Dry beans are one of the most inexpensive, yet nutritious and versatile ingredients available to most. Cooking dried beans can save you so much money compared to buying ready-to-eat beans. In addition, cooking beans from dry is also quite healthy.
Many people shy away from making dried beans because they don't know where to start? Dried beans need to be soaked before cooking. There are three different ways to soak beans before cooking, but they are all very simple.
So what's the best way to soak beans? Beans can be soaked in hot or cold water. We prefer the traditional method, which involves soaking the beans in cold water for 8 hours.
Below in the article we have provided a step-by-step guide to soaking beans. Read this guide, choose the best method for you, and start soaking your beans.
Soaking dry beans
Before you start soaking your beans, you need to prepare them. It doesn't have to take long at all and can be a truly therapeutic experience!
- Peel the beans
- First you will need to peel the beans. Place the beans in a shallow pan, such as a baking sheet. Go through the beans and remove any foreign objects such as small stones, broken beans or leaves. Because the beans do not undergo any processing before packaging, foreign objects can often be found among the beans.
- Rinse the beans
- Place the beans in a laundry strainer or colander and rinse under cold tap water. Run your hands into the beans while they are under cold water to make sure all the beans are thoroughly rinsed.
Cooking time
Cooking time depends on various factors. The method of soaking is important. Also pay attention to the freshness of the legumes, whether there are any wrinkled grains. Large varieties take longer.
| Cooking method | Soaking time (hour) | Average cooking time (hour) |
| In a saucepan | 8-10 | 1,5-2 |
| 0 | 3-4 | |
| In a slow cooker | 8-10 | 1-1,5 |
| 0 | 2-3 | |
| In a pressure cooker | 8-10 | 1 |
| 0 | 1,5-2 | |
| Microwave | 8-10 | 35-40 |
| 0 | not allowed |
How long to soak beans
It's time to soak your beans and you can choose one of three methods.
Here are three different ways to soak beans at home:
1. Traditional soaking - from 8 to 12 hours
The traditional soaking method is best when cooking beans in a pressure cooker because the pressure cooker makes the beans much softer than when cooked normally.
- Place the beans in a bowl
- Pour cold water over the beans while they are in the bowl, making sure all the beans are covered.
- Leave the beans to soak for 8 hours or, if possible, leave them to soak in water overnight (about 12 hours).
- Drain the beans and discard the water. The beans may look wrinkly after soaking, but they will rehydrate once they are cooked.
- Rinse the beans with cool water.
How long to cook white beans in a saucepan and slow cooker with and without soaking?
It is very convenient to prepare any dishes in a multicooker, since the bowl has measuring divisions. Even an inexperienced cook will be able to quite accurately measure all the necessary proportions. If the beans are not pre-soaked, they will have to cook for 1.5 hours. In this case, you can immediately add all the necessary spices to the broth: salt, pepper, etc.
Note ! The water should not only cover the beans, its level should be no less than 1 cm higher. In this case, the liquid will not evaporate too early during the stewing process.
Soaking time ranges from 4 to 7 hours. It all depends on the size of the beans and the variety - some soften faster, others remain hard for a very long time. If possible, it is necessary to change the water to clean water several times. An increase in grain volume by 2-3 times is a clear signal that you can start cooking.
The soaked beans must be thoroughly washed and filled with clean cold water, add spices to taste. Set the stew mode for 1 hour and close the lid. At the end, it is advisable to taste the result to assess the degree of readiness. A well-cooked bean specimen retains its entire shape. Simply place it on a plate and press lightly with a fork to crush it easily. Further heat treatment is unnecessary.
Cooking beans
Once the beans have been soaked using one of the above methods, it’s time to start cooking.
- Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover with fresh cold water.
- Place the pan over medium heat and continue to cook the beans over low heat to prevent them from splitting.
- You will need to add water while the beans are cooking as the beans expand as they cook. Adding more water keeps the beans covered for even cooking
- Continue to stir the beans occasionally while they cook to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- The beans will take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to cook, depending on what kind of beans they are. When done, the beans will be tender but not too soft that they are mushy.
- When the beans are ready, remove any remaining water and add them to your favorite dish.
Rules and optimal cooking time for soaked beans
How long to cook soaked beans? It depends on the variety, the size of the seeds and the dish you want to cook.
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If you plan to use medium-sized white beans as a side dish or add them to a vegetable salad, cook them for 45–50 minutes. And the red one needs to be kept on the stove for 60–90 minutes. To prepare the soup, the time can be reduced slightly.
Observe the following rules:
- Immediately before cooking, rinse the beans twice under running water.
- The ratio of seeds and water is 1:3 or 1:4.
- After boiling, drain the liquid, add new liquid and reduce the heat.
- Do not stir the beans while cooking and do not cover the pan with a lid.
- To reduce foaming, add 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil to the water.
- Make sure that the water does not boil away. The liquid should always cover the seeds. Add hot boiled water as needed.
- Salt the dish, add lemon juice and spices only at the end of cooking. Otherwise the beans will turn out tough.
How to check if the seeds still need to be cooked? Remove 3 beans from the pan and taste. If any of them are hard, wait another 5-7 minutes and check again.
Interesting questions
Does soaking beans reduce gas?
If you want to avoid the famous gas that comes with beans, you should soak and drain the beans before cooking, rinsing the beans thoroughly. The reason for this is that soaking the beans removes some of the sugars that release gas during digestion, and soaking also helps reduce cooking time.
Why do you need to drain the water after soaking?
