1-Minute Romesco Sauce

Romesco is a scrappy Spanish sauce that you should know and love. Traditionally made with stale, toasted bread and blackened vegetables, it brings an earthy, sweet flavor to everything it touches. This shortcut version relies on store-bought staples to provide the same craveable flavor with much less fuss.

Romesco is delicious as a dip for crackers and raw vegetables, and it pairs particularly well with grilled foods and seafood. It instantly elevates steamed or grilled vegetables, and can dress salads and grain bowls to make them more vibrant and exciting. Here’s how to make the easiest romesco ever.

If you think of romesco as a smoky red pepper pesto, you’ll have no problem finding an excuse to keep it on hand. You can meal prep this sauce and eat it throughout the week, or make a batch just for the few recipes below.

Jarred roasted red peppers in olive oil are the primary ingredient here. Blending the whole jar would be a delicious sauce alone, but adding a bit of almond butter and paprika gives the finished sauce body and a bit more smoky flavor.

• How To Make a Whole Roasted Cauliflower
• Whole Grilled Branzino
• Recipe: Farro Bowl with Crispy Salmon and Toasted Sesame Spinach