EV’s Take: Pure ingredients. Strong, delicious flavor. But just be careful—a little goes a long way
I’m a big fan of this pesto.
Pure, natural ingredients. Terrific flavor. Perfect pesto texture.
The only reason I docked half a star is because when I ate it as a cracker-topper, I found it to be a bit salty.
That said, if you eat it in less concentrated forms and with other ingredients, you get that nice basil pine nut flavor, and the saltiness blends into the dish.
If I’m ever in a pinch for time and need a quick flavor-maker, I wouldn’t hesitate to slather this on some noodles or veggies.
Gotham Greens, the company behind the pesto, also operates these cool, urban farms. They operate massive greenhouse farms in major cities, some of which are on the roof of industrial buildings, like this one in Brooklyn:
Gotham Greens uses hydroponic farming (growing plants in water instead of soil), which uses roughly one-tenth the water of traditional farming. And because their farms are in cities, they require less money and fuel to transport their greens.
I came to this pesto for the flavor, but I left feeling glad to support a company whose farming practices are more ecological than conventional industrial agriculture.
What is Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto made of?
Only 6 ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh basil
- Pine nuts
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Sea salt
This list makes me very happy!
If I were going to make my own pesto, I’d have a near identical list of ingredients. No random corn products. No weird chemicals. No unhealthy oils. Yay!
I also found it notable that there are no preservatives in this pesto.
I did some research and found that salt, lemon juice, EVOO, and garlic all act as natural preservatives because of their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
So no need for Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Nitrite, or any of the other sci-fi-sounding shelf-stabilizers.
Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto nutrition
| Serving Size | 3.5 servings per container (¼ cup or 57g per serving) |
| Calories | 240 |
| Total Fat | 23g |
| Saturated Fat | 4g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 260mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 6g |
| Dietary Fiber | <1g |
| Total Sugars | <1g |
| Protein | 2g |
Usually, when I’m using a sauce, I think of it as a flavor-booster and not a primary source of protein or fat for my meal.
But with 23g of fat from the olive oil and pine nuts, this pesto provides a nice calorie boost to whatever dish I put it in.
The best way to eat Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto
I’d treat this more like a sauce and less like a dip.
In other words, if you’re going to use it directly on crackers or bread, go light on the pesto, because it’s a strong, salty flavor.
But if you’re using it to sauce your sandwich or a plate of veggies and scrambled eggs, the rest of the dish will help balance the flavor, so you can be as generous with the pesto as you like.
Where can I buy Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto?
Good news, this pesto is easy to find!
You can find Gotham Greens Pesto at Whole Foods. And there’s a good shot your local, crunchy health store carries it as well.
How did EV eat Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto?
First, I tried the pesto on crackers, so that I could taste it in its unadulterated form.
TBH, I wouldn’t recommend it like this. Like I’ve mentioned, it’s very flavorful, and eating this much pesto on this little cracker left my mouth oversalted.
That said, when I used it as a spread for a pizza, it was fantastic.
My pizza recipe was pretty simple. I just spread the pesto on a crust and topped it with veggies while I baked some chickpeas to throw on top at the end.
I also sprinkled arugula on the final product to give some freshness.
I didn’t end up using cheese, but next time I’ll probably top it with some globs of cashew cheese.
But even without cheese, it turned out super tasty!
What do you think?
Have you tried Gothic Greens Vegan Pesto? Did you think it was the perfect flavor or a touch salty? Let us know in the comments!
