Cooking beans from scratch is easy, but it does require planning. Beans like slow hydrating and slow cooking therefore my focus will be on using a slow cooker or stove top. I hope you will find these instructions helpful. As a guide, ¾ cup dry beans will make about 2 cups cooked which is equivalent to a a 540 ml/19 oz can of store bought.
When cooking dry beans it’s important to use plenty of water. I use a 1:3 ratio. 1 cup dry beans to 3 cups water. Left over cooking water is full of nutrients and can be used as a flavorful addition in soups. Over the years, I cooked a wide variety of beans and these have become my everyday favorites.
- black turtle beans
- cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
- chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- great northern (similar to navy bean, but larger)
- Peruvian beans (canary or mayocoba)
- pinto beans
- red kidney beans
Why Cook Your Own
- Easy – The process is easy, although it does require planning.
- Control, Reduce or Eliminate – Sodium, sugar and unwanted fat.
- Flavor, Texture, Nutrients – Beans are a flavorful, high fiber nutritional powerhouse food. Home cooked beans are softer than canned beans. Nutrition wise, they are about the same.
- Variety – When you cook your own you have a wide variety of dry beans that you can choose from.
- Easy to Find – Most grocery stores carry dry beans however if you can’t find what you are looking for check out Health Food and International grocery stores.
- Cost – Is about 1/3 the price of canned beans.
Tips, Indigestion and Gas
Beans should be included in all diets however, for some people it can be problematic. What is not known, when it comes to digestion, beans are not all equal. Some beans are harder to digest and unfortunately with an unpleasant experience all beans tend to be avoided. If indigestion and gas is a serious problem for you, consider starting with lentils and split peas as they are easier to digest.
- Add beans to your diet gradually. Start with a ¼ cup once or twice a week then increase portion size gradually over several weeks.
- Be aware of food combining. Some people don’t do well when eating beans and meat at the same meal. Beans and meat require different enzymes for digestion thus can cause indigestion.
- For some people, combining a bean meal with rich desserts can be difficult.
- Even though cooking beans quickly in a pressure cooker has become popular, when beans are cooked slowly they are easier to digest. Cooking beans on a stove top or a slow cooker is ideal.
- Soak beans from 8 to 14 hours. Soaking dissolves the starches that can cause intestinal discomfort.
- Under cooked beans are hard to digest and cause indigestion/gas.
How to Cook Beans
- Always sort through dried beans. Though rare, little stones, tiny mud balls and foreign debris may be found. Discard discolored, shriveled and broken beans.
- Rinse. After sorting, always give beans a quick rinse to remove any surface dirt.
- To soak or not to soak. Soaking beans is highly recommended. Soaking beans helps with digestion and ensures all the beans cook at the same rate. Soak beans overnight. (8 to 14 hours) then discard the soaking water. To every cup of dry beans soak in 3 cups of water. Depending on the beans they will double or triple in size, so put them in a large enough container that will allow plenty of room for them to expand. When using a slow cooker the beans are hydrating very slowly, so soaking beans is an option.
- Seasonings. If desired add 1-2 bay leaves for each cup of dry beans. In some recipes you may want to add a chopped onion. Do NOT add salt, tomatoes or vinegar until after the beans are soft otherwise they could stay hard.
- How long to cook. This will depend on the type of bean and how old they are. Most beans take 1½ to 2 hours to cook. Some types of beans, like black beans, can be done in an hour. I recommend to start checking them every 30 minutes after the first hour of cooking. Beans are very forgiving, when in doubt, it’s better to cook them a little longer rather than not long enough.
- How to know when beans are done. To check if beans are cooked, remove a few and press them down with a fork. They should mash easily. I prefer to do a taste test. Beans should be soft with no resistance.
- Use immediately, refrigerate or freeze. Beans can be used immediately or refrigerated and used within 3 – 4 days. Beans can also be portioned into appropriate recipe size or meal size containers. Top up with cooking water and put them in the freezer and use within 6 months. When freezing, allow head space for expansion. If you have extra cooking water left over, it can be used in soups.
Instructions Start
Instructions Slow Cooker
- Clean, sort and wash beans and add them to slow cooker. Use a ratio of 1 cup beans to 3 cups water. (I don’t soak the beans when I use the slow cooker).
- If desired add 1-2 bay leaves for each cup of dry beans. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6-8 hours.
- When beans are done remove the bay leaves and if desired add salt. (as a guideline, remembering the dry measure you started with, use about ¾ tsp salt per cup of dry beans)
Instructions Stove Top
- Clean sort and wash beans. Soak beans over night at room temperature. (8 to 24 hours) To every cup of dry beans soak in 3 cups of water.
- Discard soaking water and rinse the beans. Add beans to pot with fresh water. (use same ratio 3:1) If desired add 1-2 bay leaves for each cup of dry beans.
- Bring beans to full boil. Note the bean water will foam up and may boil over. Although not compulsory, it is desirable to skim off this frothy foam and discard it.
- Cover pot with lid, turn down heat and simmer until beans are tender. (usually about 1½ to 2 hours) I recommend to start checking them every 30 minutes after the first hour of cooking.
- When beans are done remove the bay leaves and if desired add salt. (remembering the dry measure you started with, use about ¾ tsp salt per cup of dry beans)