Spain · Sauces and Dips
Romesco Sauce
A thick, brick-red Catalan sauce of roasted red peppers, toasted almonds, garlic, tomato, stale bread, and sherry vinegar, pounded together into a rustic paste with smoked paprika and good olive oil.
Ingredients
- roasted red peppers2 large
- blanched almonds60 g
- garlic3 cloves
- ripe tomato1 medium
- stale white bread1 slice
- sherry vinegar1 tbsp
- smoked paprika1 tsp
- extra virgin olive oil60 ml
- saltto taste
Method
- 1Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently, until they are golden and fragrant — about 4–5 minutes. Watch them carefully; they go from golden to burned in seconds. Set aside.
- 2In the same skillet, add a teaspoon of olive oil and fry the bread slice on both sides until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove. Add the whole garlic cloves (unpeeled) and the tomato (halved) to the skillet, cut side down. Cook until the garlic softens and the tomato chars slightly, about 4–5 minutes. Peel the garlic when cool enough to handle.
- 3Combine the roasted peppers, toasted almonds, fried bread (torn into pieces), garlic, tomato (skin removed), smoked paprika, sherry vinegar, and salt in a food processor or mortar.
- 4Pulse or pound until you have a thick, rough paste — not a smooth purée. Traditional romesco has visible texture from the almonds and bread. With the motor running (or while pounding), drizzle in the olive oil gradually until the sauce comes together. It should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
- 5Taste and adjust: it might need more vinegar for sharpness, more salt, or a pinch of cayenne for heat. Transfer to a jar. Romesco keeps refrigerated for up to a week and actually improves after a day as the flavors meld.