Smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices--it adds a smoky, sweet depth to pretty much anything, but I especially love to use it during breakfast time, to make homefries or Shakshouka, an Israeli egg dish that's essentially eggs baked in a spicy tomato sauce (I'll post a recipe for that when I can find a good picture--all of mine are blurry!) I first discovered smoked paprika through a recipe on Serious Eats for vegan chili, and I fell pretty hard for it. I really think most savory dishes can be elevated with a little pinch (actually, maybe sweet too! I'm imagining those chocolate cookies with a little bit...)! It's especially good when paired with cumin. Both are smoky, but where smoked paprika is sweet, cumin is bitter, so they really complement each other. Smoked paprika is all flavor, no heat, so you'll need to add some other chili powder or flakes for heat. In this black bean & squash vegan chili, chipotle peppers & chili powder take care of the hot factor.

Vegan Chili

Adapted from Serious Eats

Serves: 4-6

Time: 25/30 minutes for prep, 25 minutes to cook

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 pound butternut squash, chopped into bite size pieces (they should be someone equal to the size of your beans. I also use sweet potatoes occasionally)
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
12 ounces vegetable broth
4 cans black beans, kidney, beans, or whatever mix you want. If you're using dried beans, 1/2 a cup dried beans equals one 15 ounce can. Cook them before you start the recipe (I use a pressure cooker)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 garlic cloves chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
2 teaspoons maple syrup
salt

Directions

Pour oil into a large stock pot ( at least 4 quarts) or dutch oven
Add onions & garlic and sauté on medium heat until brown
Add in canned whole tomatoes--break them up with a spoon or your hands
Add the rest of your ingredients except the salt and simmer for 25 minutes, until the squash is tender
Add salt to taste. This is also when you can add more heat, spices, etc. depending on how it's turned out!