Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi in Tomato Pesto
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This Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi in Tomato Pesto is made with some unexpected Trader Joe’s products to make the BEST vegan dinner!
Well the time has come my friends…I am officially starting a Trader Joe’s recipe series on TSV. I have gotten mixed reactions on Instagram whether I should bring this content to the blog (since not everyone has access to a Trader Joe’s), but the overwhelming response is that I ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO IT! Our mutual love for Trader Joe’s is evident.
But have no fear, there will still be plenty of recipes that don’t require Trader Joe’s products, and you can easily swap ingredients for what’s available at your local store. And you can ALWAYS ask me for swap suggestions.
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
We are starting off with a VERY popular Trader Joe’s product – frozen cauliflower gnocchi! If you haven’t tried it, here’s a quick run-down.
You can find it in the freezer section and it is a great way to sneak in some veggies while feeling like you’re eating pasta. The gnocchi is made up of 75% cauliflower, it’s gluten-free and costs less than $3. And if you’re into calorie counts, it’s only 330 calories for the whole package.
How to cook Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
There a few ways to cook Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi. But today, I’m going to show you how to roast it. I like the way the texture comes out when it’s roasted. The outside gets crispy, the inside is chewy. It’s just great.
To roast the gnocchi, no need to thaw. Just pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the frozen gnocchi out on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Pop it in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes. And that’s it. While the gnocchi is cooking, we can work on the sauce.
How to make Tomato Pesto
One of the reasons I really wanted to do this new series, is that I sort of have a knack for pairing Trader Joe’s products that you may not think go together.
I think most people know about Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale Pesto. But what makes the sauce in this recipe extra special, is the addition of the Pepita Salsa. I know it sounds weird to make a pasta sauce out of salsa, but trust me on this one. It just works.
Start out by cooking down shallots, garlic, pepper and red pepper flakes in some olive oil. Once tender, add in the pesto and salsa. It’s gonna be a funky color, but just stay with me. Add in some non-dairy milk and let the sauce simmer until the gnocchi is done cooking. Give it a taste to see if it needs salt (it probably won’t) and add the gnocchi to the sauce.
How to serve Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi in Tomato Pesto
There’s not too much to serving this. Plate it up and top with fresh herbs – basil, oregano or parsley!
You can also serve this with a salad or just add some arugula to each bowl before serving. I have a thing for adding fresh greens to my pasta bowls. It forces me to eat more greens, and it just tastes good.
This will make 2 servings, so a great date night dinner – easy and delicious.
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi in Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
FOR THE GNOCCHI
- 1 package Trader Joe's Frozen Cauliflower Gnocchi
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic diced
- 1 shallot diced
- pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes optional
- 1/2 cup Trader Joe's Pepita Salsa
- 3 tablespoons Trader Joe's Vegan Kale Pesto
- 1/3 cup non-dairy milk unsweetened
- fresh herbs basil, oregano or parsley – for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread out the frozen gnocchi on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until everything is tender. Add the salsa, pesto and non-dairy milk. Stir to combine – ignore the ugly color. Lower the heat and simmer until the gnocchi is done.
- Taste the sauce and add salt, if needed. For a thinner sauce, add more non-dairy milk. Add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce and toss to combine. Serve hot with fresh herbs.
Video
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Wow, this is great! I hadn’t tried the pepita salsa before and it’s so good in this dish, adds a nice spice. I added some tofurkey sausage links & bell peppers to make it a little more filling. Will definitely add this to our easy meal weeknight rotation.
Hi Jocelyn – those sound like great adds! So glad you liked it!
This was delicious! I will be making this again. Thank you.
So glad you liked it Maggie!
Really enjoyed this, but did make a substitution – which I’m sure alters this recipe quite a bit – but mentioning it because I think a variety of salsas would work well with this recipe. I wanted to highlight that it’s going to be great no matter how spicy you pick your salsa or if the exact TJs Pepita one is not available. Our store didn’t have the listed one, so we subbed in the new Trader Joe’s Guajillo Salsa – it’s smoky and spicy too. The recipe cooked up deliciously and is a keeper. I liked that it was a two person portion as we need smaller sized meals around here. Thanks!
Hi Tanya – that sounds like a super tasty sub! So glad it worked out well for you!
I made this tonight…it was fabulous! I followed your recipe exactly. My husband is not vegan and absolutely LOVED it! The sauce was so tasty. It was perfect for 2 people. Ill definitely make this again! I loved how I could get all the ingredients in one store.
Hi Cathy! So happy to hear it was a hit!