Vibrant Green Romesco Sauce for Grilled Meats & Veggies
Looking for a new sauce, dip or condiment? Green romesco is this summer’s star. It offers bold green flavours from roasted green peppers, parsley and chilli, with a smooth almond base and a gentle cumin warmth. Use it to brighten grilled meats, roasted vegetables, sandwiches, salads and more.
If green romesco is the Hulk, the classic red romesco is the original superhero. Red romesco is slightly sweeter and smokier, made with roasted red peppers and paprika, and just as versatile — from sauce-laden gnocchi to whole roasted cauliflower. Both versions are incredibly adaptable and can lift simple meals into something special.
Condiments become especially important as the weather warms. We tend to eat more salads, grill more, and generally favour dishes that need little oven time but still benefit from bright, concentrated flavour. A spoonful of a well-made sauce can transform a minimal plate into a memorable one.
I’m a big fan of pesto, creamy dips, vibrant dressings and quick salsas. Those kinds of recipes are a favourite because they:
- are quick and simple to assemble,
- require minimal hot stove time, and
- add a big flavour boost to otherwise plain ingredients.
This green romesco is currently my go-to condiment for the season — versatile, fresh and robust.
What is romesco sauce?
Green romesco might sound like a variation, and it is — the traditional romesco from Catalonia is red, but the method is the same. Both rely on slow-roasted peppers and nuts blended into a rich sauce. The green version swaps red peppers for green ones and relies on herbs for a fresher, more herbaceous profile.
Classic romesco is built from roasted peppers pureed with olive oil, vinegar and nuts — typically almonds — resulting in a thick, flavourful sauce. Red romesco leans sweet and smoky; the green version is fragrant and grassy with notes of parsley, bitter green pepper, green chilli and a touch of cumin for warmth. The original Catalan sauce was intended for white fish, but both colours of romesco now accompany fish, meats, vegetables and grains with equal success.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Use pointed green peppers where possible — they have thinner skin and roast down quickly.
- Green bell peppers are a perfectly fine and accessible substitute if needed.
- Roasting times vary by pepper type and size; check at about 30 minutes to avoid overrunning.
- Peppers are done when soft and collapsed — roughly 30 minutes for pointed peppers, 40–45 minutes for bell peppers.
- One green chilli gives a pleasant warmth; increase the amount to suit your heat preference.
What goes with it
Red romesco pairs especially well with white meats and firm fish. The green romesco’s herbaceous, grassy character is a great match for richer, more robust proteins such as grilled pork tenderloin or a flame-grilled steak — think of it as a thicker chimichurri. It also works beautifully with eggs, roasted or new potatoes, as a dipping sauce for fries or as a condiment alongside whole roasted vegetables.
Vegetarian options shine with this sauce as well: try it drizzled over roasted cauliflower or spread inside a grilled halloumi burger for instant elevation. It’s equally good spooned into sandwiches, mixed into pasta, or used as a vibrant finishing sauce for grain bowls.
Serve red or green romesco at room temperature or straight from the fridge. The flavours develop even more after a day in the refrigerator, so it’s an excellent make-ahead condiment.
Storage and leftovers
This vibrant green pepper sauce stores well and is handy to have on hand. Make a larger batch and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. The flavours will continue to ripen, and the chilli note will often become more pronounced after sitting for a day.
More condiments from the Mediterranean
- Smoky baba ganoush
- Muhammara
- Classic hummus with roasted za’atar chickpea topping
- Tuscan kale pesto
Green Romesco Sauce
Ingredients
- 350g / 12oz green peppers, not spicy
- 1 green chilli
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for roasting)
- 50g / 1/2 cup almonds
- 50g / 2oz parsley, leaves and stems
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 4 tbsp olive oil (for blending)
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Arrange the whole green peppers and the green chilli on a roasting pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and roast for 30–40 minutes until the peppers are soft and collapsed. Thin-skinned pointed peppers will roast in about 30 minutes; green bell peppers may take 40–45 minutes. Check at the 30-minute mark.
- Remove the peppers from the oven, cover them with a kitchen towel and allow them to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel them if you prefer, or leave the skins on, but remove the seeds and stems.
- Place the roasted green peppers and chilli in a food processor with the almonds, parsley (stems and leaves), sherry vinegar, cumin, 4 tablespoons of olive oil and salt. Process until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning or chilli level as needed. Set aside until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 6 g |
Protein: 3 g |
Fat: 16 g
Vitamin C: 59 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
We’d love to hear how it turned out.