Romesco Sauce

Melissa

By: Melissa

Updated: October 28, 2024

Naturally dairy free, this romesco sauce recipe yields a nutty red pepper sauce that’s a little smoky and full of flavor. It was intended to be eaten with fish, but this simple Spanish sauce can be used as a dip or served alongside any of your favorite proteins or vegetables.

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A mason jar full of romesco sauce.

Why you’ll love this romesco sauce

  • Similar to a pesto, this sauce is super easy to make. Just throw everything in a blender or food processor and you’re done.
  • It’s great served with fish (we just had it with sea bass and it was amazing), but we also love to serve it with roasted asparagus or use it as a dip for bacon wrapped dates.
  • You can blend until smooth or leave it chunky, depending on how you’re serving it. We like to leave it on the thicker side to use it as a dip, but as a sauce for fish, I think smooth is the way to go.
An overhead close up shot of romesco sauce in a mason jar with a spoon in it.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

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Ingredients & Substitutions

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

  • Roasted red peppers – You can roast them yourself or buy some in a jar, just make sure you don’t accidentally buy pickled peppers. Look out for vinegar listed in the ingredients on the jar.
  • Almonds – I like to buy toasted sliced almonds from the store to make my life easier. You can easily toast them yourself, or swap the almonds for another nut of your choice. Just make sure you’re subbing equal parts.
  • Smoked paprika – you can substitute regular paprika for this ingredient, but you will definitely miss out on that beautiful smoky flavor that makes this romesco sauce so delicious. It’s totally up to you though. Use what you have.
A food processor with garlic, cilantro, roasted red peppers, slivered almonds, and seasonings.

How to make romesco sauce

Blend the ingredients. Making this sauce is almost too simple. Put the ingredients in the food processor or blender, and blend them until smooth (or, a bit chunky if that’s what you prefer).

If you don’t have a food processor or blender, you could do it by hand with a mortar and pestle, but it will take a little more effort.

Transfer to a container. When your romesco sauce is the consistency you like, transfer it to a mason jar or airtight container. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. This sauce should keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Close up of romesco sauce in a food processor.

frequently asked questions: Romesco Sauce

What do you eat romesco sauce with?

Romesco sauce can be used in so many ways. Traditionally it is served with fish and other meats, but you can use it as a dip or serve it with vegetables. It’s also great tossed with pasta.

Can Romesco sauce be frozen?

Yes. Romesco sauce can definitely be frozen. Store it in an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and store for up to 6 months in the freezer.

A food processor full of processed romesco sauce.

Serve this romesco sauce with:

More dairy free sauce recipes you will love:

3 mason jars of romesco sauce, on with a spoon in it.

Romesco Sauce

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 8
Naturally dairy free, this romesco sauce recipe yields a nutty red pepper sauce that’s a little smoky and full of flavor. It was intended to be eaten with fish, but this simple Spanish sauce can be used as a dip or served alongside any of your favorite proteins or vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 jar roasted red peppers (drained)
  • 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (drained)
  • 1 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients in a food processor.
  • Blend until smooth or desired consistency has been reached.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal Carbohydrates: 4g Protein: 4g Fat: 15g Trans Fat: 0.003g Sodium: 500mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 1g Vitamin C: 2mg

Melissa Belanger is the founder and food-obsessed visionary behind Simply Whisked, where she creates dairy free recipes with simple ingredients. She lives in Wisconsin with her milk-allergic husband and two kids. Melissa's experience in developing dairy free recipes is unparalleled and she strives to make dairy-free living accessible and enjoyable. In addition to running Simply Whisked, Melissa also manages two other publications: Another Cocktail Blog, a cocktail recipe website, and The Pasta Twins, a joint venture with her twin sister.

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