Not Just for the Fish…
A Bit of History
Traditional Romesco sauce hails from the Catalonia region of Spain, known as Tarragona. Originally, fisherman concocted this sauce to accompany their daily catch. Using a mortar and pestle, the locals ground stale bread, almonds or hazelnuts, roasted tomatoes, garlic, and Nyroa red peppers with olive oil. Nyroa peppers, sweet with a ton of flavor, are more commonly used than chili peppers in Spanish cuisine. Similar to paella, every region and local village in Spain follows a slightly different recipe. My Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe adheres to this tradition by incorporating locally grown peanuts and sweet red peppers.
About the Recipe: Easy Romesco Sauce
Easy, versatile recipes that taste fabulous with a variety of foods are my favorites. Romesco sauce requires just two easy steps: roasting and blending! I wanted to incorporate local flavors and ingredients for this sauce. Therefore, in lieu of almonds, I used local peanuts in my recipe for a wonderful and unique flavor.
I love making a big batch of Romesco sauce and storing containers of it in the freezer. During the hectic week, it is wonderful to pull out a jar of homemade sauce for a quick dinner. Romesco sauce tastes great over pasta, as a dip for a variety of vegetables including air fried potatoes and cauliflower, or with my Green Garlic Risotto Crackers. We also love to spread Romesco sauce on sandwiches and wraps; the possibilities are endless!
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The gorgeous peppers, tomatoes, and Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe were provided by Rainbow Packaging Corporation, locally harvested and delivered the same day!
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Easy Romesco Sauce with a Southern Twist
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 4 large tomatoes, sliced in half
- 2 large red bell peppers, seeds removed and sliced in half
- 1/4 cup peanuts (raw and unsalted)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar
- salt to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste
- 3 oz. day old bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place prepared tomatoes and peppers on a lined baking tray.
- Place peanuts In a separate container or tray for roasting.
- Roast peanuts for 10-15 minutes until beginning to brown and remove from oven.
- Continue roasting vegetables until charred about 25-30 minutes total.
- Transfer peanuts and roasted vegetables to a blender.
- Add garlic, balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of red pepper, and bread to the blender. Process until smooth.
- Taste and add more salt and red pepper if needed. To further thicken sauce add more bread if desired.