Soak the beans 6-12 hours (overnight) in water plus 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Instant Pot: set to sauté function and add oil. Once warm, add onions and carrots. Cook 2-3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic. Grate the tomatoes into the pot, leaving most of the skin behind. Stir this up a bit until you can smell the garlic. Add the thyme, bay leaf, smoked paprika and drained beans. Stir it around to coat the beans. Add 3 cups of broth and 1 teaspoon salt. Turn off saute, put the lid on and set for beans (30 minutes at high pressure). Allow natural release.

Stove top: In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil. Once warm, add onions and carrots. Cook 2-3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic. Grate the tomatoes into the pot, leaving most of the skin behind. Stir this up a bit until you can smell the garlic. Add the thyme, bay leaf, smoked paprika and drained beans. Stir it around to coat the beans. Add 4 cups of broth and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and increase heat to high. Once it reaches a boil, reduce to simmer. Cook for about one hour until beans are tender. Check it between 30 and 45 minutes to stir and add (hot) water if the beans aren’t covered.

While the beans cook, peel the casing off the fake sausages and slice them 1/2″ thick. Crisp them up in a little more olive oil in a separate skillet.

Serve the beans in bowls, topped with several slices of sausage. Serve with crusty bread.