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. It’s even great on pasta – we even published a romesco pasta recipe on our other site – The Pasta Twins, but it’s not 100% dairy free.
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.
More dairy free sauce recipes: easy chimichurri sauce / homemade stir fry sauce / hot fudge sauce / dairy free pesto
Ingredient notes:
- 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. We’ve also swapped the almonds for peanuts to accommodate an tree nut allergy and it worked great!
- 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.
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.
Melissa’s tips & tricks
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
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 to make romesco 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.
Ways to serve this: bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates / pan seared chicken breast / grilled turkey breast / seasoned roasted potato wedges
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers - drained
- 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes - drained
- 1 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic - peeled
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Blend the ingredients. Making this sauce is almost too simple. Put the ingredients in the food processor or blender, and blend them until smooth.
- Serve or store. When sauce has reached your the consistency, transfer it to a mason jar or airtight container. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.Sauce will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or 6 months if frozen.
