I wanted to make banana gelato for the Summer of Scoops, and I knew “The White Lotus” would make the perfect pairing, especially given that season two takes place in Italy.

This vegan, gluten-free recipe makes approximately 2 pints or 4-6 “servings.”

Ingredients
1 cup banana slices (fresh or frozen)
1 cup vegan banana milk
1 11.2-ounce carton vegan cream or creamer
1 teaspoon banana extract
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
0.5 cups freeze-dried banana slices or banana chips
additional freeze-dried banana slices or banana granola (optional toppings)

Instructions
Pour the banana slices, banana milk, creamer, banana extract and xanthan gum into a blender.

Notes on substitutions: A different vegan milk can be used in place of the banana milk, and the banana extract can be omitted, but it does enhance the flavor, which can sometimes diminish in the freezing process. The xanthan gum can also be omitted, but it really does help keep a soft consistency.

Pulse in the blender until all of the ingredients are evenly mixed.

What happens next depends on your ice cream maker. If you have a more standard one, you’ll pull your chilled (for 24 hours) bowl out and pour in the mixture to make the gelato.

If you have one like mine, you pour the mixture into two pints then freeze them for 24 hours.

After that time, you put the pint into your ice cream maker and let it do its magic on the gelato setting.

After putting each pint through the gelato cycle, use a big spoon to dig a hole in the middle and pour in a quarter cup of freeze-dried banana slices or banana chips. Make sure you dig all the way down to the bottom to ensure your banana bits are evenly distributed throughout the ice cream. (Get more of my ice cream 101 tips here.)

Run the pint through the mix-in cycle if you have an ice cream maker like mine. If you have a basic ice cream maker, just pour the bananas in towards the end of its spin cycle.

Repeat for each pint.

Scoop and, optionally, top with more freeze-dried banana slices or banana-flavored granola.

Serve and enjoy with an episode or a season of “The White Lotus!”

The Easy Route
As far as homemade vegan banana gelato goes, this is probably as easy as it gets.

If you know of a restaurant, ice cream parlor or store that carries vegan banana gelato, please share those details in the comments!

The Pairing
My appreciation for “The White Lotus” was strong after the first season, but the second season only enhanced it.

Most of the appreciation starts with Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya, a self-centered, delusional rich lady who gives us some very quotable and meme-able moments during both seasons as she goes on extravagant vacations.

The first season takes place in Hawaii, centering on a few groups of people staying at or working at The White Lotus resort.

The second season follows a similar structure, but it is set at The White Lotus location in Sicily.
Each season builds to the death of one (or more) of the key characters, unraveling what it takes to get there.

I thought the second season couldn’t top what the first season’s stellar ensemble did. Murray Bartlett, Coolidge, Natasha Rothwell, Steve Zahn, Connie Britton, Sydney Sweeney, Jake Lacy, Alexandria Daddario and the rest of the first season ensemble do a great job of showing how a trip to paradise in Hawaii can very quickly go downhill.

In the second season, Coolidge is joined by Haley Lu Richardson, Aubrey Plaza, Will Sharpe, Theo James, Meghann Fahy, F. Murray Abraham, Michael Imperioli, Adam DiMarco, Simona Tabasco, Sabrina Impacciatore, Tom Hollander and others for another wild ride. All of the cast are given moments to shine, and each of them delivers some career high performances, especially Coolidge, Richardson, Plaza, Fahy, Tabasco and Impacciatore.

I am very much looking forward to what is to come during season three in Thailand, and I am excited to see that Rothwell is back reprising her role from season one.

If you decide to make banana gelato and/or watch “The White Lotus,” let us know! Tag us in your Instagram posts & stories, threads, tweets or TikTok videos: @veg_out_recipes