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    Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    Published: Sep 6, 2018 · Modified: Jul 13, 2020 by Sina · This post may contain affiliate links · 45 Comments

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    Creamy Vegan Gnocchi

    These vegan gnocchi with a creamy cashew sauce, spinach, and tomatoes are the perfect weeknight meal. It’s super easy to make and incredibly comforting! And it’s ready in only 15 minutes!

    Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    These vegan gnocchi with spinach is one of these dishes. I’ve made it so many times and it’s always a winner. It’s one of my favorite comfort food meals!

    What You Need For These Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    • store-bought gnocchi
    • spinach
    • tomatoes
    • garlic
    • cashews (unsalted and not roasted)
    • nutritional yeast
    • miso
    • mustard
    • tapioca starch
    • unsweetened almond milk
    • salt and pepper

    As always, you can find a detailed ingredient list and recipe instructions at the end of this post in a separate recipe box.

    tomatoes, spinach, cashews, nutritional yeast, mustard, garlic, and tapioca starch in small bowls on a marble counter top

    Vegan Gnocchi Sauce:

    For my vegan gnocchi I used a sauce made of cashews and nutritional yeast. If you haven’t tried using cashews as a base for vegan cream and cheese sauces, you should really give this a try! They turn out super creamy and rich!

    I also added quite a bit of nutritional yeast. It’s not only packed with vitamins, but also adds a cheesy taste to my sauce. The perfect combination!

    You need only six ingredients for the vegan gnocchi sauce:

    1. cashews
    2. nutritional yeast
    3. white or yellow miso paste
    4. Dijon mustard
    5. tapioca starch
    6. garlic

    Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    How to Make These Vegan Gnocchi

    The preparation of these vegan gnocchi with a creamy spinach sauce couldn’t be much easier! It’s ready in only 15 minutes, which makes it perfect for busy weeknight dinners!

    All you have to do is follow these three easy steps:

    FIRST STEP:

    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).

    SECOND STEP:

    Make the sauce: place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth.

    cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, tapioca starch, and miso paste in a blender before blending

    milk is being added to the rest of the ingredients for the vegan gnocchi sauce before blending

    vegan gnocchi sauce in a blender after blending

    THIRD STEP:

    Pour the sauce into a large pot and heat until it thickens up.

    vegan gnocchi sauce with cashews in a pot with a wooden spoon and fresh spinach in the background

    Add the gnocchi, the spinach, and the diced tomatoes. Cook for another minute.

    Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    Vegan Gnocchi – Recipe 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 over night 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.

    Vegan Gnocchi – Variations:

    • The vegan gnocchi are also great with other vegetables. I also have a version with broccoli and mushrooms on my blog.
    • If you have got a bit more time, you could also make your own vegan gnocchi from scratch. However, for a quick weeknight dinner I’m totally okay with store-bought gnocchi.

    More Easy Vegan Weeknight Meals You Might Like:

    • Vegan One Pot Pasta 
    • Baked Gnocchi 
    • Vegan Chickpea Curry 
    • Broccoli Pesto with Pasta
    • Cauliflower Bolognese Sauce 
    • One Pot Vegetable Rice 

    I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS!

    I hope you like this vegan gnocchi recipe as much as we do around here.

    If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think about them. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!

    You like my recipes and want to see more? Then follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest! 

    Sina – xx

    Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

    These 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!
    4.76 from 57 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entrée
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 15 mins
    Servings: 3 people
    Calories: 545kcal
    Author: Sina

    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

    • 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).
    • Make the sauce: place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth.
    • 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 over night 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: 2250IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 240mg | Iron: 5.6mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @_veganheaven_ or tag #veganheaven!
    Rate the recipe!If you like this recipe, please leave a good rating! This will help other readers.
    Previous Post: « Easy Vegan Sushi Recipe
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tammie Falkingham

      March 16, 2020 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks so much for such a simple easy recipe. I didn’t use the miso or the tapioca since I didn’t have those on hand and it still turned out terrific.

      Reply
    2. Flo

      February 21, 2020 at 1:17 am

      5 stars
      I hate to cook, but this so easy to make and tasted great!

      Reply
    3. Amanda

      January 02, 2020 at 1:57 am

      5 stars
      So quick and delicious! I’ll definitely make this again!

      Reply
    4. Susan

      November 19, 2019 at 11:09 pm

      5 stars
      One of my favorite go-to’s! Quick, easy and oh so tasty!

      Reply
    5. Kristie

      November 05, 2019 at 10:22 pm

      5 stars
      I love this so much! And it’s so quick and easy, so it’s great to be able to make a nice meal when you don’t have a lot of time.

      Reply
    6. Nancy

      October 01, 2019 at 1:43 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely awesome. Everyone in our house loves this including my 3 and 4 year old grand children. Instead of soaking my cashews I boil them for 15 minutes. Always comes out perfect!

      Reply
    7. Tara Gallimore RD MSc @ Plantae Nutrition

      September 13, 2019 at 4:53 am

      5 stars
      I just tried this and it is INCREDIBLE!!! I didn’t have nutritional yeast and I still absolutely LOVED the creamy sauce. I used unsweetened soy milk instead of almond milk for a protein boost, and wow… I can’t even describe how good this is, I would recommend it to everyone! Thank you for an amazing recipe! :D

      Reply
    8. Brad

      September 13, 2019 at 4:24 am

      5 stars
      Made this tonight. It was delicious. And one of the easiest and quickest to make! Thank you!
      Super creamy! Loved that its oil free too!

      Reply
    9. Linda

      July 26, 2019 at 1:19 am

      5 stars
      This was AMAZING!! The sauce was so damn good and creamy. Pairing it with tomatoes and spinach is a perfect. Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
    10. ASHLEY

      July 10, 2019 at 4:52 pm

      I am allergic to almonds. What other types of “milk” can be substituted?

      Reply
      • Sina

        July 11, 2019 at 5:33 pm

        Hi Ashley,

        You could use unsweetened soy or oat milk instead. :-)

        Reply
        • Lynnette

          February 19, 2020 at 2:10 am

          Thank you I was hoping someone with a nut allergy posed this question! I’m going to make this this weekend I can’t wait it looks amazing.

    11. Kristie

      June 29, 2019 at 12:27 am

      5 stars
      My husband, 12 year old daughter and I really enjoyed this! I doubled the sauce. Thanks much!!

      Reply
    12. Vicky Schulman

      April 21, 2019 at 4:36 am

      5 stars
      Wow! I’ve been disappointed with vegan cooking so far. I feel lucky when I find a recipe that is “good enough.” This dish far exceeded my expectations!

      Reply
    13. Lisa

      April 13, 2019 at 2:30 pm

      Has anyone tried a different nut, I have a vegan who is allergic to cashews!!!

      Reply
      • Ashley

        May 02, 2019 at 3:16 am

        Pine nuts is a good alternative.

        Reply
    14. maggi

      January 22, 2019 at 1:25 am

      5 stars
      this is so unbelievably good. amazing!

      Reply
    15. Michel

      January 16, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      This has become a go-to for us! Also works with red miso paste. Adding Szechuan pepper is a great twist!

      Reply
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    Sina-Veganheaven

    Hi, I'm Sina and this is my recipe blog where I share heavenly simple and sinfully delicious vegan recipes.

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