One Base, Two Deliciously Dairy-Free Soups

Zuppa Toscana for the Soul: how faux-talians solve all their problems. I may not be Italian, but I was a waitress at Olive Garden back in the day. And if there’s one thing I took away from that college gig, it was a dream – a dream to one day recreate the magic of Zuppa Toscana. Rejoice. Because that day arrived. And my version, is 100% dairy-free and delicious. Plus, the base is equally delicious as a seafood chowder. I like to call that a bonus round. If you’re equally giddy about the iconic Zuppa Toscana, read on to recreate this meal of endless soup, salad and breadsticks, any night of the week.

2020 is the year of comfort food and nostalgia. And I dare you to think of one other thing that serves up both better than a classic bowl of Zuppa Toscana. For those of you unfamiliar (gasp!) this soup got its fame as part of the Olive Garden’s endless soup, salad and breadstick promotion. It starts with a decadent, creamy base. It’s studded with salty bacon, spicy Italian sausage, roasted potatoes and tender kale (before kale was cool). I can almost hear the Italian music in the background just reminiscing about it…Back to reality and the dream to recreate this magic. I try to limit the amount of dairy I consume and coconut milk is my go-to for a creamy replacement. For that Chicken Soup for the Soul vibe, I mix the creamy coconut milk with bone broth to add rich flavor. And the rest, is all about the fixin’s!

While this soup is incredibly easy to pull together any weeknight, here are a few tips:

1.) Thickness: use the original recipe proportions for a thicker base. For a thinner base, just add another can of coconut milk and 1 cup of bone broth. This version will be more creamy, but a little less savory. Both are equally good!
2.) Quality Ingredients Matter: while this is a “healthier” version of the OG Zuppa Toscana, don’t skimp on some of the more indulgent ingredients like real bacon. The fat from the bacon will be used to sautee the veggies and adds major flavor, so I highly recommend a good cut of pork bacon (over turkey) without added sugar, if you can find it.
3.) Freeze It: this soup is a great make-ahead meal that will stay in the fridge for 2-3 months. Make a batch, let it fully cool, then store in a resealable container.

Ready to recreate those Olive Garden vibes? Read on for the Zuppa Toscana recipe and a bonus recipe for a Seafood Chowder version! Bon appetit!

“Healthier” Dairy-Free Zuppa Toscana
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
– 6 slices of bacon (ideally no sugar added)
– 1 lb chicken sausage (or ground turkey)
– 1 yellow onion, diced
– 5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
– 2 large russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4″ moons
– 32 oz chicken bone broth
– 1 can full fat coconut milk
– 5-6 handfuls of kale, shredded
– salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste
– optional: for more broth or thinner consistency, add 8 oz chicken bone broth and 1 additional can of coconut milk

Directions:                                                                                                              Step 1: Cut the bacon into 1 inch strips (I use a kitchen shears) and crisp in a large stock pot over medium heat. Use a slotted spoon to place the strips on a paper towel lined plate and keep the bacon fat in the stock pot.
Step 2: Place the chicken sausage or seasoned ground turkey in the stock pot with the bacon fat. Crumble and brown. Set aside on a plate, keeping any fat in the pot.
Step 3: Place the diced onion in the stock pot and cook until translucent; 5-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic, stirring constantly for 45 seconds until fragrant. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Add the chicken bone broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking covered until the potatoes are fork tender; 8-10 minutes. If you cook too long, the potatoes will turn to mush!
Step 5: Add the coconut milk and browned sausage, continuing to cook for another 5 minutes so the flavors blend together. Then add the kale, season with salt and pepper, stir for a minute or 2 until the kale is bright green and wilted Add the bacon. Taste the broth and add additional salt, pepper and/or crushed red pepper for some heat!

“Healthier” Dairy-Free Seafood Chowder
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
– 6 slices of bacon (ideally no sugar added)
– 1 lb seafood (I used a mix of shrimp, scallops, muscles and squid)
– 1 yellow onion, diced
– 1 C carrots, diced
– 2 stalks of celery, sliced into half moons
– 5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
– 2 large russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4″ moons
– 32 oz chicken bone broth
– 1 can full fat coconut milk
– 5-6 handfuls of kale, shredded
– salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste
– optional: for more broth or thinner consistency, add 8 oz chicken bone broth and 1 additional can of coconut milk

Directions:                                                                                                              Step 1: Cut the bacon into 1 inch strips (I use a kitchen shears) and crisp in a large stock pot over medium heat. Use a slotted spoon to place the strips on a paper towel lined plate and keep the bacon fat in the stock pot.        Step 2: Place the diced onion, carrots and celery in the stock pot and cook until translucent; 5-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic, stirring constantly for 45 seconds until fragrant. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Add the chicken bone broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking covered until the potatoes are fork tender; 8-10 minutes. If you cook too long, the potatoes will turn to mush!
Step 4: Add the coconut milk and seafood, continuing to cook for another 5 minutes so the flavors blend together and the seafood cooks. Then add the kale, season with salt and pepper, stir for a minute or 2 until the kale is bright green and wilted. Add the bacon. Taste the broth and add additional salt, pepper and/or crushed red pepper for some heat!