Romesco Sauce and Cauliflower Steaks

By American Vinegar Works

Top-down view of roasted cauliflower on romesco sauce with hazelnuts and parsley on a white plate

Why These Romesco Sauce Recipes Work Best

Romesco is a legendary Spanish sauce from Catalonia featuring a rich base of roasted almonds and tomatoes. We provide two distinct versions: an Authentic Nuanced Version using slow-roasted Roma tomatoes and Nora peppers for traditionalists, and a Fast & Flavorful Version that uses jarred roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes to deliver a smoky profile in just 5 minutes. Both rely on California Sherry Wine Vinegar, opens in a new tab to provide the essential nutty acidity that balances the richness of the almonds and olive oil.

Romesco is perhaps the most versatile sauce in the Mediterranean pantry. Originating in the fishing villages of Catalonia, it was originally designed to accompany the daily catch. Today, it serves as a sophisticated companion to roasted vegetables—specifically Cauliflower Steaks—eggs, pasta, and grilled meats.

Choosing Your Method: Tradition vs. Speed

The soul of an authentic Romesco is the Nora pepper, a small, round dried pepper that must be rehydrated and scraped for its sweet, earthy "meat." If you have the time, the slow-roasted version offers an unmatched depth of flavor. However, for a weeknight meal, our pantry-friendly version uses smoked paprika and sun-dried tomatoes to mimic that complexity without the hour-long wait.

Ingredients That Matter

  • California Sherry Wine Vinegar, opens in a new tab: This is non-negotiable for Romesco. Its barrel-aged complexity mimics the traditional Spanish vinegars used in Catalonia.
  • Roasted Almonds: Provides the signature texture and nutty undertone.
  • Cornstarch (for Cauliflower): A light dusting before searing creates a crispy, golden "steak" exterior that stands up to the thick sauce.

Steps for the Perfect Romesco & Cauliflower

  • Scraping the Nora Peppers (Authentic): After soaking your Nora peppers for an hour, discard the seeds and skins. Use a paring knife to carefully scrape the "meat" from the inside of the skin—this paste is the secret to an authentic deep-red sauce.
  • The Pantry Emulsion (Fast): When making the 5-minute version, blend all ingredients except the olive oil first. Stream the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in at the end to create a creamy, stable emulsion.
  • The "Steak" Technique: To prevent cauliflower from falling apart, leave a portion of the core intact when cutting your 1-inch slices. The core holds the florets together, ensuring a high-impact visual presentation.
  • The Cornstarch Sear: Dust your cauliflower steaks with cornstarch and salt, shaking off the excess. Sear in a hot pan for 5 minutes per side before finishing in the oven. This creates a "crunch" that contrasts beautifully with the silky Romesco.

FAQs About Romesco Sauce

How long does homemade Romesco sauce last in the fridge?

Romesco sauce holds its flavor beautifully and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

What is a good substitute for Nora peppers?

While Nora peppers are traditional, a high-quality jar of roasted red peppers combined with a teaspoon of smoked paprika is the best functional substitute for a similar flavor profile.

Is Romesco sauce vegan and gluten-free?

Our recipe is naturally vegan. To make it gluten-free, simply substitute the slice of bread for a gluten-free toasted bread or increase the quantity of almonds slightly to maintain the thickness.

Which vinegar to use, and why

Romesco is nuts, peppers and sherry vinegar. Swap the vinegar for something sharper and it stops being romesco. We use American Barrel California Sherry Vinegar here. It is slow-fermented and aged in oak at our mill in Worcester, Massachusetts, which is why it seasons the dish rather than just souring it.

Make it ahead and keep it

It keeps covered in the fridge and the flavor settles overnight, which usually improves it.

What to cook next

Try Finishing Sauces with Vinegar, or browse all our vinegar recipes. If you have not cooked with craft vinegar before, a mini bottle sampler set lets you taste across the range before committing to a full-size bottle. Orders over $85 ship free within the contiguous US.

