Only 5 minutes to make an easy roasted red pepper romesco sauce without nuts, and gluten-free. Made with sunflower seeds and hemp hearts, this versatile sauce is perfect for seafood, chicken, roasted vegetables, pasta and more! It's bold, zippy and delicious!

Save This Recipe 💌
This is the best nut-free romesco sauce with roasted red pepper recipe! Bursting with bold flavors and made with simple pantry staples, this nut-free and gluten-free sauce is ready in no time.
Whether you're dressing up grilled veggies, adding flair to pasta, or baked salmon, elevating your sandwiches, dolloping it into bowls, or using it as a great dip, this versatile sauce will become a staple in your kitchen.
If you’re not familiar with romesco sauce, it’s a vibrant red pepper and roasted tomato sauce that originated in Catalonia. Traditional recipes include some combination of roasted tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, chiles, and often bread crumbs, but there’s no one way to make romesco sauce.
This vegan twist on a classic romesco sauce comes together in minutes and it's the most flavorful sauce. Romesco sauce should definitely be in your summer recipe rotation.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Easy Recipe
- Allergy friendly: nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo.
- Forgiving: add a little more or a little less of each ingredient to fit your taste with this not-so-classic Spanish sauce. Roast your own red bell peppers instead of using jarred. Use fire-roasted tomatoes. Swap the seeds for nuts if you prefer.
- Versatile: spoon this easy romesco sauce on grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, pasta, eggs, or potatoes. A little goes a long way in adding bold flavor to any dish.
- Leftovers: make the perfect tasty snack to be enjoyed with raw vegetables or smeared on a sandwich.
Serve this simple versatile sauce with Roasted Turkey Breast, roasted chicken, Homemade Sloppy Joes, Vegan Chickpea Veggie Burgers or Balsamic Baked Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. It also goes well with Roasted Root Vegetables and seafood. For an easy recipe, roast this Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon Romesco for dinner tonight!
Recipe Ingredients And Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make romesco sauce without nuts:
Ingredient Notes:
- Jarred roasted red peppers makes a great shortcut and is easily found at your grocery store. Or, roast or grill your own red bell pepper, taking care to remove seeds and charred skins before blending.
- Roma tomatoes work well since they're not too juicy. Or swap plum tomatoes or any other tomato you have on hand. If super juicy, remove seeds before processing. Or, swap with ¼ cup fire roasted tomatoes.
- Sunflower seeds and hemp heart are a perfect alternative if you have nut allergies or special diets. If nuts aren't an issue, swap for pine nuts, sliced almonds, toasted almonds, or pumpkin seeds.
- Flat-leaf parsley or Italian parsley has a peppery taste that compliments the romesco sauce. Add to the sauce or as a garnish.
- Fresh lemon juice for tangy, zingy flavor. Or use sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar or rice vinegar.
- Smoked paprika gives a great smoky flavor to the easy romesco sauce recipe. Use sweet paprika for a milder version. Or, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to give this sauce some heat!
See recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Easy Romesco Sauce Without Nuts
This sauce can be made in a food processor or blender in 5 minutes!
Step 1: Add roasted red peppers, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt and smoked paprika to a food processor or high speed blender.
Step 2: Pulse, scraping sides down as needed, until desired texture. You can leave it a little chunky or continue to blend until completely smooth.
Step 3: Serve hot or cold with seafood, chicken, roasted vegetables, eggs, pasta and more!
Expert Tips And Variations
- Toast seeds for a mild nutty flavor.
- Roast or grill your own peppers, remove seeds and skin before adding to food processor. You'll need 2 red peppers. You can roast the tomatoes too!
- Sun dried tomatoes can add more depth to the sauce, you'll need 2-3 sun dried tomatoes. If dehydrated (not packed in oil), reconstitute by soaking in warm water for 10 minutes.
Common Questions
Romesco sauce (salsa romesco), originating from Spain's Catalan region, is a Spanish roasted red pepper sauce with a robust flavor. It's used as a delicious sauce, spread, or dip to add flavor to a variety of dishes. It's traditionally made with roasted red peppers, paprika, garlic, chopped whole almonds, and vinegar. In my nut-free version, I've swapped the nuts for hemp seeds and sunflower seeds, blending them with jarred roasted bell peppers and fresh tomatoes for convenience and taste.
Romesco sauce is super versatile. The traditional recipe was served with fish, chicken or beef. However, the sauce is so flavorful I enjoy it on pizza, tacos and roasted vegetables. Find your favorite ways like a romesco dip with your favorite raw veggies, in a sandwich or with zucchini noodles. Perfect for summer meals!
Storage Tips
This simple nut-free romesco sauce can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Perfect for meal prep!
More Summer Recipes You'll Love
Recipe
Romesco Sauce Without Nuts
Equipment
- 1 food processor or high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 2 medium roma tomatoes
- ½ cup (67 grams) sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup (50 grams) hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds)
- ¼ cup (54 grams) extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (15 grams) fresh flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar)
- 2 small garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Add roasted red peppers, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt and smoked paprika to a food processor or high-speed blender.
- Pulse, scraping sides down as needed, until desired texture. You can leave it a little chunky or continue to blend until completely smooth.
- Serve hot or cold with seafood, chicken, roasted vegetables, eggs, pasta and more!
Leave a Comment