This simple romesco sauce tastes amazing on pretty much everything

Have you ever listened to the episode of This American Life where this woman talks about how every single night of her life, until she left for college, her mother served the same dinner – baked chicken. “It was like Monday, chicken. Tuesday, chicken. Wednesday, chicken. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, chicken, chicken chicken, chicken, chicken”. I can’t even imagine that. I’m all about variety, which is why ordering delivery in my house is always an exercise in gluttony – we need ALL THE THINGS! But if I had to eat chicken every night of my life I think it would be ok if I had some sassy sauces to go along with.

A good sauce is like a great accessory – it can change your whole vibe. This one – a super, simple romesco sauce – is where roasted red peppers, meet toasted garlic, nutty almonds, and fruity olive oil for a sauce that’s earthy, slightly smoky, and unmistakably savory. It’s great draped over char-grilled steak, stirred into soup, slathered onto sandwiches, and yes…it’s also amazing on chicken.

So I hope for your sake that you’re not in a food rut, but if you are how about trying a new sauce on for size? You might find that it brings new life to some of your old standbys.

Simple Romesco Sauce

Hi, this is my favorite sauce to make ever because it’s delicious on EVERYTHING. Also I usually have all the ingredients on hand to make it, unlike pesto because my basil is always wilted AF. Sometimes I make my own roasted red peppers (char on stovetop or under broiler until black, pop in a ziplock bag for 15 minutes, scrape off skin and black bits with edge of a knife, remove seeds, ribs and stem), and sometimes I just use the jarred kind. Oh hey, it’s also vegan!

By: Jo

April 18, 2018
2 Cup Servings
10 min
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Ingredients

2 T plus ⅓ C extra virgin olive oil
¼ C raw almonds
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 large slice of white bread (something sturdy like a boule or sourdough, you could even use a few slices of baguette, just not sandwich bread)
2 medium roasted red peppers, seeds and ribs removed
1 T tomato paste
¼ tsp red chili flakes
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 T water
½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Directions

Step 1: Over medium-low heat toast the bread, almonds, and garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until fragrant and light golden brown – about 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender.
Step 2: Pulse 6 or 7 times until everything is roughly chopped.
Step 3: Add red peppers, tomato paste, chili flakes, and red wine vinegar, and process until you have a rough paste. Scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Step 4: With the machine running, stream in the remaining olive oil and water.
Step 5: Season with kosher salt to taste.
Step 6: Serve on toast, with grilled veggies, on scrambled eggs, as a sandwich spread, eat it with a spoon, lick it off your shirt, just do it!