Bean with "Bacon" Stew | Pressure Cooker

Tastes like bean with bacon soup, but it's vegan and has no oil.

1 pound dry pintos, soaked in water over night, drained
4 cups bean cooking liquid
1 chopped onion , about 1 1/2 to 2 cups
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 diced carrots
1 chopped stalk of celery
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can tomato paste
2 Tablespoons soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the soaked pintos with 6 cups fresh water and one bay leaf under pressure 44 minutes with natural release. Remove bay leaf. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Saute' onion and mushrooms in a small amount of water for 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of the reserved bean cooking liquid and all the other ingredients except the beans. Cook under pressure for one minute and quickly release pressure.

Stir in the cooked beans.

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Soup variation: Add a pound of fresh tomatoes, diced (or one 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained) along with the tomato paste, vegetables and spices. Also, add any remaining bean cooking liquid. As per the instructions above, cook under pressure for one minute, quickly release pressure, stir in the cooked beans.