When I got into a “sauce rut” (which basically means I made the same sauces constantly with no end in sight), my family told me to find another sauce recipe and recreate it. And so I did. I was introduced to the romesco sauce. It is fresh, powerful, fun and tangy. My recipe boasts of wholesome ingredients, less than 20 minutes of prep and a sauce you will make over and over again. If you feel like I am talking in a way that is insinuating I am about to change your life, it is because I am.
Romesco sauce is a Spanish sauce usually created using charred tomatoes or red pepper and then whipped/thickened with toasted almonds. This sauce is extremely versatile and we have used it as a dip for chips or veggies, a spread on sandwiches, a marinade for meat or a topping on roasted potatoes. I even like it over pasta!
Where I live in Canada, I have yet to see a proper store bought romesco sauce. I still meet people who have never even heard of it. So it’s basically up to you and me to change that and get the word out. It is so good.
Why Homemade Romesco Sauce?
I like knowing what is going inside my body! For years I struggled with acne, hair loss and hormonal imbalances due to, what I believe, was my diet. After making more foods from home and being aware of what ingredients I am using, my life hugely changed. No more migraines, reduction in acne, no more hair loss and I even slept better. Now, I do not like labeling foods as being “bad” for myself BUT what I encourage with myself is thinking what can I work towards that would be better or a better option. This may come down to ingredients, price point, etc.
As for making my own romesco sauce, I love that I can enjoy this simple sauce recipe at an affordable price point and at the same time nursing my body! And since I am unable to find a proper storebought version, this is the best option.
Let’s look at some of the goodness this romesco sauce has for our beautiful bodies:
- Vitamins A & C: Red peppers offer more vitamin C than an orange and lots of vitamin A as well! They are truly a super food. When roasted, extra healthy fats and vitamins are extracted, causing a nutrient dense dish for your enjoyment.
- Healthy Fats: Almonds and olive oil are loaded with healthy fats, fibre and vitamin E! Almonds are also known to lower blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol too. These healthy fats work to keep a happy gut too while all the while, feeling more satisfied.
- Immune Support: Due to the presence of garlic, this romesco sauce will work to support your immune system and reduce your risk of becoming ill.
- Heart Health: Red onions are heart helpers! They are high in B vitamins and folate and work to reduce bodily inflammation. Eating red onion will also reduce your risk of heart disease.
Amazing right? Between the health benefits and the incredible flavour, this sauce will be a go to for you (as it is for me!).
Romesco Sauce Ingredients
- Red Bell Peppers: Make sure they are very well washed and any stickers removed before roasting.
- Garlic Cloves: Any basic white garlic cloves will do! This adds a punch of flavour to our sauce.
- Red Onion: Adds a handful of good flavour and smell!
- Blanched Slivered Almonds: I recommend blanched almonds as they are less bitter (the skin can be quite shocking in flavour) and blender down nicely into this sauce.
- Olive Oil: To lend a hand to the blending process and give us a healthy fat to enjoy!
- Lemon Juice: Use a fresh lemon and squeeze out its juice for the best flavour and health benefits.
- Red Wine Vinegar: For both taste and preserving purposes.
- Pepper: To give our sauce extra warmth.
- Salt: As usual, always using my trusty sea salt.
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Keep a jar of this handy in the fridge at all times to add flavour to many meals. I add a scoop of this into soups, salad dressings, cream forward dips and even over meats before cooking.
How To Make Romesco Sauce From Scratch
This recipe comes together quite quickly once the red peppers have been roasted. I use my Vitamix to get the job done and later boast of a smooth romesco sauce. Any blender works well for this recipe! You may need to scrape the blender every few minutes to ensure everything get incorporated well.
Sometimes, I go for a more chunky romesco sauce because those garlic and almond chunks are so fun! Its all up to you and your preference!
STEP 1: ROAST
On a pan, place your four red bell peppers on their side and place in the oven. Put them under a low broil and keep an eye on them. Once they start roasting and the skin turns black, rotate them until they are fully roasted on each side.
STEP 2: BLEND
Put the remaining ingredients into a blender. Blend everything until well incorporated. When the peppers are done roasting, remove them from the oven, let them cool to the touch and remove the seeds, stem and peel off the blackened skin. Place the pepper flesh into the blender and blend until desired consistency.
STEP 3: ENJOY
Serve your romesco sauce alongside your favorite veggie dish, pasta or even chicken!
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How To Store
Keep in an airtight container, like a jar, in the fridge for 7 days. You can enjoy this either warm or cold!
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to share and tag me @sarahthereseco on Instagram and come back here to rate and leave a comment!
Romesco Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 Red Pepper
- 3 Minced Garlic Cloves
- ยผ Cup Red Onion chopped fine
- ยผ Cup Almonds blanched and slivered
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1ยฝ Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper ground
- ยฝ Teaspoon Salt to taste
Instructions
- In your oven, place the rack in the upper half and set to broil. On a pan or cookie sheet with lifted sides (sometimes the peppers release lots of juice here!), place your whole red peppers and put them in the oven to roast. When the skin goes black, rotate the peppers until the entire vegetable is black and the skin is bubbling or peeling. Remove them from the oven to cool.
- In a pan on your stovetop, put 2 T of olive oil with your garlic and red onion. Bring this to a low/medium heat and cook until quite fragrant. When finished cooking, place them on a small plate to cool and now put your almonds in the pan. Stir constantly until they are quite brown and put them on that same plate with the garlic and onion to cool.
- Once your peppers are cool enough to handle, start removing the skin by peeling it off as best as possible. This can take time and may not come off entirely in all spots. That is okay! Then, either using a knife or just your fingers, remove the pepper flesh making sure no seeds are still attached, and put it into the blender. This is the roasted red pepper goodness that makes up so much flavour in this sauce.
- In your blender also put in your garlic, onion, almonds, remaining olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, black pepper and salt.
- Blend on low until a chunky smooth consistency.
- You are now ready to serve. This can be heated in a saucepan if wanting to serve warm or kept cool in the fridge for up to 7 days and YES, you can also enjoy this cold. Think of it like a salsa, amazing with tortilla chips!
