Pantry Ingredients Are All You Need for This Smoky, Romesco-Inspired Sauce

This smoky red pepper sauce is perfect for spooning over crisp roasted potatoes. (Lynda Balslev for Tastefood)

A good sauce is a cook’s magic wand. It’s a trick up the sleeve, so to speak, for jazzing up all sorts of meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables, while also multitasking as a spread for sandwiches or a dollop for eggs, rice, and even soups. And it’s a definite keeper when it can be plunked into a bowl and called a dip, to boot. Romesco sauce is one such sauce.

Romesco is a smoky Catalonian tomato sauce, hailing from Tarragona, Spain. It’s a blend of roasted tomatoes and garlic, dried chile pepper, almonds, olive oil, and sherry vinegar, often thickened with bread. As homemade traditions go, there are variations from cook to cook, but the bottom line is it’s a chunky, fruity, piquant sauce with just a hint of heat that checks all the boxes listed above.

Crushed tomatoes and smoky spices are pantry-friendly stand-ins for the roasted tomatoes of a traditional romesco sauce.(BrandonKleinPhoto/Shutterstock)

So romesco was the sauce that came to mind the other night when I craved a smoky red sauce to ladle over a platter of crispy golden potatoes. However, as real life often dictates—especially on a frigid weeknight, in an icy storm, and decidedly not in Spain—my Catalonian vision was relegated to the kitchen pantry and spice drawer for homemade improvisation. Crushed tomatoes, jarred roasted peppers, a generous sprinkling of spice, and a splash of sherry vinegar morphed into this sauce. We shall not call it a romesco sauce, since it is not. However, it was a romesco-inspired smoky red pepper sauce, and a delicious addition to the crispy potatoes. And, I dare say, it would make a great dip.

Roasted Potatoes With Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes plus cooling time for the sauce; 45 minutes for the potatoes

For the Sauce Makes about 2 cups

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (8-ounce jar) roasted red peppers, about 4 peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 cup (8 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

For the Potatoes

• 1 1/2 pounds small yellow potatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the paprika, cumin, and coriander, and then the tomato paste. Continue to stir to toast the ingredients, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir in the peppers, tomatoes, vinegar, honey, and salt. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to meld the flavors. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to achieve a slightly chunky salsa consistency. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the parsley, and cool to room temperature.

While the sauce is cooling, prepare the potatoes. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the potatoes, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking tray, cut sides down. Roast in the oven until golden brown and tender, about 40 minutes, turning once. Serve the potatoes with the sauce.