Review: Trader Joe's Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto

As usual, Trader Joe's does not disappoint with their vegan options. This vegan pesto sauce might be new. I love that that it's right next to the non-vegan pesto along with the other sauces, and not in a separate vegan section. It also happens to be next to the Zhoug Sauce that I love. 

Traditional pesto has parmesan cheese, and this has cashew butter instead. It changes the texture a bit and makes it more creamy. It's also not as oily as other pestos. 

Trader Joe's Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto ingredients: 

Kale, olive oil blend (olive oil, extra virgin olive oil), water, basil, cashew butter (dry roasted cashews, safflower oil or sunflower oil), garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper.

I made this with pasta and like how it turned out. It smelled so good when I stirred it into the pasta. 

You could also use it as a dip or as a spread on sandwiches or pizza. 

I thought it was not quite as good as traditional pesto, but that could be because of the kale. It's good enough that I would eat it again, but not my new favorite.  I'd like to try another vegan pesto with more basil (or try making my own).

Review: Trader Joe's Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto

First impressions: Looks creamier than I expected. Lighter in color and less oily than other pestos. 

Taste: A slightly blander version of traditional pesto. 

Texture: Thick and creamy. 

Can you tell it's vegan? Maybe

Worth buying again? Yes, but I want to try other kinds of vegan pesto too. 

Overall: 4/5

Review: Trader Joe's Zhoug Sauce

It can be hard to find vegan sauces. There have been so many times where I made a vegan meal and had no problem with the main ingredients, but didn't know what sauce to use. It seems like almost every sauce at restaurants has mayonnaise in it. 

So I'm glad that I tried Zhoug Sauce from Trader Joe's. They call it "a very spicy green herbal sauce with Yemeni roots." It's made from cilantro and jalapeños blended with oil and spices. It's an herbs + oil sauce like pesto and chimichurri (both of which I also love), but in my opinion the cilantro and spices in Zhoug Sauce work with a wider range of foods. 

This vegan sauce is so flavorful and you can use it on everything. The different herbs and spices work well with a lot of types of food. So far I've had it with tacos and falafel. It would also be good on sandwiches or as a dip. 

It is very spicy, so only use a little bit at first. Definitely don't eat a big spoonful all at once like I did. 

Zhoug Sauce ingredients: cilantro, canola oil, jalapeño peppers, chile flakes, garlic, cardamom, sea salt, cumin seed. 

Review: Trader Joe's Zhoug Sauce

First impressions: Woah that is really spicy!

Taste: Bright and flavorful with heat that builds as you eat more. 

Texture: Similar to pesto, you might need to stir to mix in the oil thoroughly. 

Can you tell it's vegan? No

Worth buying again? Yes, this is a staple in my fridge now. 

Overall: 5/5