Sweet and Smoky Romesco Sauce

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< 1 min read
Summary

Have you thought about the magic of plants? In this recipe, peppers, almonds, hazelnuts, along with some flavorful spices, magically transform into a beautiful sweet and smoky sauce that can be used on top of legume pasta, grain bowls, or as a tasty vegetable dip. Enjoy this sauce knowing that it’s chock-full of fiber, vitamin C, plant-based protein, and healthy plant-based fats.

Yields4 ServingsPrep Time30 minsCook Time30 minsTotal Time1 hr

Ingredients

 5 large red bell peppers
 ½ cup almonds (raw, unsalted)
 ½ cup hazelnuts (raw, unsalted)
 2 cloves garlic (medium)
 ¼ tsp smoked paprika
 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
 ½ medium lemon (juiced)

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

2

Wash the peppers and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet (keep them whole).

3

Bake them for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the pan from the oven (the pan will be very hot!) and flip the peppers so they roast evenly.

4

Roast for an additional 10 minutes.

5

Remove from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, transfer the peppers to a large bowl, and cover it with a lid or plate that fits the bowl so the steam does not escape. This helps to cook them further and will make it easier to peel away the skin.

6

While the peppers are steaming, bake the hazelnuts and almonds at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove the nuts from the oven and let cool.

7

After the peppers have steamed for about 10 minutes, remove the plate or lid and let the peppers cool before removing the pepper skins, stems, and seeds.

8

Once the nuts have cooled, remove the hazelnut skins (as much as possible, but they don’t have to be perfectly removed).

9

In a food processor, blend the garlic, hazelnuts, and almonds until the nuts are a fine consistency.

10

Add the peppers, paprika, sherry vinegar, and lemon juice.

11

Blend until smooth.

12

Taste for additional seasoning.

Chef's Notes

Substitutions
Use large red tomatoes in place of half of the bell peppers.

Instead of fresh garlic use ¼–½ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Instead of smoked paprika use hot paprika if you prefer spicy and not smoked, or use sweet paprika if you prefer sweet over smoked.

If you don’t have hazelnuts, use additional almonds.

In place of sherry vinegar, use red wine vinegar.

How to use romesco sauce
Add it to grain bowls.

Use it as a dip for vegetables.

Use it in place of pasta sauce.

Add it to grilled tofu or tempeh.

Use it as a dip for baked potatoes or chickpea fries.

Add to mushroom or cauliflower tacos.

Ingredients

 5 large red bell peppers
 ½ cup almonds (raw, unsalted)
 ½ cup hazelnuts (raw, unsalted)
 2 cloves garlic (medium)
 ¼ tsp smoked paprika
 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
 ½ medium lemon (juiced)

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

2

Wash the peppers and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet (keep them whole).

3

Bake them for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the pan from the oven (the pan will be very hot!) and flip the peppers so they roast evenly.

4

Roast for an additional 10 minutes.

5

Remove from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, transfer the peppers to a large bowl, and cover it with a lid or plate that fits the bowl so the steam does not escape. This helps to cook them further and will make it easier to peel away the skin.

6

While the peppers are steaming, bake the hazelnuts and almonds at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove the nuts from the oven and let cool.

7

After the peppers have steamed for about 10 minutes, remove the plate or lid and let the peppers cool before removing the pepper skins, stems, and seeds.

8

Once the nuts have cooled, remove the hazelnut skins (as much as possible, but they don’t have to be perfectly removed).

9

In a food processor, blend the garlic, hazelnuts, and almonds until the nuts are a fine consistency.

10

Add the peppers, paprika, sherry vinegar, and lemon juice.

11

Blend until smooth.

12

Taste for additional seasoning.

Notes

Sweet and Smoky Romesco Sauce