Spanish Romesco Red Pepper Vegetable Marinade
A silky Spanish romesco sauce with roasted red peppers, toasted almonds, and sherry vinegar that transforms fresh vegetables into a vibrant, tangy side dish. The nutty, slightly smoky flavor develops as vegetables marinate, making it perfect for entertaining or meal prep.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Wait
- 4 hr
- Total
- 4 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 1½ cups marinade (enough for 1½ lbs vegetables)
Steps
Before you start
- If roasting fresh red peppers, do so at least 1 hour ahead and allow to cool completely
- Have all vegetables prepped and ready to combine with the marinade
- Use a glass or ceramic container for marinating—aluminum reacts with vinegar and will impart a metallic taste
Toast the almonds
- In a skillet (8–10 inch) over medium heat, toast the sliced almonds for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and light golden in color.
- Transfer to a plate to cool for 2–3 minutes.
- Be careful not to over-toast, as the almonds will continue cooking slightly even after removing from heat.
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Ready when: Almonds are light golden and fragrant
Tip: Watch almonds carefully—they can burn quickly and taste bitter if over-toasted
Drain the roasted peppers
- If using jarred roasted red peppers, pour them into a colander and drain well, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to remove excess liquid.
- Pat dry with paper towels if they are very wet.
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Ready when: Peppers are no longer dripping liquid
Tip: Excess liquid in the peppers will dilute the marinade, making it watery instead of coating the vegetables properly
Blend the romesco sauce
- In a food processor, combine the cooled toasted almonds, drained roasted red peppers, peeled garlic cloves, sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.
- Pulse 10–12 times until the mixture is finely chopped but still slightly textured, not completely smooth.
- With the processor running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the sauce reaches a thick, pourable consistency.
- Taste and season with salt, adjusting to your preference.
- The sauce should be slightly grainy with visible flecks of almond and pepper.
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Ready when: Sauce is slightly textured and grainy, with olive oil fully incorporated
Tip: Don't over-blend—a slightly textured sauce is more authentic and interesting than a completely smooth puree
Prepare the vegetables
- Cut your chosen vegetables into uniform ¾-inch pieces or batons.
- Zucchini and bell peppers work well cut into batons; mushrooms and eggplant can be cut into chunks.
- If using eggplant, lightly salt the pieces and let them sit in a colander for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry with paper towels.
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Ready when: All vegetables are cut to uniform size
Tip: Uniform sizing ensures even marinating; avoid cutting vegetables too small or they'll become mushy and fall apart
Combine and marinate
- In a glass or ceramic bowl or airtight container (3–4 quart), combine the prepared vegetables and romesco sauce, tossing gently with a rubber spatula to coat all pieces evenly.
- Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight (12–24 hours), for flavors to fully develop.
- Stir occasionally, especially in the first 1–2 hours, to ensure even distribution of sauce.
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Ready when: Vegetables are softened and well-coated with sauce; flavors are complex and well-distributed
Tip: Overnight marinating develops deeper, more complex flavors; at minimum, 4 hours is required for the sauce to properly coat the vegetables
Good to know
Tips
- Toast the almonds just until fragrant and light golden—over-toasting makes them bitter, astringent, and unpleasant
- A slightly textured romesco is more authentic and appealing than a completely smooth puree; pulsing rather than blending smoothly preserves that appealing grainy texture
- Serve the marinated vegetables at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before eating to bring out the full flavor and mellow the acidity of the vinegar
- This marinade is excellent with firm vegetables like mushrooms, eggplant, and fennel; softer produce like zucchini will soften faster and become more tender than firmer vegetables
Make ahead
Make the romesco marinade up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. Prepare vegetables separately and add to the marinade the day before serving for optimal flavor development.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight glass or ceramic container for up to 5–7 days. Vegetables will gradually soften but remain flavorful and delicious. Freezer: Not recommended, as marinated vegetables become mushy when thawed. Serve the marinated vegetables chilled directly from the refrigerator, or let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving to bring out the full flavor of the marinade.
Substitutions
- sherry vinegar → red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar. These are slightly more acidic; start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste, as they can overpower if too much is used
- blanched sliced almonds → toasted hazelnuts or walnuts, roughly chopped. Hazelnuts add richness and subtle earthiness; walnuts are more assertive and slightly bitter
- smoked paprika → sweet paprika or regular paprika. Sweet paprika will give a milder, less smoky flavor; start with ½ teaspoon and adjust to taste
- roasted red peppers, jarred → fresh red peppers, roasted and peeled. Char whole peppers over a gas flame or under a hot broiler until blackened, place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes to steam, then rub away the charred skin with damp fingers
