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How to Cook Dried Beans

How to Cook Dried Beans

Wondering how to cook dried beans – no need to pre-soak the beans! This trick will save you a step.

The easy way for how to cook dried beans. This quick way will have you getting a plant based dinner on the table in no time | How to Cook Dried Beans.| For more #HealthyKitchenHacks follow @TspCurry

Cruising through the dried beans aisle in the supermarket, I’m amazed I can feed my entire family of six (plus four more people!) a healthy, high-fiber, protein-packed and plant-based meal for $1.29. That’s the cost of a 1-pound bag of dried beans.

If only I could remember to soak those beans overnight – as is recommended on packages of dried beans.

So I do the “quick soak” method.

The quick soak method for how to cook dried beans:

Rinse and sort beans in a large pot. (Don’t skip this, I’ve found small pebbles in bags of beans.)

To 1 pound of beans, add 8 cups water. Bring to a rapid boil, boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Drain soaking water and rinse beans. You just need to begin at least 3-4 hours before dinner is served. I like this method because I find the beans get a head start on cooking and cook up softer and faster than when overnight soaked. However, sometimes my schedule doesn’t allow for watching a pot boil, setting it aside, then cooking.

The best way for how to cook dried beans. | For more #HealthyKitchenHacks follow @TspCurry

The slow cooker method for how to cook dried beans:

Set it and forget it! Do not soak, just cook for 3-4 hours on high in the slow cooker.

I discovered this rather by accident. I was researching different methods for this post: Soaking overnight then cooking in a pot, quick soaking, then cooking in a slow cooker…and I mixed things up and threw 1 cup un-soaked, dried navy beans into the slow cooker with 4-5 cups low-sodium broth. The result was that 2 1/2 cups of soft, flavorful beans emerged after just 3.5 hours!  Wondering how to cook a package of dried beans? No need to pre-soak the beans! See the trick that will save you a step. #HealthyKitchenHacks @TspCurry Click To Tweet

Easy and health ways to cook dried beans. Cook dry beans in the slow cooker or on the stove. Orange-Infused Beans | @Tspcurry for more #HealthyKitchenHacks

The 3 BEST dried beans to cook:

Navy beans – If you’ve never cooked dried beans, start with these. When cooked, they have a texture most similar to canned beans – super tender with soft skins. They also cook faster than almost any dried bean.

Garbanzo beans – My kids like these sweet, nutty bean classically used in hummus. If you eat a lot of hummus, compare the numbers: 3 cans of garbanzo beans (10.5 servings) for $3.87 vs. 1 bag (10 servings) for $1.29.

Pinto beans – I use these in chili or refried beans. If you cook in the slow cooker with an acid like tomatoes (as I do below) the beans with lose their color and turn white. But they are still delicious.

One note on ummm, flatulence: Pre-soaking beans helps to remove most of the indigestible bean sugars that cause gas. So if you don’t pre-soak, just discard the broth used to cook the beans in the pot or slow cooker…OR eat beans MORE often so your body can develop more of the enzymes needed to digest beans: My kids (the daughters and son of a dietitian!) say that popular little ditty like this:

Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat the LESS you toot….So let’s eat beans for every meal!

Here are 5 Tips to Deflate Flatulence (listed at bottom of the WF post.)

How to Cook Dried Beans. It's easy to cook dry beans - and so budget friendly. Here are all the tricks for quick beans. | For more #HealthyKitchenHacks

 

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The easy way for how to cook dried beans. This quick way will have you getting a plant based dinner on the table in no time | How to Cook Dried Beans.| For more #HealthyKitchenHacks follow @TspCurry

How to Cook Dried Beans | Recipe for Salsa Burger Chili


  • Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

Description

No need to pre-soak beans! This trick will save you a step when cooking dried bean.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup dried pinto or navy beans, pre-soaked for faster cooking
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 jar (15 oz) salsa
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

  1. Brown meat with onion in a large skillet; drain fat.
  2. Place dried beans, meat mixture, 1 cup water and all other ingredients in slow cooker.
  3. Cook on high for 5-6 hours for pre-soaked pinto beans (3-4 hours for navy beans), 6-7 hours for dried pinto beans (4-5 hours for navy beans) that have not been pre-soaked.
  4. ON THE STOVE WITHOUT A SLOW COOKER: Follow instructions above except cook on the stove on medium-low heat for 2-3 hours for pre-soaked beans.

Rebecca @BeTrulyNourished

Friday 20th of February 2015

I'll have to try this! I too often realize that I'd forgotten to presoak beans by the morning I plan on using them. So I'll have to try this no-soak process! Plus, I feel like they always take way longer to cook than expected when you presoak them (too many dinners w/ hard beans) ;)

Lorelle

Tuesday 27th of May 2014

I soak beans when I buy them, and then store them in the freezer in 1.5 cup bags. Then I have them already pre-soaked to add to dishes - they take no time to defrost.

Serena Ball

Friday 30th of May 2014

Lorelle, that's simply brilliant. I've never ever thought to soak ahead of time. So smart...that would make dry beans even an option for the 5-o-clock rush!

Elizabeth @ Eating Local in the Lou

Friday 14th of February 2014

This is a terrific tip for cooking dried beans. Most of us are just not thinking ahead to the next day's meal so we simply forget to soak. And canned beans not only cost more, some may be concerned about the BPA in the lining of most canned beans.

Kelly @ The Pretty Bee: Cooking + Creating

Friday 14th of February 2014

Wow, I do use the slow cooker for beans, but I always soak them overnight! This is a great tip. Thanks!

Deanna

Thursday 13th of February 2014

Love cooking beans in my crockpot. Just did garbanzo beans this afternoon for a dip, but my daughter and I snacked on them too.

Serena

Thursday 13th of February 2014

Thanks for stopping by Deanna! Share the dip...if you don't mind! Hummus? Or another great one with garbanzo beans? (:

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