Romesco Sauce

Course: Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine: Spanish

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings: servings

Calories: 160kcal

A smoky Catalan sauce of roasted red peppers, toasted almonds, sherry vinegar, and smoked paprika, blended thick and spoonable.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Set the whole red bell peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Slice the top off the head of garlic, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, wrap tightly in foil, and add to the sheet.
Roast 35 to 40 minutes, turning the peppers once or twice, until the skins are blackened and collapsing and the garlic is soft.
Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl, cover tightly, and steam 10 minutes to loosen the skins. Set the garlic aside to cool.
While the peppers steam, toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, 4 to 5 minutes until golden and fragrant.
Peel the skins off the cooled peppers with your fingers and remove the stems, cores, and seeds. Don't rinse them or you'll lose the smoky flavor. Add the flesh to a food processor.
Squeeze in the roasted garlic. Add the toasted almonds, torn bread, sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured.
With the motor running, drizzle in the last 2 tablespoons olive oil to emulsify. Taste and adjust salt, vinegar, and paprika. The sauce should be thick, spoonable, and deep red-orange.

For gluten-free, skip the bread and add 2 extra tablespoons almonds to the sauce.
The sauce is naturally vegan as written.
Use leftovers on pasta, potatoes, eggs, toast, roasted vegetables, or as a dip.
The flavor deepens after a day, so it is great made ahead.
Keeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes well for 2 months.