Romesco Dip (Gluten-Free)
Are you looking for an easy yet delicious sauce to enhance various dishes? This romesco dip recipe is perfect for that! It’s a rich, robust, and quick spread, dip or sauce that’s ideal for storing in your fridge and enjoying throughout the week.
It only requires a few simple ingredients — roasted red bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, blanched almonds, smoked paprika, and a touch of olive oil. The perfect throw together flavour booster.
It can be used as a spread on sandwiches, burgers, grilled veggies or plant protein, or simply enjoyed with some fresh vegetables and crackers as a dip.

Where is romesco sauce from?
Romesco sauce (or salsa romesco) is a traditional Spanish dish that originates from the Catalonia region. The sauce typically consists of roasted peppers that had been rehydrated from dry, tomatoes, garlic, toasted bread and almonds or hazelnuts.
It is generally served as an antipasto, accompaniment to meat and fish dishes, and the most popular way to have it is with calçots. A green onion (typical to Catalonia) that are roasted over an open fire until their outer layer is completely charred. This layer is then removed, and the softer inner part is dipped into romesco sauce.
Salsa romesco has been brought into the mainstream and adapted by many. My version is the cheat’s version using more accessible ingredients since you’d typically find Spanish dried peppers (mainly ñora peppers) in it that have been rehydrated instead of the roasted red bell peppers. You’ll also normally roast the garlic and tomatoes.
What does romesco sauce taste like?
Romesco sauce has a consistency a bit like a cross between salsa and pesto. It’s rich, slightly sweet, and a bit smokey with body.
It comes down to personal preference and what equipment you use to make it. You can make it chunky and textured (like I have) or silky smooth. Traditionally, a mortar and pestle is used to pound the ingredients and make a chunkier spread that uses toasted bread as the thickener.
However, a food processor is more practical with such a large quantity of ingredients.
I’ve also decided to make this recipe gluten-free so that it’s more suitable for those that follow a gluten-free lifestyle.
I love recipes like this one because it’s totally adaptable and versatile. You can alter it to your liking and make it your own!
What do you eat with romesco?
This spread or dip can be used in a wide variety of ways! Here are a few suggestions:
- Tossed through pasta
- Spread on bread for a sandwich or burger
- Use as dip with veggies and crackers
- Smeared on grilled vegetables, tofu or skewers
- On the side of gibanica instead of ajvar
- Added to Buddha bowls
- Serve it as tapas or on a platter
- On top of roasted potatoes
- As part of a canape for the perfect flavour enhancer
- On top of a breakfast skillet (download our free breakfast ebook for the recipe)
What is romesco dip made of?
As I mentioned earlier, each region and recipe is slightly different, even in Catalonia! Since this sauce has gained popularity globally, it has veered slightly from the traditional Spanish version. I wanted to create a recipe for this sauce that is approachable as its number one priority.
Here are the ingredients you’ll find in my salsa romesco:
- Garlic cloves
- Blanched almonds
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Roasted red peppers – I used the ones in a jar, however you can roast them yourself
- Sundried tomatoes
- Paprika (preferably Spanish)
- Salt
That’s it! Only a handful of ingredients give you maximum flavour.
One of my favourite things to do is make a big batch of romesco sauce and keep it in the fridge for adding to enhance quick meals all week long.
I’d love to know how you use this sauce in the comments below!
Other recipes you’ll love:
- Chunky Beetroot & Ginger Dip
- How To Make Hummus From Scratch Using Dried Chickpeas
- 20-Minute Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta
- Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus Toast with Asparagus
- Vegan Walnut Pesto
If you try this recipe, let me know! We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest.
PrintRomesco Dip (Gluten-Free)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1½ cups
Description
This romesco dip is a rich, robust, and quick spread that’s perfect for storing in your fridge and enjoying throughout the week to enhance any meal! Perfect for dipping, spreading on bread or grilled vegetables, and tossing through pasta.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 7 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed with the side of your knife
- ½ cup / 80g blanched almonds
- 1 cup / 150g roasted red bell peppers,* drained (about 3 medium peppers)
- 2/3 cup / 90g sun-dried tomatoes, drained (about 10–12 halves)
- 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked sweet paprika* (Pimenton)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon salt (season to taste)
Instructions
- Heat a small skillet on medium-high heat, and add the olive oil, garlic and blanched almonds. Toast them until they become golden, tossing them around the pan to spread the heat evenly. Make sure you watch it as it can turn very quickly.
- Transfer them to a food processor along with the bell peppers, tomatoes, paprika, salt (start with a smaller amount and adjust later if needed), and 3-4 tablespoons of cold water. Blend until you’ve reached your desired consistency. You can continue until it’s completely smooth. I like mine chunky, so I stopped when there was still texture to the dip.
Notes
Bell peppers: Try to find roasted peppers in a jar preserved in either olive oil and vinegar or, even better, just with olive oil. A little bit of acidity is fine. If you happen to roast your peppers, which is the tastiest option or use ones that are only preserved in olive oil – add ½ teaspoon of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar to the dip before blending.
Make sure you buy both the red bell peppers and sun-dried tomatoes without herbs or spices (flavourings), as this will completely alter the flavour.
Paprika: If you can’t get your hands on the Spanish Pimenton paprika, mix ½ teaspoon sweet paprika and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and use that instead.
Storage: This dip will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Want a little bit of heat? You can play around with this recipe to make it your own. If you like heat, you can add some cayenne pepper or chilli powder to add that extra kick.
- Diet: Vegan