Monday, February 24, 2020

Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes


VEGAN GNOCCHI WITH SPINACH AND TOMATOES

This vegan gnocchi with a creamy cashew sauce, spinach, and tomatoes is the perfect weeknight meal. It's super easy to make and incredibly comforting! It's ready in only 15 minutes!

Ingredients

For the gnocchi:

  • 1 17.6 OZ (500 g) package store-bought gnocchi make sure to choose a vegan brand
  • 4 handful fresh spinach
  • 2 tomatoes, diced

For the sauce:

  • 1/2 cup cashews (unsalted and not roasted)
  • 2 large cloves of garlic
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons white miso paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the gnocchi according to the instructions on the package. Place the spinach in a colander and drain the gnocchi over it (this is an easy trick to wilt fresh spinach).
  2. Make the sauce: place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce into a large pot and heat until it thickens up. Add the gnocchi, the spinach, and the diced tomatoes. Cook for another minute.

Notes

  • You will need a good blender to make the vegan gnocchi sauce. Otherwise, it won't get as creamy. 
  • If you don't have a high-speed blender, soaking the cashews overnight helps a lot. Otherwise, you don't have to worry about soaking them. I use a Vitamix and I never soak my cashews for vegan cheese sauces.
  • If you have problems finding the tapioca starch, you could also make the recipe without it. However, then you have to use less almond milk because the tapioca starch serves as a thickener. It will also make the sauce stretchy, kind of like a cheese sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 545kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 1008mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 45% | Vitamin C: 46% | Calcium: 24% | Iron: 31%

[adapted from VEGAN HEAVEN]