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cooking · budget-friendly

Pesto Gnocchi with Arugula and Kalamata Olives

From a video by Caitlin Shoemaker · 12 min watch

Pan-fried cauliflower gnocchi tossed with vegan kale cashew basil pesto, kalamata olives, and fresh arugula. A restaurant-quality meal made budget-friendly with Trader Joe's ingredients.

budget-friendlyquickvegetarianvegandairy-freeMediterranean-inspiredAmerican
Pesto Gnocchi with Arugula and Kalamata Olives
Source video — Caitlin Shoemaker on YouTube
From the creator
Caitlin Shoemaker
Visit their channel ↗
Watch the full video on YouTube ↗
Total time
20 minutes
Hands-on
20 minutes
Servings
~3 servingsEstimated by Unreel from the complete recipe.
Difficulty
HardEstimated by Unreel from the recipe steps — the creator didn't state this.
Cook this recipe
Extraction confidence: high

Auto-generated from the video and rewritten in our own words. Double-check quantities against the source before cooking.

Ingredients

Ingredients scaled to 3 servings
  • 2 bags cauliflower gnocchi, frozen, from Trader Joe's
  • arugula, to taste, or baby spinach as substitute
  • 2 tbsp garlic infused olive oil, organic extra virgin
  • ½ package vegan kale cashew and basil pesto, half the package
  • 15 kalamata olives, about 15 olives, sliced in half (approximately 1/4 of the jar)

Preparation

  1. Step 1 · 0°F / -18°C
    Add two tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil to a pan and bring it up to heat over medium-high heat. When the oil becomes more translucent and begins to shimmer, it's ready for the next step.
    Doneness — shimmering
  2. Step 2 · 5 minutes
    Make sure all the gnocchi are individual (not stuck together), then add them to the pan. Gently toss to distribute the oil evenly. Stop and let the gnocchi pan fry for about five minutes on one side without moving it with a spatula to develop a crispy, caramelized crust.
    Doneness — golden and caramelized
  3. Step 3
    Continue cooking the gnocchi occasionally, tossing as needed. Optionally partially cover the pan with a lid to help steam the frozen gnocchi and cook it faster. Continue until golden marks appear on multiple sides of the gnocchi.
    Doneness — cooked through
  4. Step 4
    Add about 15 kalamata olives that have been sliced in half, which is approximately a fourth of the jar.
  5. Step 5
    Reduce heat to medium-low and add half the package of vegan kale cashew and basil pesto. Stir until everything is evenly incorporated and the gnocchi is nicely coated.
  6. Step 6
    Add fresh arugula for a green element that balances the richness of the dish. The peppery bite of arugula complements the caramelized gnocchi and pesto. If you prefer a milder green flavor, baby spinach can be substituted instead.
    Doneness — wilted
  7. Step 7
    Plate the gnocchi and serve immediately. Look at those beautiful caramelized golden marks on the gnocchi.

Notes