Romesco Beans

Romesco is a nutty and slightly smoky sauce from Catalonia, Spain, traditionally made with roasted red peppers, almonds, garlic, and olive oil. It pairs beautifully with vegetables, seafood, or beans. In this recipe, we’re combining it with large white kidney beans for a flavorful meal that’s comforting and satisfying.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces, dried large white kidney beans

• 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained

• 14 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained

• 1 cup almonds, toasted

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1.5 tsp salt

• 1.5 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar (or substitute red wine vinegar)

• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

• Optional topping: Radish and kale micros, or a handful of arugula mix for extra kick and nutrition

NOTE: This recipe will make more sauce than you need for the beans, but having extra is great to have! Use extra sauce as a condiment to serve with veggies or meat, spread on a sandwich, or add to a grain bowl. If you don’t want extra you can split the recipe in half.

Why Use Dried Beans?

• Dried beans take more passive cooking time than canned, but provide a better, meatier texture.

• Because they haven’t been soaking in salty liquid, you have more control over seasoning.

How to Soak Dried Beans

• Soak dried beans for 2–12 hours depending on the variety. Longer soaking reduces cooking time and creates a more consistent texture.

• If you forget to soak, bring beans to a boil, remove from heat, and let them sit for about an hour before continuing with cooking.

Instructions

• Add the beans to a pot with 1.5 tbsp salt and cover with two inches of water.

• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Check for tenderness after about an hour (depending on soak time).

• Optional: Quarter an extra onion and add a few cloves of garlic to the cooking liquid for extra flavor.

• While the beans cook, make the sauce by adding all ingredients except the parsley to a food processor. You can leave some texture or blend completely smooth, according to your preference.

• Once the beans are finished, drain them, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid.

• Add the beans and sauce back into the pot and combine, adding salt or reserved cooking liquid as needed to create a well-seasoned sauce.

• Swirl in parsley once finished.

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