You know that scene in Elf when Buddy meets his dad’s coworker and says, “FranCISco! That’s fun to say!” I always think of that when I make romesco salsa.
Why do I think of Elf while making romesco? Because the word is REALLY fun to say (“roooo-MES-co!”)! But fun aside, romesco salsa is super healthy and pretty fricking tasty.
The sauce gets much of its flavor from roasted red bell peppers. Add in a little garlic, lemon, and crushed red pepper and you get a flavorful topper for fish, poultry, roasted veggies, and eggs.
And P.S.: Romesco salsa also makes a great spread for whole wheat crackers and pita. It literally goes with all the things.
Romesco Salsa
Yields: 10 servings (2 tbsp. per serving)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
• 2 red bell peppers
• 4 tbsp. flaked almonds
• 2 tbsp. olive oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1⁄4 tsp. sea salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. red chili flakes
Directions:
Heat an oven to 500°F (260°C) and line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Roast the peppers (whole) for about 20 minutes, or until nearly blackened on all sides. Remove from the oven and either wrap the peppers in aluminum foil or place them in a sealed bag and allow them to steam for a few minutes.
In the meantime, toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium-low heat, until golden brown. This will take about 5 minutes, take care not to burn the nuts. Set aside.
Now unwrap the peppers and remove and discard the skin, stems, and seeds.
Place the flesh of the peppers into a food processor or blender along with the toasted almonds, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and chili flakes.
Blend until creamy and smooth then taste and adjust the flavorings, adding more lemon, garlic, salt and chili flakes to taste.
Once cooled, store this salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Want a printable version of this recipe, complete with nutrition facts and a scannable MyFitnessPal code? Click here!
Whip up a batch for your weekend meal prep. I’ll bet you find yourself saying the word romesco over and over again, and making this recipe on repeat as well!
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