This Vegetable Salad with Romesco Sauce is a celebration of Mediterranean flavors, combining crisp, fresh vegetables with a rich, smoky sauce. The romesco sauce, made from roasted tomatoes, garlic, toasted almonds, and bread crumbs, offers a deep, nutty complexity with a gentle kick of heat from crushed red pepper. The salad itself features tender boiled potatoes, crisp blanched green beans and zucchini, refreshing cucumber, and briny green olives. Tossed together with a hard-boiled egg and fresh parsley, this dish delivers a satisfying mix of textures and temperatures. It is perfect for a light lunch, a picnic, or as a robust side dish for grilled meats. The flavors meld beautifully, making it a versatile recipe that improves as it sits, allowing the vegetables to absorb the delicious sauce.
Vegetable Salad With Romesco Sauce
Description
This Vegetable Salad with Romesco Sauce is a celebration of Mediterranean flavors, combining crisp, fresh vegetables with a rich, smoky sauce. The romesco sauce, made from roasted tomatoes, garlic, toasted almonds, and bread crumbs, offers a deep, nutty complexity with a gentle kick of heat from crushed red pepper. The salad itself features tender boiled potatoes, crisp blanched green beans and zucchini, refreshing cucumber, and briny green olives. Tossed together with a hard-boiled egg and fresh parsley, this dish delivers a satisfying mix of textures and temperatures. It is perfect for a light lunch, a picnic, or as a robust side dish for grilled meats. The flavors meld beautifully, making it a versatile recipe that improves as it sits, allowing the vegetables to absorb the delicious sauce.Directions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
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Place the tomato and garlic cloves in a small baking pan.
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Roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until tender and starting to brown.
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While the tomato roasts, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
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Add the bread crumbs and almonds to the skillet.
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Cook, stirring frequently, until the bread crumbs and almonds are golden brown.
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Transfer the roasted tomato and garlic to a food processor.
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Puree until smooth.
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Add the toasted bread crumb and almond mixture to the food processor.
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Process until the almonds are very finely chopped and incorporated.
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Add the crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 4 tablespoons red-wine vinegar, and the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to the processor.
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Process until the sauce is thickened and well combined. Set aside.
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Cut the potato in half and place in a saucepan.
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Cover with water and bring to a boil.
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Reduce heat and cook until tender, about 20-25 minutes.
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Drain the potato, let cool slightly, peel, and cut into thin slices.
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Place the sliced onion in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 10 minutes to mellow the flavor.
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Drain the onion and pat dry with paper towels.
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Bring a pan of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 5 minutes, until tender.
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Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
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Bring the water back to a boil. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 minute.
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Add the zucchini to the bowl with the beans in the ice water.
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Once chilled, drain the beans and zucchini thoroughly and pat dry.
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In a large bowl, combine the sliced potatoes, onions, green beans, zucchini, cucumber, chopped olives, diced pimento, chopped egg, and minced parsley.
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Season with several grindings of black pepper.
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Pour the romesco sauce over the vegetables.
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Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
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Let the salad sit at room temperature for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld, or refrigerate for longer storage.
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Before serving, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of red-wine vinegar if needed for brightness.
Nutrition Facts
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 288.1kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 23.1g36%
- Saturated Fat 2.7g14%
- Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
- Sodium 2533.3mg106%
- Total Carbohydrate 16.7g6%
- Dietary Fiber 3.3g14%
- Sugars 1.4g
- Protein 5.4g11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
