How to Cook Dry Kidney Beans to Creamy, Tender Perfection

Learn how to cook kidney beans from scratch with this simple step-by-step tutorial. Covering three different ways to cook dried kidney beans, youll end up with creamy, perfectly-cooked beans every time.

We are huge fans of beans here on HNL, especially if theyre cooked from scratch. So much tastier than canned! Less salty! And so affordable!.

We’ve already talked about how to cook black beans, black eyed peas, and more. Today, we’re going to go over how to cook red kidney beans from scratch in more detail.

When you have a batch of perfectly cooked kidney beans on hand, you can make a lot of great meals. They taste great and are creamy. Because they are bigger, they work well in many recipes, like our Vegetarian Chili Recipe.

Kidney beans are a versatile legume that can be used in a variety of dishes from chili to rice bowls. While canned beans are convenient, cooking dried kidney beans from scratch allows you to control texture and sodium content If you’re new to cooking with dry legumes, have no fear! With a few simple tips, you’ll be able to cook kidney beans perfectly every time

Why Cook Dry Kidney Beans?

Cooking with dried beans has several advantages over using canned:

Cost savings – Dry kidney beans are significantly cheaper per serving compared to canned. Just 1 pound of dried beans yields 6-8 cans worth!
Control sodium – Canned beans can be very high in added sodium. With homemade, you control how much salt goes in.
Texture – Home cooked beans tend to have a nicer firm-creamy texture versus mushy canned beans.
Storage – Dry beans store for up to a year, allowing you to buy in bulk.
Flavor – The flavor of homemade beans is fresher, allowing other ingredients to shine.
Versatility – Cooked kidney beans can be used in both savory and sweet dishes.

Kidney Bean Soaking

Before cooking kidney beans, they need to be soaked. Soaking has several benefits:

Rehydrates the beans for even cooking
Reduces cooking time
Improves texture
Removes indigestible complex sugars

There are two soaking methods:

Traditional Soak – Cover beans with water and soak 8 hours or overnight.

Quick Soak – Bring beans and water to a boil, remove from heat, and soak 1 hour.

Make sure to drain and rinse beans after soaking. The soaking water should be discarded.

Cooking Dry Kidney Beans

Once soaked, the beans are ready to be simmered until tender.

Ingredients:

1 pound dried kidney beans (~2 cups)
10 cups water
1-2 bay leaves (optional)

Steps:

Add the soaked, drained beans to a large pot along with 10 cups fresh water and bay leaves (if using).
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer.
Partially cover pot with lid, leaving a small vent for steam to escape.
Cook 45 minutes to 1 1⁄2 hours until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
Check beans at 45 minutes. They should be tender, creamy, and easy to mash between fingers.
Add more cooking time if needed, checking every 10-15 minutes.
Remove bay leaves, drain excess liquid as needed.

The beans are ready to use when they are soft and creamy but still hold their shape. Cooking times vary based on the age of your beans. Fresher beans may take less time.

Tips for Perfect Kidney Beans

Sort beans to remove any stones or debris before soaking
Use a large pot with plenty of water for even cooking
Don’t add salt or acidic ingredients like tomatoes until after beans are cooked
Stir beans gently to prevent breaking them
Add more cooking liquid if beans start to look dry
Taste test for doneness starting at 45 minutes

How to Use Cooked Kidney Beans

Homecooked kidney beans are a versatile pantry staple. Here are some delicious ways to use them:

Bean chili – Kidney beans are a traditional chili bean. Create a vegetarian chili or add ground meat.
Rice and beans – A classic, nutritious combo! Enjoy with hot sauce.
Bean salad – Toss cooked beans with veggies, cheese, and dressing.
Bean soup – Purée some of the beans to thicken vegetable soup.
Bean dip – Blend beans into a creamy, protein-packed dip.
vegetarian tacos – Wrap kidney beans, lettuce, tomato and cheese in tortillas.
Burrito bowls – Build bowls with Spanish rice, beans, salsa, guac and more.
Bean burgers – Mash beans and mix with grains, veggies and spices for hearty patties.

The mild flavor and creamy texture makes kidney beans an extremely versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory recipes. They pair especially well with bold seasonings and spices.

Storing and Freezing Cooked Kidney Beans

Storage

Cooked kidney beans will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. To maximize freshness, store them:

In an airtight container
With the cooking liquid
In the refrigerator

The beans may thicken slightly upon cooling. Add a splash of water when reheating if needed.

