Cooking Dry Beans

I prepared a lot of bean dishes in graduate school. Chickpeas were my go to legume. When I was really strapped for time, I would sauté them with turmeric and cumin and smother them in salsa. I loved the contrast of the creamy garbanzo beans and the feisty tomatoes. The cost of preparing the dish was low, and as a grad student that was a huge bonus. 

These days when I cook beans, I reach for dried beans whenever possible. Dried beans are not only cheaper than canned beans, they are free of salt and other unwanted preservatives. When cooked properly, dried beans are also mush-free unlike so many of their tinned cousins.

Soaking Methods for Dried Beans

Using dried beans admittedly requires a bit of planning. After being picked over and rinsed, the beans should be hydrated to reduce their cooking time. This is done using either a quick soak method or a long soak method.

• The quick soak method (also known as a hot soak) involves boiling dried beans for two minutes and then soaking them for an hour or so in the hot liquid before cooking them.
• The long soak method, or cold soak, requires soaking the beans in cool water for six to eight hours before cooking them. 

Black beans in three stages (l-r): dried, soaked, and cooked

Regardless of which method you use, always start with the freshest beans possible (versus those that have languished on the pantry shelf). Not surprisingly, the fresher the bean, the better its cooked texture will be.

How to Cook Dried Beans

Lay the dried beans on a countertop or cutting board. Pick out and discard any shriveled beans, small stones, or other foreign matter. 

Rinse the beans with cold water and drain. 

To soak with the quick soak method: Place the beans in a pot and cover them with water, using three cups of water for every cup of beans. Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and set aside for an hour.

To soak with the long soak method: Place the beans in a pot and cover with water, again using three cups of water for every cup of beans. Cover and set aside for six to eight hours.

Drain and rinse the soaked beans.  

Place the beans in a pot and cover with water (using three cups of water for every cup of beans). Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to produce a gentle simmer. When the beans just start to soften, season with salt. 

Cook the beans until they are tender, adding water when needed. Cooking times will vary depending on the type of bean you are using. Pinto and garbanzo beans take longer to cook than kidney, navy, and lima beans. Drain beans in a sieve.