Smoky Cuban Black Bean Soup: A Vegetarian Delight

Ingredients

• 1. 1 pound of dried black beans
• 2. A quarter cup of vegetable oil
• 3. One large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4. A tablespoon of smoked paprika
• 5. Two teaspoons of cumin seeds
• 6. One red bell pepper, diced
• 7. One green bell pepper, diced
• 8. Eight cloves of garlic, minced
• 9. Two teaspoons of dried Mexican oregano, gently crushed by your fingers
• 10. Two bay leaves
• 11. Six cups of vegetable stock
• 12. One cup of diced smoked tempeh bacon (like Lightlife® Organic Smoky Tempeh Strips®)
• 13. Two tablespoons of dark rum (if desired)
• 14. One jalapeño pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 15. Two cups of water
• 16. One and a half teaspoons of salt
• 17. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking
• 18. Half a cup of sliced hard-boiled eggs (if preferred)
• 19. Half a cup of finely chopped red onion

Step 1

In a large container, place black beans and cover with cool water, letting them soak for 8 hours to overnight. After draining and rinsing the beans, it's time to start cooking.

Step 2

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, adding yellow onion, paprika, and cumin seeds and cooking until fragrant, around 3 minutes. Incorporate red and green bell peppers, garlic, oregano, and bay leaves, cooking until the onions are translucent and the peppers are tender, which should take about 6 to 8 minutes.

Step 3

Next, stir in vegetable stock, tempeh, rum, and jalapeno pepper into the onion mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high, bringing it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook until the beans are soft, approximately 45 minutes.

Step 4

Add water to the bean mixture and season with salt. Keep cooking and stirring until the beans start to break down, thickening the soup for about 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and don't forget to remove the bay leaves from the soup.

Step 5

Serve the soup in bowls and enhance it with garnishes like hard-boiled eggs and red onion for a delightful finish.