Freezing

Kidney beans also freeze well for up to 6 months. To freeze:

Portion cooked beans into airtight freezer bags or containers
Remove as much air as possible
Cool completely before freezing
Lay flat for fast cooling

Thaw frozen beans overnight in the refrigerator before using. They can also be quickly thawed in the microwave.

Enjoy Hearty, Homemade Beans

Now that you know the ins and outs of preparing dry kidney beans, you can skip the cans and enjoy flavourful, inexpensive homemade beans anytime. By starting with dried beans, controlling sodium, and customizing the texture, you’ll get superior beans with minimal effort. Explore different bean varieties and incorporate them into new recipes for an easy way to add nutrition to your meals.

how to cook dry kidney beans

Should you soak kidney beans before cooking them?

That is up to you! It is generally thought that letting your beans soak overnight will both shorten the cooking time and make the beans cook more evenly. But this myth has been busted in food labs.

Turns out that soaking your beans overnight will only save you about 10 minutes in cooking time when using the stovetop technique, so I rarely bother with this. Additionally, beans that have not been soaked tend to have more flavour, and a better texture once cooked, with more intact beans at the end.

Some people like to soak their beans and then throw away the water that they used to soak them to get rid of the compounds that beans are known for that cause gas. Soaking also breaks down some of the complex sugars in beans that make them hard to digest. So if youre got a sensitive tummy, by all means soak your beans before cooking them.

You also may benefit from soaking your beans if you dont know how old they are. If you have a bag of beans that has been in the back of your cupboard since the beginning of time, you might want to soak them first. Younger beans cook much faster.

how to cook dry kidney beans

It can be frustrating to spend ages cooking dried beans that just wont soften. The beans themselves are usually to blame for hard beans; if the beans are old or not very good, they can take a long time to cook. If you live somewhere with hard water, the calcium in the water may keep the beans from softening, making it hard to cook them all the way through. Acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes or lemon juice, can also result in hard beans. Its best to add these ingredients after the beans are fully cooked.

Cooked beans have a relatively short lifespan. If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, your kidney beans will last for 3-5 days. To freeze kidney beans, portion them into a freezer container (I love these silicon freezer bags) along with a little bit of the cooking liquid. Kidney beans will last for 3-6 months in the freezer.

This depends on a lot of things, like how old the beans are, if they’ve been soaked, whether your water is hard or soft, and how high you live. Most of the time, it takes 45 to 90 minutes on the stove to make a pot of dried kidney beans from scratch. In an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, it takes 40 to 45 minutes to cook beans that haven’t been soaked. This includes the time it takes to build up and release pressure.

If youre in a rush for your beans, youve got a few options: 1) Use your Instant Pot. This is by far the quickest cooking method for any dried beans. 2) Soak your beans. This will cut the cooking time by 10 to 15 minutes on the stove and 2 to 3 minutes in the Instant Pot.

Kidney Beans Conversion and Yield

Don’t worry about how many kidney beans you’ll get or how many dried beans to cook if a recipe calls for a can of kidney beans. We’ve done the math for you and rid of the need to guess.

Typically, dried kidney beans will triple in volume once cooked. So 1 cup of dried beans will yield 3 cups of cooked kidney beans.

A 15-ounce can of kidney beans contains roughly 1. 5 cups of beans when drained.
½ cup dried kidney beans = 1. 5 cups of cooked beans.
A 15-ounce can of kidney beans is equal to ½ cup of dried beans.
About 6 cups of cooked kidney beans can be made from 1 pound of dried beans.
Four 15-ounce cans of kidney beans are equal to 1 pound of dried beans.

How To Soak And Cook Kidney Beans

FAQ

What is the best way to cook dry kidney beans?

Place soaked beans in a large pot; cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently until beans are tender but firm. Most beans will cook in 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the variety. Periodically, try a taste test or mash a bean against the side of the pot with a fork or spoon.

Do kidney beans need to be soaked before cooking?

Takeaway: You don’t have to soak your beans; but if you do, cook the beans in their soaking liquid. Myth 3: If you don’t soak overnight, you should at least quick-soak.

Can you cook dried kidney beans without soaking?

It really isn’t necessary to soak beans, it just speeds up the cooking time a bit. Just rinse them thoroughly and pick out any debris then cook the beans a little longer than you would if you would have soaked them. You can also cook them in a slow cooker.

What is the healthiest way to cook dried beans?

Soaking dried beans before cooking lowers their potassium level in a big way. Try it with chickpeas and lentils as well! Soak them for 12 hours, then boil them or cook them in your pressure cooker or on the stove.