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Romesco is a smoky, roasted red pepper almond sauce with a deep, savory flavor and a thick, spoonable texture. Roasted peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and onion blend with toasted almonds, a bit of bread, lemon juice, and smoked paprika for a sauce that’s rich, slightly tangy, and gently warm, not overly spicy.
Use it as a dip, a spread, or a finishing sauce for grilled meats, seafood, roasted vegetables, or potatoes. Make a batch once, and you’ll find excuses to keep it in the fridge.
Here’s Why This Romesco Sauce Recipe Works
Roasted vegetables: Blistered red bell peppers, plum tomatoes, onion, and a full head of garlic create depth and natural sweetness you can’t fake with raw ingredients.
Layered chile flavor: Soaked dried chiles add a gentle heat and smokiness without turning the sauce fiery.
Toasted almonds and bread: Marcona almonds and crisped white bread thicken the romesco sauce the traditional way, giving it body and a slight rustic texture.
Balanced acidity: A spoonful of fresh lemon juice cuts through the olive oil and roasted sweetness, keeping the sauce bold but not heavy.
Use it in my pasta with chorizo and romesco. The smoky sausage and roasted pepper base are made for each other.
Recipe Tips
Blister the peppers well: Let the skins char and wrinkle in the oven; that deep roast is where the smoky backbone starts. You can also use charred Italian sweet peppers for a slightly more complex flavor.
Seed the chiles thoroughly: After soaking, scrape out stems and seeds to keep the flavor warm and earthy, not bitter.
Roast the garlic until it’s soft: The cloves should squeeze out easily and look golden and creamy. If you want the roasted clove method, check out my roasted garlic spread.
Toast nuts carefully: Almonds can go from golden to burnt in seconds; keep the heat low and stir constantly.
Blend in stages: Puree the chiles first for a smooth base, then add the roasted vegetables and remaining ingredients for a thick sauce.
Use good olive oil: This is one of those sauces where cheap oil tastes cheap. A peppery, fruity extra virgin oil adds depth and carries the sauce.
Don’t skip the sieve if you’re picky: Straining the chile puree makes a real difference in texture, especially if you’re using tougher dried chiles with thick skins.
Cool before blending: Let the roasted veggies and toasted components cool slightly. Blending piping-hot ingredients can break your sauce or make it too loose.
Salt after blending: The ingredients concentrate as they roast and toast. Blend first, then taste and season so you don’t overshoot.
This sauce is great with seafood. Try it in my Spanish seafood stew in romesco or with my scallops and romesco sauce for a bold, smoky twist.
Homemade Romesco Sauce
This Spanish almond romesco sauce earns its spot in the fridge. Spoon it over grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or potatoes, swipe it on crusty bread, or use it under seared shrimp. It’s smoky, bold, and the fastest way I know to make a plain dinner taste intentional.
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Spanish Romesco Sauce
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Ingredients
- 2 red bell pepper, or sweet Italian peppers
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes
- 1 head garlic, halved, paper outer skin removed
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- ½ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 to 3 mild dried chili peppers, ancho, pasilla, or nora work well
- ½ cup Marcona almonds, or standard almonds
- 1 ounce white bread, crust removed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°.
- Arrange the peppers, tomatoes, garlic (cut-side up), and onion (cut-side down) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast until the peppers blister and the tomatoes soften and slump, 25–30 minutes.
- While the vegetables roast, put the dried chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with very hot water (just off the boil). Let them soak until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain the chiles, then remove the stems and scrape out the seeds.
- Add the softened chiles to a blender with 2–3 tablespoons of water and blend until completely smooth. For a smoother sauce, press the chile puree through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, using the back of a spoon. Keep the smooth puree and discard the solids left in the sieve.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet over low to medium-low heat. Add the almonds and stir constantly until they smell toasted and turn slightly deeper in color, about 1 minute (watch closely, they can burn quickly). Transfer the almonds to a paper towel–lined plate.Add the bread to the same skillet and toast until golden brown, about 30 seconds per side. Remove and set aside to cool.
- When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, peel the peppers and remove the stems, seeds, and white membranes. Separate the garlic head into cloves and squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins.Cut out the tough core from the tomatoes (and peel the tomatoes if you want a smoother sauce).
- Add the roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor with the chile puree, toasted almonds, toasted bread, lemon juice, smoked paprika, the remaining olive oil, and salt. Blend until thick and mostly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Taste the sauce and add more chile puree if you want extra warmth. Add a little at a time (start with 1 teaspoon), blending after each addition, until it tastes right to you. Transfer the romesco to a bowl or lidded container. Makes about 2 cups.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Oh my goodness that sauce looks just heavenly! I love that the vegetables are roasted. It adds so much to the flavors. I can’t wait to give your recipe a try!
Thanks, Debra….try it, you will love it 🙂
Nothing compares to a great sauce! This looks fantastic. I can see using it for so many different things!
Thank you, Patty….It was lovely with seared scallops 🙂
I love romesco sauce! I usually make it with a mix of hazelnuts and almonds, but you’re so right that Marcona almonds would make it feel extra luxurious!
Hi, Mary….Have you tried the green romesco sauce? I make that with the hazelnuts…yum!
This makes a fine topping for pretty much any vegetable sturdy enough to hold its own against the thick, pungent sauce. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Calleigh…It is really good with fish too! 🙂
Such a great sauce! I loved eating tapas in Spain. Can’t wait to try making my own!
Hi, Kim…I would Love to go visit Spain and eat tapas! You will love this sauce! 🙂
omg! the flavors are outstanding and sound so good.Need to try this one.
Hi, Prasanna….You will love this sauce 🙂
I’m drooling. I could really cook up something spectacular with this romesco. Will have to make some of my own.
Thank you, Maggie…..This sauce is delicious with such a variety of foods 🙂
I love finding a new product to spice up my classic favorite dishes!
Hi, Jillian….This is a delicious sauce. 🙂
Love a good romesco sauce and imagine this version tastes awesome with the smoked paprika!
It really does, Lisa….thanks 🙂
You said it will keep for a week. Not in our house! haha this sauce would be gone in a couple of days!!
That’s a sweet recipe plugin you got there ?
Thanks for the comments….BTW we love our recipe program
❤️ We love hearing that!
Thanks, 🙂