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Vegan Cauliflower Gnocchi with Kale-Cashew Pesto

April 9, 2024

Hearty, healthy and vegan, this ten minute cauliflower gnocchi dinner is almost too good to be true. Almost.

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vegan cauliflower gnocchi with Kale-Cashew pesto in a white bowl

When Superfood Meets Comfort Food.

Plant-based comfort food can sound like an oxymoron, but this easy, slightly crispy cauliflower gnocchi with pesto is cozy, pan-fried perfection. One of our favorite things about Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower gnocchi—aside from the fact that it’s low-carb, gluten-free, and Whole30-approved—is that you can cook it simply by pan-frying it. No defrosting or boiling necessary! (P.S. this isn’t a sponsored post, we just really like this stuff!)

ingredients for vegan cauliflower gnocchi with kale cashew pesto

Gnocchi with Pesto, Made Vegan!

Trader Joe’s vegan kale, cashew and basil pesto is so unbelievably delicious it gives our homemade (non-vegan) version a run for its money. And sometimes (like, when it’s not basil season where we live) we prefer store-bought pesto! Here’s how to make Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi with vegan pesto:

  1. Sauté the frozen cauliflower gnocchi—yes, you pan-fry it frozen!—and let it crisp up slightly and brown.
  2. Stir in the kale and walnuts and let the kale get a little wilty. We use baby kale here, so there’s no chopping needed!
  3. Pour in the pesto and you’re done!
Vegan Cauliflower gnocchi with Kale-Cashew Pesto in a white ceramic bowl

Tools You’ll Need:

5 More Recipes with Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi

All of these recipes use ingredients you can find at Trader Joe’s, and come together in about ten minutes.

How’d It Turn Out?

We hope this dinner was a hit at your house! Let us know how it went over! Snap a photo of your bruschetta gnocchi, and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

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Vegan Cauliflower Gnocchi with Kale-Cashew Pesto

  • Serves:  4
  • Prep Time:  5 min
  • Cook Time:  15 min
  • Calories:  282

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 ounces cauliflower gnocchi, we like Trader Joe’s
  • 2 cups baby kale
  • ½ cup roughly chopped walnut
  • ½ cup kale pesto, we like Trader Joe’s

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the gnocchi and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is warmed through and golden brown, 6-8 minutes.

  2. Stir in the kale and walnuts and cook, stirring, until the kale has wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pesto until everything is evenly coated. Serve warm.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 282
  • Protein 4 g
  • Carbohydrates 18 g
  • Total Fat 23 g
  • Dietary Fiber 5 g
  • Cholesterol 0 mg
  • sodium 417 mg
  • Total Sugars 0 g

Vegan Cauliflower Gnocchi with Kale-Cashew Pesto

Questions & Reviews

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  • George

    Easy to prepare and very delicious!

    Thanks George, we are so happy you loved it!

  • Laura

    Quick, easy, weeknight meal. You can get creative. I didn't have walnuts so I used pepitas. Added a can of cut of artichoke hearts the second time, also from Trader Joe's. Turned out great each time.

    Thanks Laura so glad you love this and are having fun expirimenting with it!

  • Alicia

    turned out great! Did quite get the sear I wanted but will try it again. Adapted a portion for the 8yr old and added rotisserie chicken. Would make again!

    Thanks Alicia, we re so happy you loved it!

  • Katia

    I used spinach instead of kale, and it was AMAZING!! I will definitely be making this many more times!

    Thank you Katia! We are so happy to hear you loved it and will be making it again!

  • Jenn

    This was absolutely amazing

    Thanks Jenn!