Ancient philosophers undoubtedly had pressing questions. We can all agree, though, that “how to cook beans” is a very important question right now. Because beans are good for your health and the environment in so many ways, and being able to cook your own beans opens up a world of possibilities! Also, note that I’m using the word “bean” here, but this information is pretty much the same for all pulses.
Beans are an affordable, nutritious staple that can be used in a variety of dishes. While canned beans are convenient learning how to cook dried beans from scratch is easy cheaper, and results in a better texture.
Follow this simple, 7-step guide to easily make tender, creamy beans at home.
Step 1: Soak the Beans
Soaking is an optional but recommended step that makes beans faster to cook and easier to digest
To soak, simply place the beans in a large container and cover with 2-3 inches of cool water. Let soak for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. For a quicker soak, bring the beans and water to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour.
Soaking allows the beans to rehydrate and begin breaking down their oligosaccharide content – the culprit behind gas and bloating
Step 2: Drain and Rinse Beans
After soaking, drain off the water and give the beans a quick rinse. Discard the soaking water, as it contains the indigestible sugars that cause flatulence.
Thoroughly rinsing the beans helps remove any remaining oligosaccharides, dirt, and impurities.
Step 3: Add Beans to a Pot
Place the soaked beans in a large heavy bottomed pot and add enough fresh water to cover by 2-3 inches. Adding a teaspoon of salt helps season the beans but is optional.
Using a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid helps the beans cook evenly. Enamel-coated cast iron or stainless steel work best.
Step 4: Boil Beans
Bring the pot of beans to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes with the lid off to help further reduce gas-causing oligosaccharides.
Boiling also helps ensure the beans cook through evenly by bringing their internal temperature up quickly.
Step 5: Simmer the Beans
After boiling for 10 minutes, reduce heat to low, cover, and let the beans simmer gently until tender.
Simmering allows the beans to cook through slowly while retaining their shape without getting mushy. Cooking times vary based on the bean variety.
Step 6: Check Beans for Doneness
Start checking beans for doneness after 45 minutes. Grab a bean with a spoon and blow on it to cool slightly. Beans should be tender all the way through but still hold their shape.
If the beans aren’t quite done, continue simmering and check every 10-15 minutes until tender. Add more water if needed to keep the beans submerged.
Step 7: Drain and Serve
Once tender, turn off the heat and drain the beans. Season with salt, pepper, herbs or spices as desired.
Let cool slightly before eating or storing. Cooked beans can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for several months.
Follow this easy 7-step process for tender, flavorful beans ready to use in your favorite recipes. Adjust soak times, cooking times, and seasonings to suit your tastes. Enjoy the convenience of homemade beans at a fraction of the cost of canned.
More Variety in Dry Beans
Generally speaking, there is way more variety available if you shop dry beans. I have recently seen some heirloom beans and other pulses on the shelves, which is exciting! They are not always canned.
If you haven’t already, save the bean cooking liquid, which is also known as “aquafaba” or “potlikker.” It will quickly become your favorite ingredient. It tastes great, so you can use it in recipes instead of vegetable broth or to cook rice or other grains. Other than that, you can just drink it. I just finished off a warm mug of bean broth while writing this. Or, get creative and save the cooking liquid and use it as a substitute for egg whites. That’s right, you can whip up aquafaba like you would egg whites. There is no end to the magic of beans!.
Bean Math: Dry Beans Versus Canned Beans
There is a lot of cheap dry bean stuff around where I live. A pound of pintos costs about $1. 69), and a 15-oz. can costs between $0. 79 and $1. A 1-lb bag of beans cooks up into about 4 can’s worth of beans. Soooo…. let’s round to make it easy: dry beans are about two to three times cheaper than canned beans. Note that if you buy larger bags of beans, the per-pound price of dry beans decreases even more. I buy some of my favorite beans in 10- or 25-pound bags, and the price is usually around $1 or less per pound. As an alternative, you could get a PhD in dry beans and get free dry beans for life because farmers, processors, and bean companies are so kind.
Choose the 50-pound bag of dry beans instead. It will likely cost less than $1 per pound, and you can give them to all your friends and family as gifts and be their favorite person ever. How does that expression go again?? 50 pounds of beans: $35. Money saved: $0. 99 saved per pound. Instantly becoming everyone’s favorite person because you give away delicious beans: priceless. Yep, I think that was it.
Here are the numbers for dry versus canned beans, broken down:
- 1-lb of dry beans ~ 2 cups
- Each cup of dry beans cooks up into about 2. 5-3 cups of cooked beans.
- This means that 1 pound of dry beans make 5 to 6 cups of cooked beans.
- A 15-oz. can generally has about 1. 5 cups (or a little less) of cooked beans. Four cans will give you the same amount of beans as a one-pound bag. Also, a pound of dry beans is easier to store than four cans.
How to Cook Pinto Beans | Step by Step EASY Instructions
FAQ
How are beans usually prepared?
How to cook prepared beans?
How do you cook beans on a stove top?
To start, put the beans in a pot on the stove and cover with water by two inches. Add salt and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the beans soak for an hour. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking. 4. Cook the Beans Now we’re finally getting to the good part: how to cook your beans on the stove top. Start by placing your beans in a pot.
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.
How long does it take to cook beans?
For fully-cooked beans, this will take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours. Periodically check the beans for doneness and add more water as needed to ensure the beans do not dry out while cooking. Season with salt and pepper to taste when the beans are almost done. Drain and allow the beans to cool before storing.
How do you cook dried beans?
Learn how to cook dried beans four ways: on the stove, in a slow cooker, in the Instant Pot, and in a stovetop pressure cooker. Undoubtedly the most popular method, cooking dried beans on the stove doesn’t require any fancy gadgets or appliances.