Romesco Sauce
This Spanish inspired romesco sauce is smoky, nutty, slightly sweet, and has a hint of heat, all of which make it totally irresistible. It’s easy to make and adds a burst of flavor to any dish!
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- ½ cup almonds unsalted
- 4-5 large garlic cloves peel left on
- 2 whole roasted red peppers drained & de-seeded
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce to taste (optional)
- 2 tablespoons water
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a small baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the almonds in an even layer and place garlic cloves (peel left on) on the pan. Lightly spray just the garlic gloves with oil.
- Bake for ten minutes, until almonds are lightly toasted but not burnt. Remove the almonds and continue roasting the garlic cloves for an additional 10-15 minutes until golden and soft to the touch. Let the almonds and garlic cloves cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin off the garlic cloves.
- Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can mix in a food processor and pulse to get desired texture (see notes). Scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings and spice to your liking. Add more water (or vinegar or oil) to thin the sauce to desired consistency.
Nutrition Facts
per 2 Tablespoons
108 Calories, 9 gram fat, 2 gram protein, 4 gram total carbohydrate, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams sugar, 8 mg sodium
Notes:
If you want it with a little spice add the chipotle in adobo, a little at a time as you can always taste and add more. I usually buy a can of chipotle in adobo and puree the peppers and sauce together and store in the fridge to use when needed. Alternatively, you can use cayenne or chili powder for spice. Or if you can find dried nyora peppers certainly substitute those as well. It’s alright if your almonds have skin on. Pulse in a food processor if you want the sauce to have more texture. Or use a high-speed blender for a very smooth texture. I use jarred roasted red peppers as a time saver, plus I always have them as a pantry staple. However, you can roast your own red peppers if you would like, just be sure to peel the skin before pureeing.
If you want it with a little spice add the chipotle in adobo, a little at a time as you can always taste and add more. I usually buy a can of chipotle in adobo and puree the peppers and sauce together and store in the fridge to use when needed. Alternatively, you can use cayenne or chili powder for spice. Or if you can find dried nyora peppers certainly substitute those as well. It’s alright if your almonds have skin on. Pulse in a food processor if you want the sauce to have more texture. Or use a high-speed blender for a very smooth texture. I use jarred roasted red peppers as a time saver, plus I always have them as a pantry staple. However, you can roast your own red peppers if you would like, just be sure to peel the skin before pureeing.