Smoky Walnut Romesco Sauce Elevates Pork Chops In This Simple Recipe

Simply cooked pork chops topped off with a Spanish walnut romesco sauce makes an elegant dinner—one that takes less than an hour to pull off.

Pork Chops With Walnut Romesco Sauce

Yield: 2 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Romesco Sauce
1 jar roasted red bell pepper, liquid drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
2 tablespoons parsley
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Olive oil
2 1-inch Thrive Market Pork Chops
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place cast-iron skillet in oven to preheat. Remove pork chops from fridge and let sit at room temperature 20 minutes.

Combine all ingredients for the romesco sauce in food processor. Process until fairly smooth. Season with salt and set aside.

For the pork chops, carefully remove skillet from oven and put over medium high heat on stove with a few tablespoons olive oil. Liberally salt and pepper pork chops and carefully slide into skillet. Let cook to sear 2 to 3 minutes, then flip pork to sear on other side 1 minute or so. A golden crust should form. Place skillet in oven to cook for 10 minutes until done.

Serve hot with romesco sauce on side or dolloped atop. Remaining romesco sauce can be saved in fridge for three days.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont