Your Fall Meal Plan Needs This Easy & Flavorful Sauce

As we wrap up summer, it’s time to say goodbye to pesto, and hello to romesco. Of course, nothing can ever take pesto’s place, but romesco is the perfect fall sauce. Here’s what it is, how to make it, and how to eat it. 

What Is Romesco?

If you’re not already familiar with romesco, it’s a creamy, flavor-filled Spanish sauce traditionally served with seafood. It’s not the most common sauce in our culture. You probably won’t see it on most menus or in grocery stores, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek it out or make your own at home.

It’s made from roasted red bell peppers, nuts, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and spices, but the recipe is flexible enough that you can make it your own. Over the years, I’ve mixed up the type of nuts or swapped them out for seeds; I’ve added  sun dried tomatoes; and I’ve even prepared the red peppers in different ways, cooking them directly over a flame or in the oven.

Regardless of how you make it, it always comes out delicious. So, next time you have red peppers on-hand, instead of throwing them into your weekly stir fry, get a little creative. Roast them and blend them into the perfect fall sauce. 

Get a recipe: Easy Romesco Sauce from Cookie + Kate

Photo Credit: Cookie + Kate

How to Eat Romesco

Here are a few different ideas for serving (and eating) romesco:

• With meat. As a marinade or dipping sauce, it pairs wonderfully with meat. Enjoy it are as a side with steak or slather it all over baked chicken. #yum

• Tossed in pasta. That’s right, tomato isn’t the only red sauce for pasta. Instead of making your favorite pasta with tomato sauce, just replace it with romesco. We love this simple pasta with peas and Romesco sauce.

• As a dip. Give us a bowl of romesco sauce and some crusty bread and we’re happy campers. Or add it to charcuterie boards to add flavor and color. 

• Over fish. While you could eat this sauce with any type of fish, we particularly like it with white fish or shellfish. You can dollop it on top of the fillet or you can mix it into the dish for even more flavor.

• On top of vegetables. We love vegetables, but sometimes they can get redundant. Enter: romesco. Just a drizzle enhances the flavor regardless of how they were prepared. 

• With eggs. The options are endless. You can slather the sauce all over fried eggs or scrambled eggs, bake into a frittata, make it the base for shakshuka, or add it to an egg sandwich. The simple addition will take your breakfast game to another level. 

Pro tip: If you don’t feel like making your own, we also love Haven’s Kitchen Red Pepper Romesco Sauce.