I’ve been thinking above making from scratch some of the pre-made products I usually buy at the grocery store – both as a way to have a little more control over what I’m eating and also as a way to practice more recipes! That’s what inspired me to give making a homemade vegan pesto a try (plus, I just really love pesto!).
I usually buy the Trader Joe’s Kale, Cashew, & Basil Pesto to use with a bunch of different dishes. While I do love this pesto, normally I spice it up a bit by adding lemon juice, salt, and pepper (and sometimes other things depending on the dish). It’s also obviously a little easier to use a pre-packaged pesto – just scoop it out of the package and add it to your dish.
So, definitely give the Trader Joe’s pesto a try if you’re looking for the easiest option (and it’s available to you!). But if you want a homemade pesto that’s also pretty easy to make, this pesto is for you! Besides roasting the garlic, the only other step is throwing everything into the blender and blending it all up!
If you’d like to serve your gnocchi or pasta with roasted grape or cherry tomatoes, it’s very easy to do. Cut the tomatoes in half, drizzle them with olive oil, and add a dash of salt and pepper. Then, roast them in the oven for 20-25 minutes on 400 degrees F.
I also highly recommend making some vegan parmesan to sprinkle on top of your dish. It’s very easy to make as well and takes just 5 minutes pulsing all of the ingredients in a food processor until fine and crumbly:
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1.5 tsp salt
- .25 tsp garlic powder
If you’d like to try making your own pesto at home, this recipe is for you! I would love the hear how this pesto turns out for you and how you end up using it. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!
Homemade Vegan Pesto with Gnocchi
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 20 grape tomatoes roasted, see above for instructions
- 1 bag frozen Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi or your favorite gnocchi
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup cashews raw, unsalted
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3½ cups kale leaves stems removed
- salt & pepper to taste
- vegan parmesan optional as garnish, see above for recipe
Instructions
- If you are planning to use the grape tomatoes with this dish, follow the instructions above and set the tomatoes aside when done.
- If you are using the Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi, preheat the oven to 400°F and place the gnocchi on a parchment paper lined tray in a single layer. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway.
- While the gnocchi is in the oven, place the cloves of garlic in tin foil or on a small baking pan and drizzle with oil. Roast for 20 minutes.
- After the garlic is done, put all of the ingredients (cashews, olive oil, roasted garlic, parsley, kale, and lemon juice) in the blender and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides or stir the mixture to ensure it is evenly blended and smooth.
- Taste the pesto and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the pesto with the gnocchi and serve warm with the tomatoes and sprinkled with vegan parmesan.
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