can just grab a spoonful and throw it on toast with my eggs in the morning or eat with a little cheese and crackers. I even love it with homemade cheese ravioli for a unique twist.
While the possibilities are (basically) endless, here are a few more favorites:
- Toss it with pasta (and a little pasta water to help it stick)
- Burrata Breakfast Board – it’s so so good with eggs, burrata, and sourdough toast!!!
- Make a fish packet or serve it with simple white fish or shrimp
- Romesco Toast with Jammy Eggs
- Serve it with roasted vegetables – any kind will pair lovely, but cauliflower steaks and roasted broccolini are personal favorites
- Add it to a flatbread pizza or use it as a dip with naan
- Serve it on a mezze platter with falafel
- It pairs great with chicken for the meat-eaters, too!
- Romesco Breakfast Bagel
There are just so many uses, and I can’t wait to keep sharing my favorites with you! Be sure to leave a comment and let me know your favorite ways to use it, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can simply omit the almonds or substitute them with sunflower seeds or pine nuts (technically seeds), if you’re able to tolerate them. More authentic recipes will use stale bread, which you could use too if gluten isn’t an issue for you (otherwise this recipe is gluten-free).
Store romesco sauce in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for 4-5 days. It also freezes well, too, just make sure there is room for expansion in your jar before you place it in the freezer. It will keep at least 6 months in the freezer.
Yes, you can! The sauce will be thinner from the juices of the fresh tomatoes. It will also have a slightly less smoky and umami flavor because you won’t be getting it from the sun-dried tomatoes, but it will still be delish!
I don’t really recommend it, but if you need to, you can use extra roasted peppers in place of the tomatoes.
Easy Romesco Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond slices
- 1 cup roasted red bell pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, drained, preferred
- 3 Tablespoon fresh parsley
- 1/2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½-1 tsp kosher salt, start small, add to taste
Instructions
- In a small skillet, toast almond slices over low-medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and warm. This step adds a depth of flavor, but if you're in a hurry you can skip it.
- In a food processor, add almonds, roasted red pepper, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, red wine vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Begin to pulse until combined into a coarse crumb.
- While the food processor is blending, slowly add olive oil until it is completely combined with the sauce. Add salt and pepper, adjusting to taste. If needed, add additional olive oil. Continue pulsing until desired consistency is reached. I generally make it it's slightly chunky and not completely smooth, however, you can pulse as long as needed until your desired texture is reached.
- Enjoy on a sandwich, with a cheese board, or with grilled meat or paired with eggs (really, so many possibilities!)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
By the Way…
This recipe is part of our collection of savory homemade sauce recipes. Check it out!
Ruby
Oooh how I love a good romesco sauce. It combines all of my favorite kinds of flavors together in one, and yours looks just perfect. Can’t wait to try this beautiful recipe!! xx
Becca
Totally agree, Ruby! I love the flavors!
Adam Raw
Romesco sauce is truly one of the great sauces of the world! And it’s vegan! Even better and bread is absolutely necessary for me when I make romesco. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe with us!
Brooke
CAn I heat this sauce up or should it be at room temp for serving
Becca
You can use it either way! It just depends on what you’re using it for and your preferences.
Erica
This recipe was so easy to make. It’s so flavorful too. I can’t wait to put this on everything.
Becca
EVERYTHING! 🙂 Glad you loved it, too!
Linzy
This was fab! It will totally be a staple in my house now. Thanks!
Becca
So happy to hear! Thanks so much for commenting!
Suzanne
This look so good! I didn’t realize it was so versatile!
Becca
Yes! I LOVE how versatile it is – so delicious with SO many things! 🙂
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Becca
I’d say about a week in the fridge to be safe. You can freeze it, too!
Claudia Toscano
So good! My family loved it 😊
Becca
I’m SO glad to hear it! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Kathy Crawford
This was delicious! This is definitely a recipe I I’ll be making often. It’s not only delicious but easy, has ingredients I usually have on hand Ave is very versatile.
Becca
Thank you so much, Kathy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and now can on everything! Love the versatility, too.
Colourful Culinary
Amazing combination of flavours! We had them in breakfast tortillas and they were fabulous!
Becca
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Those breakfast tortillas looked AMAZING on IG!
Cori
This sauce was delicious and SO easy. I don’t have access to a grill so I used jarred-just-about-everything and I am not mad at it. I’ve already eaten half the container. Will make this again!!!
Becca
I’m so glad to hear you loved it! Thanks for commenting, Cori!
Marion
I’ve been cooking this sauce 4 times since summer and saying i like it is an understatement. It is perfect as it is, although i ‘ve tried balsamic instead of red wine vinegar, harissa instead of cayenne. I will have a try at hazelnuts instead of almonds and i’m pretty sure it will be fantastic too. Thank you for this recipe which is one of my staples now <3
Becca
Marion – I am SO happy to hear you love it! Thank you so much for commenting, it’s so fun to hear about the changes you’ve tried too!
Sarah
Super easy and delicious on everything…. have made many batches
Becca Mills
So glad you’ve enjoyed it on lots of things – thanks so much, Sarah!
Sara
I love this Romesco sauce recipe—I could eat it plain with a spoon! We have nut allergies in our household, so I substituted the slivered almonds with either sunflower seeds or pepitas (or a combination of both), and it still works beautifully.
Becca Mills
I could eat it with a spoon too haha! So glad to hear the nut-free substitution of pepitas or sunflower seeds works, that’s great! Thanks so much, Sara!
Gina Capobianco
Everyone needs to make this romesco sauce now! It’s so easy and so delicious. It takes eggs to the next level and has endless possibilities. Will definitely be a staple for me now!
Becca Mills
I’m so so glad you loved it, Gina! Thank you!
Cassie
This sauce was so easy to make! I used it for the jammy egg toast recipe and it easily replaces my addiction for avocado toast. Now I just need to make more and figure out what else I can enjoy this sauce with!!
Becca Mills
Awesome!!! I’ve got lots of romesco sauce recipes coming your way! 🙂
Kyle
Seriously good and you can use the romesco with literally anything.
Dlevy
Love this sauce. So good, and easy to make. Used my small kitchen aid processor. It all fit. I made this to put on an Italian quesadilla. Was awesome. Now using it on chicken and spinach roll up. So good!
Becca Mills
So glad to hear! Those both sound like delicious ways to enjoy it. Thanks so much for commenting!
Eva Richardson
Pretty sure this is the easiest thing I’ve ever made! So delicious and no chopping required this will definitely be in my regular kitchen rotation! ThAnks for sharing
Becca Mills
Yes!! So easy and full of flavor! So glad you enjoyed it, Eva, thank you for sharing!
Molly
This is super easy to make and so delicious!! It’s a fridge staple worth keeping in hand at all times.
Becca Mills
Couldn’t agree more! Thanks, Molly!
Shelley
Guilty confession… I initially used store-bought romesco sauce for the breakfast bagel and jammy eggs recipes after buying some to try and then searching for recipes. I finally decided to actually make the romesco sauce rather than buying it. I can’t believe I waited so long and definitely won’t be going back to the premade version. So easy and so good! I served the romesco sauce with steak and shrimp for dinner, and I used some leftover sauce with brussel sprouts the next day. Delicious!
Becca Mills
No judgement for using store-bought, but homemade truly is one-of-a-kind! I’m so glad to hear you tried and loved it! And what yummy pairings. Thanks so much for sharing, Shelley!!