If we can agree on one thing, it’s that we promote the consumption of flavor-packed recipes. A romesco sauce is exactly that: a concentrated, flavorful sauce that has a variety of uses in the kitchen. Consider pesto, for example, which goes great with a variety of ingredients and can function as a sauce or dip. Romesco is similar, in that it is what we like to call: a power condiment.
Romesco is an institution in the Catalonian region of Spain, containing many of the region’s signature flavors. There are most likely numerous variations of this sauce, but they all usually contain tomatoes, garlic, almonds, red peppers, toast bread, smoked paprika, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Some people use it to sauce fish, while others like to use it with vegetables. For the sake of the raw vegan diet, we’ve modified the classic romesco sauce and paired it with raw zucchini noodles.
The great part about this recipe is that it couldn’t be easier to make. As with pesto, you can use a food processor or blender to make this romesco sauce. Alternatively, you can go the old school route and make it in a mortar and pestle. Just keep in mind that going that old school route will result in a more textured sauce, but some argue that it is more flavorful. We’ll leave it up to you to prepare and decide!
- Prep Time:15m
- Total Time:15m
- Serves: 3 servings
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Entrees, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini, spiralized
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 c raw almonds
- 1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp. cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Once you spiralize the zucchini, toss them with the sea salt in a large bowl. The salt will draw out excess water from the zucchini.
- Allow for 10 minutes before draining any excess water and pat zucchini noodles dry with paper towels.
- While the salt is drawing out the excess water, add the remaining ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to stop blending, scrape down the sides of the processor, and continue blending to fully incorporate the ingredients.
- Plate the zucchini noodles and top with enough romesco sauce to coat them. Enjoy!
