Health By Al

This soup is creamy, cozy, and full of flavor—the kind you’ll want to curl up with on a chilly day. Growing up, “fancy lunch” for me meant Olive Garden’s soup, salad, and breadsticks, and I always ordered Zuppa Toscana. Now I make it at home, and honestly, it’s just as good (maybe even better).

Ingredients: Serves 4

Ground “Beef” Crumble

• 2 blocks tofu, drained and patted dry with paper towels
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

Soup Base

• Drizzle of olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 4 medium golden potatoes, very thinly sliced into rounds
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bunch curly kale, ribs removed and leaves torn into pieces

Cashew Cream

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, crumble tofu with your hands. Mix in soy sauce, nutritional yeast, paprika, and chili powder until well coated.
3. Spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30–40 minutes, until the edges are crispy.
4. Start the soup base by heating a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and spices (salt, pepper, red pepper flakes) and cook for another minute.
6. Pour in the 5 cups of vegetable broth and the potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
7. While it simmers, make the cashew cream by blending the cashews and 1 cup vegetable broth in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
8. Stir in the kale and let it wilt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
9. Add baked tofu crumble and cashew cream just before serving. Enjoy!

Serve hot with breadsticks or crusty bread for dipping!