Related products

California Sherry Vinegar bottle front view — artisanal sherry vinegar

American Barrel California Sherry Vinegar

Prices: From $13.00

- go to product california sherry barrel aged vinegar

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Romesco Sauce

American Vinegar Works

Servings

2–4 People

Prep Time

1 hours 15 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Cuisine

Spanish (Catalan)

Category

Sauce / Main

Romesco is an iconic Spanish sauce originating from the Catalonia region, known for its rich base of almonds and tomatoes flavored with peppers, olive oil, and Sherry vinegar. This guide offers two ways to prepare it: a traditional, nuanced version involving slow-roasted vegetables and Nora peppers, and a "fast" pantry-friendly version that delivers a smokier profile in just minutes. Paired here with a crispy, cornstarch-dusted cauliflower steak, it makes for a sophisticated vegetarian starter or main.

Romesco Sauce

Ingredients

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    • 4 fresh Roma tomatoes, washed with core tip removed

    • Half of a garlic head, unpeeled

    • 4 dry Nora peppers (can be found in Spanish specialty stores or online)

    • 1 small clove of garlic, raw and peeled- cut in half

    • 1 slice of stale or toasted bread broken into pieces

    • 1/3 cup of roasted, unsalted almonds

    • 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of AVW California Sherry Wine Vinegar

    • 3 tablespoons of AVW Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

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    • Roasted Red Peppers, drained (16-ounce jar)

    • 1 to 2 medium cloves of garlic, raw and peeled- cut in half

    • 1 slice of stale or toasted bread broken into pieces

    • 1/2 cup of roasted, unsalted almonds

    • 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of AVW California Sherry Wine Vinegar

    • ¼ cup of sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained)

    • 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (ideally hot—if you cannot find hot smoked paprika then add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper)

    • 3 tablespoons of water

    • ¼ cup of AVW Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

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    • Cauliflower cut into 1” thick steak

    • 2 tablespoons of cornstarch

    • Black pepper

    • Sea Salt

    • 3 tablespoons of AVW Extra Virgin Olive Oil, more for drizzling

    • 2 tablespoons of chopped, roasted, unsalted hazelnuts

    • 1 tablespoon of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley

    Directions

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      1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

      2. Place tomatoes and garlic on foil on a baking sheet and cook in oven for 50 to 60 minutes

      3. Soak Nora peppers in very hot water for about an hour. Be sure to weigh them down or push them down regularly to allow water to completely soak the peppers

      4. Once cool to touch, peel tomato skins by hand—should come off very easily.  Gently so as not to squeeze out the liquid. Discard skins.

      5. Remove the water, tops and seeds from the soaked nora peppers and discard.  You are going to be left with what looks just like the skin of a pepper.  It is not—there is flavor there!

      6. Take a paring knife and carefully scrape off the inside “meat” from the skins of the pepper. It should pull away easily and leave behind a wax-like pepper skin. Discard skins.

      7. Carefully cut the top off of the roasted garlic head.  You are going to squeeze out the roasted garlic in the next step. Discard the skins.

      8. Assemble all the ingredients except the olive oil in a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend thoroughly.

      9. Add the olive oil and blend again.

      10. Season with additional salt, oil and vinegar as needed.

      11. Here is an image of Version 1 (Traditional) on the left. Version 2 (Faster) is on the right of the plate.

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      1. Assemble all the ingredients

      2. Add all the ingredients except the olive oil to a high-powered blender or food processor

      3. Blend smooth

      4. Season with additional salt, oil and vinegar as needed.

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      1. Pre heat over to 450 degrees

      2. Cut cauliflower steak to 1” thick.  Remove only a small part of the core base after cutting steak (so it doesn’t fall apart on you and keeps the high impact steak visual)

      3. Mix corn starch, salt, black pepper in a plate and dust the cauliflower steak with it.  Shake off the excess

      4. Add olive oil to a hot stove top pan at medium heat.  Cook steak for about 5 minutes per side until brown.  Transfer to baking sheet and cook in the oven about an additional 9 minutes.

      5. To plate, spread a few large spoonfuls of Romesco sauce on a plate. Carefully put the cauliflower steak on top. Spread chopped hazelnuts and chopped parsley on top.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over. Serve
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