I loved this soup as a child, but traditionally it’s made with ham hock and chorizo—foods that are no longer a part of my diet. I’ve created this vegan version to satisfy my nostalgia for the Cuban food I grew up eating. To get the most flavor, I recommend making this a day ahead of when you plan to eat it or in the early morning to enjoy at dinner.
The recipe below results in a thinner broth than its meaty counterpart. For a thicker version, purée a cup of the soup towards the end of the cooking time, or tear up a handful of day-old bread into the broth while it’s cooking. The bread will separate and thicken the soup.
1 cup dried garbanzos/chickpeas (or 2 cans of garbanzos/chickpeas, drained and rinsed.)
1 large potato or several small potatoes, diced
½ cup olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth or water
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
a pinch of saffron (6-8 threads) or 1 teaspoon of ground annatto seeds
salt + pepper
two big handfuls of spinach leaves (chard, kale, beet tops or other greens will also work)
1-2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
If using dried beans, soak the beans for 8 hours or overnight in a large pot of water. The water should cover the beans by 2 inches.
After soaking, drain the beans, put them back in the pot, and add fresh water to cover the beans by 3 inches. Bring to a boil on high heat. With a large spoon, remove the white froth that rises to the surface, and lower heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour.
Add about 1 tsp of salt and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the beans are tender. [Note: if using canned beans, skip 1-3]
Drain the beans. If using fresh beans, be sure to keep the liquid. It will help to add flavor to your broth.
Place saffron thread in a cup of hot water and set aside.
In a separate pot, heat 4 tbs of olive over medium heat, sauté the diced onion for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add beans, potatoes, and smoked paprika and stir.
Add vegetable broth or water and bring to a boil. [Note: If you reserved the liquid from cooking the beans, replace 1-2 cups of the broth/water with the bean liquid.
Add salt, pepper, and saffron water. Partially cover the pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
Add greens and simmer for several minutes or until the greens are tender.
Turn off heat, add vinegar, and remaining olive oil and cover with a lid.
The hard part: wait to eat. Several hours will do, but if you have the patience to let the soup cool before refrigerating to reheat the next day, you will be rewarded with a richer flavor.