Cuban Black Bean Soup (Vegan)

The smoked paprika is really what makes this dish interesting. If you can't find it, you might experiment with Liquid Smoke.

I used about 1 cup commercial vegetable broth and 1 cup water used for steaming asparagus. While some people have great luck with the vegetable cooking water as broth, I find that I typically want at least some commercial broth. Perhaps someday I will get better at making my own and stop needing the crutch, but for the moment...

1/2 cup dry black beans, soaked overnight in 1.5 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp hot paprika
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1 bay leaf
splash of red wine vinegar
salt & black pepper to taste

Pour off the soaking water from the beans. Combine everything but the vinegar, salt and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until the beans are soft (45 minutes to an hour). Any time the water level starts to look low, add more.

Once the beans are soft, add the vinegar, salt and pepper.

No picture today...