How to Cook Dried Beans

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Beans are a great addition to any well-balanced diet. They are easy to cook and versatile in recipes as side dishes or as main courses. Canned beans can often lack flavor and have a mushy consistency. Thus, properly-cooked dry beans are often preferred for their rich taste and firm, tender texture.

Prep time (quick soak): 60-80 minutes (active prep: 15 minutes)
Cook time: 30-120 minutes
Total time: 90-200 minutes

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:
Sorting and Cleaning Beans

1
Sort through the beans and discard any that are shriveled or discolored, as well as any stems, debris or dirt.^{[1]
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Research source} Go through your desired amount of beans before you wash them. Pay special attention to any small rocks or pebbles that may have inadvertently made their way into the packaging.
2
Place the dried beans in a colander and wash them quickly. Run cool water over the beans for about half a minute.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:
Soaking the Beans

1
Use the slow soak method if you've got a night to soak your beans. The slow soak method is a preferred method of preparing beans if you've set aside enough time to soak overnight. Slow soaking ensures that the final product is fully cooked, not crunchy or underdone.^{[2]
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- If you choose the slow soak method, put the beans in a 5 qt. (4.7 l) saucepan and cover them with about 8 cups (about 2 l) of water. Put the lid on the saucepan and allow them to soak overnight in the refrigerator.
2
If time is of the essence, try the quick soak. For a faster soak, put the beans and water in a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Allow them to boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover it with a lid and let the beans soak for at least 1 hour.^{[3]
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3
Wait for the beans to double or triple in size, depending on what soaking method you decide to use. If you leave your beans in cool water overnight, expect them to at least double in size.^{[4]
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Research source} Make sure your cooking vessel is large enough to accommodate this transformation.
4
Rinse the beans thoroughly in a colander after soaking. Your beans are now ready to be cooked.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:
Cooking the Beans

1
Put the beans in a large cooking pot and add enough water to completely cover them.
2
Add a tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil to the pot to cut down on excessive foam and boil-over while the beans are cooking.^{[5]
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Research source} Because the beans expand while cooking, periodically adding small amounts of water to the pot will keep them adequately covered, ensuring even cooking.
3
Simmer the dried beans on low to medium heat. Properly soaked beans usually require between 30 minutes and 2 hours of cooking.
4
Consult the proper cooking time of the types of beans you're using. Cooking times will vary depending on the variety of dried bean.
- Black beans: 60 minutes
- Light/dark red kidney beans: 90 to 120 minutes
- Navy beans: 90 to 120 minutes
- Great northern beans: 45 to 60 minutes
- Pinto beans: 90 to 120 minutes
5
Test the dried beans by mashing one with a fork or between your fingers. Ideally, your beans will be tender but not mushy. If your beans are still crunchy or underdone after the recommended cooking time, continue cooking at a simmer, checking every 10 minutes for doneness.
6
Serve the cooked beans. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:
Using Beans in Other Recipes

1
Learn how to cook specific varieties of beans. Beans, beans, the magical fruit! Beans are healthy, cheap, and easy to cook. Where can you go wrong? Learn specific ways of cooking beans from the following articles.
- Cook pinto beans
- Cook lima beans
- Cook black beans
- Cook cannellini beans
2
Make vegetarian chili with black and red beans. Who says that chili needs to contain meat? A perfectly hearty and delicious chili can be made using mainly beans — red and black beans. Perfect for cool days when your inner cowboy is feeling hungry.
3
Make red beans and rice. This Caribbean staple is sure to leave you satisfied, especially if you're pairing your meal with something like seafood. Deceptively simple but definitely filling!
4
Try red bean hummus. Tired of the same old hummus over and over again? How about a bit of a change? If you like hummus and are on the adventurous side, try this recipe on for size.
5
Cook mongo (mung) beans, Filipino style. Also known as mung beans, or green gram, this green bean is popular in India and Southeast Asia for being used both in sweet and savory dishes.^{[6]
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Community Q&A

Question

How long can you store dried beans?

Community Answer

Dried beans should be used within a year of purchase; otherwise, they will never re-hydrate fully, and will be hard even after cooking.
Question

Is it normal for the beans to still be very firm if they were soaked overnight, then cooked for two hours?

Community Answer

It depends. It is possible, especially if you have older beans, which can take a lot longer to cook.
Question

Do I need to pre-cook the beans before adding them to the recipe?

Lucinda Collins

Community Answer

Only if you use dry uncooked beans. Canned beans can be rinsed and eaten right out of the can.
Question

Can I put fresh kidney beans directly into my soup without washing them?

Community Answer

No. You should wash beans and any vegetables you put into your soup.
Question

Can I refrigerate my dried beans?

Community Answer

Yes, you can.
Question

After the initial "cook 2 minutes, soak, add fresh water" cycle, can I then cook the beans in a crock pot?

Community Answer

You can just throw the dry beans with the appropriate amount of water into the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Question

How much water do I use to soak the beans?

Community Answer

I use enough to cover the beans, plus an inch or two above that, depending on how many beans I'm cooking.

Warnings

Do not attempt to cook dried beans without soaking them first. They will turn out tough and lack flavor.

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When cooking dried beans, do not add acidic ingredients, such as tomato sauce or vinegar, to them until they are tender. This will cause them to become mushy.

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