Name: Vegan Romesco Sauce
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 roasted red bell peppers (jarred or roasted at 450° for 25-30 min.); 1/4 cup raw cashews or almonds (I prefer cashews, but both are great); 2 tbsp. lemon or red wine vinegar; 2 tbsp. olive oil; 2 cloves garlic; 1/4 tsp. salt, plus more to taste; 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional); 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika (optional for a little added smokiness, but not necessary)

There’s something about the smoky, sweet, garlicky goodness of this Spanish sauce that really hits the spot – and my vegan romesco sauce takes all of 5 minutes to make.

I love romesco because it’s just as perfect in dip form on a crudités platter, as it is as a pasta sauce, as it is drizzled across roasted or grilled veggies (it’s excellent on cauliflower steak or on grilled zucchini). It even works on pizza! Romesco is a fantastic, unexpected sauce you can use when you want to switch it up from marinara or pesto, and while it looks and tastes sophisticated, it couldn’t be easier to make.

While this vegan romesco sauce is excellent using home-roasted bell peppers, I often use the time-saving trick of canned or jarred roasted red peppers, which ends up making this an under 5-minute sauce. You can buy canned roasted peppers at most grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, and Thrive Market sells them, as well. That said, if you’d like to roast your own peppers, I wholeheartedly encourage it! Simply slice the peppers in half, de-seed them, drizzle with olive oil and salt, and roast at 450° for 25-30 minutes.

If you’re in the market for other incredible vegan pasta sauces and dips, be sure to check out my superfood pesto and creamy vegan pasta sauce with plant-based sausage and peas.

Now let’s get into my recipe for the best, easiest, vegan romesco sauce. If you made this at home, I’d so appreciate if you rated and reviewed the recipe – and I’d love to hear how fared (or if you made any of your own adaptations) in the comments section!

With love, Vegan Anj xx

Vegan Romesco Sauce

Recipe by Anjelica Price-Rocha

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: Appetizers, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: SpanishDifficulty: Easy

Total time

minutes

Ingredients

2 roasted red bell peppers (jarred or roasted at 450° for 25-30 min.)
1/4 cup raw cashews or almonds (I prefer cashews, but both are great)
2 tbsp. lemon or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika (optional for a little added smokiness, but not necessary)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Blend on high for about one minute until it reaches your desired consistency (I like to leave mine with some texture from the nuts, but some people prefer it creamier – adjust blending time according to your preferences)!
Use as a dip, pasta sauce, or drizzled across roasted veggies. Enjoy!