Soaking the beans removes the sugar that causes gas, making them difficult to digest. Beans also should not be washed before packing and selling as this can cause mold, so the water may retain some of the dirt from the beans. That's why it's best to drain the beans, discard them, and then rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking in fresh, cool water.
Processing in a steamer
Place the sorted beans in a glass or enamel bowl. Fill them with water, which should be twice as much as beans. The duration of the process is 9 hours, it is advisable to replace the water twice (every three hours). At the end of the process, drain the water using a colander. Rinse the fruits completely. Further preparation should be carried out according to the instructions supplied with the device.
Conclusion
Soaking beans before cooking has many benefits. This helps shorten the cooking time for soft, tender beans, and also helps remove the sugars that are responsible for causing gas and making the beans harder to overcook.
Soak and drain the beans to ensure they are as clean as possible, free of dirt, foreign objects or bacteria.
There are different ways to soak beans at home, all of which work well, and all of which can be used depending on your preparation and time constraints.
Grab a bag of dried beans today and dive into the softest, most tender beans.
How to determine the readiness of a product?
Ready boiled beans should be strong, whole, but soft inside the grain. You can determine readiness during cooking in 2 ways: by taste or using a knife or other sharp object. Soft beans should have a thin skin and be easily pierced, but not cracked. The popped grains can be used for puree soup or side dish.
Processing in a slow cooker
Place the selected bean fruits in a container of appropriate size. Similar to the previous case, the proportion of beans to water is 1: 2. The swelling process takes about 9 hours, with periodic renewal of water after 3 hours. After soaking is completed, the water is drained and the beans are rinsed under running water. The process of preparing the product is carried out according to the instructions for the kitchen assistant programs. The most frequently chosen modes are “Stew” and “Soup”.
How to get rid of harmful substances
The following actions are taken to solve this problem:
- The beans, which have been previously soaked, are placed on low heat and cooked until they boil.
- Then this water is drained and fresh water is added.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of sunflower oil.
- The flame of the fire is reduced and the product is extinguished until the finished state is obtained. Cooking time is determined by the variety.
- The added oil increases the temperature in the cooking vessel by more than 100 degrees, which helps destroy food enzyme inhibitors.
However, it is important to remember that even after soaking and neutralizing harmful substances, beans may be contraindicated for those who suffer from chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Recipes
There are tons of delicious recipes using beans. These can be soups, pies, and side dishes. Everyone can find the most suitable option for themselves.
On a frying pan
Cooking recipes in a frying pan are the most popular because they are simple. To make a delicious dish with beans, you need to cut 1 onion into half rings and fry in a small amount of vegetable oil. 1 carrot is peeled and cut into strips, and 3 tomatoes are cut into 4 parts. Then they are sent to the onion. Add spices to taste to the mixture and bring it to a boil.
After boiling, add 2 cups of pre-boiled beans to the pan and mix thoroughly. The dish is simmered under the lid over low heat for 3-5 minutes. Before serving, the beans are sprinkled with finely chopped herbs.
Boiled bean salad
Boiled beans are a great addition to salads. This product makes the dish more satisfying and bright in taste.
To prepare a delicious salad with mushrooms, you need to mix 150 g of boiled beans, 100 g of fried champignons, 1 onion, cut into half rings and fried until golden brown. The finished salad is seasoned with mayonnaise and spices are added to taste.
Vegetable puree with beans
To prepare healthy vegetable puree, you need to boil 300 g of white beans. 4 medium tomatoes are doused with boiling water and the skins are removed. They are crushed using a blender.
1 onion is finely chopped, and 1 carrot is grated. Vegetables are fried until soft. Then add 2 chopped garlic cloves, juice from half a lemon, 1 tsp. Sahara. Simmer the mixture over low heat for 10 minutes. All products are mixed and crushed using a blender.
Bean side dish
A side dish of beans is a good addition to meat or fish. To prepare, the beans are boiled until tender. Separately, fry 1 chopped onion with 4 chopped bell peppers. When the onion turns golden, add 4 chopped tomatoes and 2 tbsp to the pan. tomato paste, as well as your favorite spices. The products are simmered over low heat for 10 minutes. At the very end, boiled beans and finely chopped greens are added to the mixture.
Beans in tomato
The dish is very tasty both cold and hot. To prepare, fry the roast separately with onions and carrots. When the vegetables become soft, add boiled beans and fry for 5 minutes. After the specified time has passed, natural tomato puree and tomato paste are added to the frying pan in a 1:1 ratio. Spices are added at the very end to taste.
Bean Pie
To prepare a pie with beans, take 150 g of butter, 1 kg of yeast dough, 3 cups of boiled beans, salt to taste. The beans are pre-ground using a blender.
The dough is divided into 4 parts and each of them is rolled out into a thin layer. Place filling in each circle and make a large flat cake. The pies are baked at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes. The finished cakes are greased with butter.
Useful tips for housewives
To avoid trouble when cooking beans, you should not refuse the advice of experienced bean lovers.
- The liquid that is used to soak the beans must be purified. If it contains chemical elements and salts, then they may penetrate into the seeds. As a result, they will not cook well and become hard.
- In the warm season, when soaking the product, it is advisable to place it in the refrigerator to prevent germination.
- You should not leave soaked beans for more than a day, as a fermentation process may occur in it, which will reduce the quality and taste of the vegetable during cooking.
- The soaked beans are initially boiled in cool water over a low flame, without salting or stirring them. Bean soup or puree is salted only at the end of cooking, since salt can slow down the cooking process.
