Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe

Use this vibrant, nutty, and savory Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe on everything! Bursting with bold flavors, this Spanish sauce is a must when you want to take your meals from good to GREAT.

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Originally posted on January 15, 2018 / Last updated on December 3, 2021

glass jar filled with a bright red-orange sauce.

The best homemade romesco sauce

Looking to liven up your meals? Then you’ve gotta make this Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe! The smoky, bold, and nutty flavors in this simple Spanish sauce are delicious with everything, from grilled meats to roasted vegetables to eggs. It doesn’t get much better than this!

Spanish romesco sauce is made by blending roasted red peppers, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices together, but you can mix and match to achieve the flavors you love. After all, the best part of a romesco recipe is that there are almost no rules!

I just know you’re going to love this romesco sauce recipe because it’s:

Smoky, creamy, nutty, and vibrant.
Really flexible. There are endless variations!
Naturally vegan and gluten free.
Easy to store and freeze for later.

Serve your sauce with Grilled Flank Steak, on an Egg Breakfast Tart, spread onto a Chicken Cutlet Sandwich, and so much more. It’s seriously good on everything!

womans hand using a spoon to scoop a red-orange sauce from a glass jar.

What is romesco sauce?

Romesco is a bold Spanish sauce made traditionally from roasted tomatoes, nuts, garlic, oil, and dried red ñoras peppers. There’s no real one way to make romesco sauce, which is why many versions (including this one) are made with roasted red peppers instead of tomatoes, spices, tomato paste, vinegar, or a variety of nuts. You can always expect vibrant, nutty, slightly sweet, and smoky flavors no matter the variation!

I think romesco is extra special because it’s good on everything. The recipe originated in a port town in Catalonia, Spain, where it was eaten mostly with fish. Nowadays, you can use it as a dip, sandwich spread, with meat, on eggs, and so much more!

individual white bowls filled with spices, almonds, oil, and roasted red peppers.

What is romesco sauce made of?

There are really no limits when it comes to the romesco sauce ingredients. Think of these as a guide and feel free to add more to the sauce as you see fit. Dried ñora peppers, ancho chili peppers, roasted tomatoes, sherry vinegar, tomato paste, bread or flour, pine nuts, or cayenne would all fit in as substitutes or add-ons to this recipe:

Roasted red peppers – To really make this romesco sauce easy, buy roasted red peppers in a jar from the grocery store. Otherwise, you can roast them yourself!

Almonds – Use blanched or raw unsalted almonds. Some romesco recipes are also made with hazelnuts and pine nuts, so feel free to mix and match.

Garlic – No substituting here! Every romesco recipe needs at least a few garlic cloves.

Lemon juice – Or use sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar.

Smoked paprika – To achieve the traditional smoky flavors.

Extra virgin olive oil – To smooth out the sauce and emulsify everything together.

overhead view of nuts, garlic, and roasted red peppers in a blender.

overhead view of a bright orange sauce in a blender.

How to make romesco sauce

You’ll need a blender or immersion blender to pulverize the ingredients into a smooth or texturized mixture. For an authentic romesco sauce, use a mortar and pestle! Once it’s ready, the sauce stores beautifully in your fridge for 7 to 10 days.

Place everything but the oil in a blender.
Add the drained peppers, garlic, lemon juice, almonds, paprika, and salt to a blender. Blend until the ingredients are mostly smooth.
Add the oil.
Run the blender and slowly pour in the olive oil. Keep blending until the romesco is at your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Use right away or store for later.
The romesco sauce is ready to be used right away on any meal that needs an extra hit of punchy flavor. Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in your fridge for 7 to 10 days.

Romesco sauce uses

Make sure you have a jar full of homemade romesco sauce ready at all times because it’s good on EVERYTHING. Serve it chilled or warm on all kinds of stuff, like:

Dip – Romesco dip is delicious with tortilla chips, vegetables, pita bread, french fries, and focaccia. It’s always welcome on a charcuterie board!
Spread – Slather it onto turkey sandwiches and burgers.
Breakfast – Take your scrambled eggs up a notch with a dollop of romesco on top.
Seafood – Take this sauce back to its roots by serving it with roasted fish, shrimp, scallops, or in a seafood stew.
Meat – Romesco is a perfect fit for steak, surf and turf, chicken, and any other meat you love.
Veggies – Give these roasted cabbage steaks and roasted potatoes a burst of flavor by drizzling some romesco on top.

Frequently asked questions

Where does romesco sauce come from?

Romesco sauce originated in the port city of Tarragona in Catalonia, Spain.

Where can you buy romesco sauce?

You should be able to find jarred romesco at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s but I highly recommend making it yourself for the best results!

Is romesco made with tomatoes?

The original romesco sauce recipe was made with roasted tomatoes instead of red peppers. You can use tomatoes instead if you’d like a sweeter flavor, use a mix of both roasted red peppers and tomatoes, or add tomato paste to this recipe.

Can you make it ahead of time?

Yep! Blend the sauce together and store it in your fridge up to 7 days ahead of time.

Can you freeze romesco sauce?

To freeze, pour the blended sauce into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once the cubes are frozen solid, transfer them to a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before eating or toss a cube or two into a hot meal and enjoy!

overhead view of an orange-red sauce in a glass jar.

Looking for homemade sauces to try?

Did you try this Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below and giving this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to take a picture tag me on Instagram or use #lenaskitchenblog to be featured in my stories! I love seeing what you come up with!