Romesco Sauce

This Catalan-style romesco balances blistered peppers and tomatoes with toasted nuts, crisp bread, sherry vinegar, and olive oil.

60 min

8 servings

Ingredients

2 large red bell peppers

2 medium ripe tomatoes

1/2 cup blanched almonds

1 slice rustic bread, about 1 oz

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Rimmed baking pan · Dry skillet · Food processor · Mixing bowl

Keep its texture

Pulse in short bursts and stop while small nut and pepper flecks remain visible.

Set it out

Serve as a spoonable sauce alongside grilled vegetables, bread, or other simply cooked foods.

01. Heat the oven to 450 F with a rack in the upper third; foil on the pan makes the vegetable juices easier to collect.

02. Toast almonds in a dry skillet until fragrant, then toast the bread on both sides until crisp; cool before blending.

03. Roast peppers and tomatoes until skins blister and tomatoes slump, turning the peppers once for even charring.

04. Cover hot peppers so steam loosens the skins, then cool the vegetables until they are easy to handle.

05. Peel and seed peppers, peel tomatoes, and keep their soft flesh and clear roasting juices.

06. Pulse crisp bread, almonds, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper to coarse crumbs; this toasted base gives the sauce body.

07. Pulse in the vegetables and vinegar, then stream in oil until the mixture is spoonable but still coarse.

08. Let the sauce stand so its smoky, tangy, rich flavors settle together; stir before serving.