Name: Quick and Easy Romesco Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers (drained); 1 12-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (drained); 1/2 cup almond butter; 1 garlic clove (minced); 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ½ teaspoon sea salt; ¼ cup olive oil

This homemade quick and easy romesco sauce recipe can be made in a matter of minutes! Pour this red pepper sauce over roasted vegetables, baked tofu, grilled tempeh, pasta, or any dish that could use a bit of saucy goodness. It’s great on crostini as an appetizer or snack, too

Traditional Romesco Sauce

I first tried romesco sauce about ten years ago at a pop-up dinner in Lambertville, New Jersey. I don’t remember what the name of the pop-up was, but it was a weekly event that took place in a coffee shop after hours. And I can’t remember what the romesco was served with. I just remember that it was incredible, and I’m pretty sure I licked my plate clean.

Romesco sauce can be quit labor intensive to make. It usually involves toasting and grinding hazelnuts or almonds and roasting peppers and tomatoes. Originating from the Catalonia area of Spain, it was often made by fishermen to be eaten with the fish they caught.

Easy Romesco Sauce

I came across a recipe for homemade romesco sauce a few years ago in a magazine. It looked incredible, but it was a traditional recipe that had lots of steps. While I love to cook, it was just too much work for me. I don’t have the time or energy to spend hours in the kitchen roasting and toasting, chopping, and grinding. So, I used the recipe as inspiration, and I made my own quick and easy version of it.

Instead of roasting fresh red peppers and tomatoes, this easy romesco sauce is made with store-bought jarred and canned varieties. Prepared almond butter takes the place of the toasted and ground nuts.

If this recipe looks familiar, it’s because I shared it a few years ago with grilled vegetables. I recently demonstrated how to make it in a cooking class, and I was reminded of how much I like it. It’s definitely worthy of its own post.

Quick and Easy

It couldn’t be simpler to make this quick and easy romesco sauce. You just throw all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix it until it’s smooth! That’s it! You can place it in a small pot and let it simmer while you prepare your dinner.

This easy romesco sauce is the perfect complement to just about any type of grilled or roasted vegetable, and it’s great with with baked tofu or tempeh, too. You can even pour it over pasta or cooked whole grains. Use it as a spread or dip for bread for a fancy dinner party appetizer, too. I’ll be sharing one of my favorite ways to serve it next week – stay tuned!