When it comes to easy, cozy, and budget-friendly meals, this 15 Bean Soup recipe is a forever favorite. This dish is a little smokey and surprisingly complex. It begs to be served with a big piece of crusty bread and lots of Parmesan shavings.
Soaking beans before cooking is a step that many recipes call for, but is it absolutely necessary? As a busy home cook, I often wondered if I could skip soaking my beans and still end up with tender, delicious results. The answer is yes! Through trial and error in my kitchen, I’ve learned that pre-soaking beans is not required. In fact, there are some good reasons to cook beans without soaking them first.
Why Soak Beans in the First Place?
Most recipes instruct you to soak beans overnight, or for at least 8 hours, before cooking them This step is said to help beans cook more evenly, shorten the cooking time, and improve digestion.
When beans are dried, their outer coat becomes tough Soaking allows water to penetrate the outer coat and begin rehydrating the beans. Soaked beans are softened so they cook faster The time savings can be significant, with soaked beans taking 1-2 hours to cook while unsoaked beans can take 3-4 hours.
Soaking also activates enzymes that start breaking down hard-to-digest compounds like phytic acid and oligosaccharides. For some people, these compounds can cause uncomfortable gas.
Reasons to Skip the Soak
While soaking beans does offer some benefits, there are also good reasons to cook beans without soaking:
It’s More Convenient
Skipping soaking significantly simplifies the process. You don’t have to plan ahead or wait hours for beans to soak.
Beans Absorb More Flavor
When beans soak, they absorb mostly plain water which dilutes their flavor. Cooking unsoaked beans in broth or seasoned liquid allows them to absorb more flavor as they cook.
Nutrients Are Preserved
Soaking beans causes some vitamins and minerals to leach out into the soaking liquid. Cooking beans right away helps preserve more of their nutrients.
No Soaking Means Shorter Active Cook Time
Yes, unsoaked beans take longer to become tender. But most of that time is hands-off simmering. The active cook time you spend tending to the beans is shorter without soaking.
Tips for Cooking Unsoaked Beans
Cooking beans without soaking first does require some adjustments to your usual technique:
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Use More Liquid: Unsoaked beans absorb more liquid as they cook. Use 50% more water or broth than the recipe states.
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Cook at a Gentle Simmer: Keep the heat low to prevent boiling, which can cause beans to break down too much.
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Check Often Towards the End: Test frequently for doneness in the last 30 minutes. Beans can go from hard to mushy quickly.
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Season at the End: Add salt, acidic ingredients like tomatoes, and fresh herbs right before serving. Adding them earlier can hinder beans softening.
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Natural Release Pressure After Cooking: If using a pressure cooker, allow pressure to release naturally. A quick release can cause unsoaked beans to split.
Sample Cook Times for Unsoaked Beans
Cooking times can vary greatly depending on the age and variety of the beans. Here are some estimates:
- Black beans: 1 1⁄2 – 2 hours
- Pinto beans: 2 – 3 hours
- Kidney beans: 2 1⁄2 – 3 hours
- Garbanzo beans: 3 – 4 hours
- Lima beans: 1 – 1 1⁄2 hours
- Fava beans: 1 – 1 1⁄2 hours
The best way to know if beans are done? Taste them! They should be tender but still hold their shape.
Recipes That Skip Soaking
Many bean recipes work well without pre-soaking. Here are some to try:
- Easy Crockpot Pinto Beans – simmer unsoaked beans with onion, garlic, and spices
- Tuscan White Bean Soup – cannellini beans cook directly in broth
- Red Beans and Rice – kidney beans become tender in a flavorful sauce
- Lentil Bolognese Sauce – no soak required for protein-packed lentils
The Verdict: Go Ahead and Skip It
While there are some legitimate reasons for soaking beans, I’ve found it’s not absolutely necessary. Cooking beans without soaking may take a bit longer, but is easier and can enhance flavor. Next time a recipe calls for soaked beans, try cooking them directly in seasoned liquid instead. With a few adjustments, you can still get perfect results. One less step makes getting beans on the table that much simpler!
Meal Prep Tip
Heads up! The beans do need to soak overnight. If you forget, I have a quick soak method for you below in the FAQ section.
Why You’ll Love This Bean Soup Recipe
- Hearty, Not Heavy. This 15-bean soup recipe is hearty and filling, like this Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup and Chickpea Curry, but it won’t make you fall asleep from hunger.
- Budget-Friendly. Being cheap and tasty, legumes are a great way to get more for your money. This cheap recipe will keep you full and happy, just like lentil soup.
- There is a lot of soup in this recipe for bean soup, so it’s great for feeding a lot of people or eating later when you don’t have time to cook. Can you freeze it? You betcha!.
- Just Add Bread. You could make something to go with the soup (I’ll give you some ideas below!), but I personally love having it with a loaf of crusty bread.
Simple 15 Bean Soup | Easy Soup recipe for dinner or lunch | Recipe idea | Vegetarian recipes
FAQ
What happens if you don’t soak beans before cooking?
Can I make bean soup without soaking the beans?
How long to cook beans without soaking?
Do fresh beans need to be soaked before cooking?
Should you soak beans in cold water before cooking?
Almost any from-scratch bean recipe starts with the same step: soaking them in cold water overnight, or using a quick-soak technique to soak beans in warm water for an hour. The reason: reduce the cooking time and make the beans more digestible. But many Instant Pot and slow cooker recipes skip this step. So, what gives?
What is the best way to eat beans?
The best way to eat beans is to first cook them in a large pot of water, about 4 cups of water to every 1 cup of beans. Adding lemon grass or other herbs to the water can improve the flavor. Once beans are cooked the best thing to do is combine them with cooked rice, this is because beans are low in methionine and rice is low in lysine, so combining them makes a more complete protein.
Should beans be soaked overnight?
It’ll help the beans cook evenly, no matter what their age. “Soaking is an insurance policy,” Yonan notes. When he does opt for giving beans an overnight soak, Yonan prefers a twist on the usual technique of covering the beans with a few inches of water — he also adds a tablespoon of salt to the water bath.
Should you soak dried beans?
Soaking dried beans helps shorten the actually cooking time because it helps break down the complex starches and fibers that dry beans possess. Which is great if it’s easy enough for you to remember to cover those beans with water and let them sit overnight while you’re sleeping. But there are two downfalls: You forget to soak your beans.