How to Cook Dried Beans and Legumes
How to Cook Dried Beans and Legumes
Pre-pandemic, the main objection I heard regarding cooking dried beans was, “But it takes soooo long!” Well, now that many of us have a bit time, I thought I’d revisit the topic with an updated post. Even if you’re extra-busy working from home, beans are an easy dish to conquer. The water does the heavy lifting. You just act in a supervisory capacity.
What’s a legume?
Legumes are a diverse family of plants that includes the familiar (dried peas, lentils, and beans) as well as the less obvious — alfalfa, peanuts, and tamarind. The dried versions you buy in the store are the seeds of plants within the wide-ranging legume family. Also called pulses, legumes come in a range of colours and sizes, each with its own taste and texture.
What’s wrong with tinned beans?
Tinned beans are a convenient pantry staple. All you need is a can opener. However, they often contain high levels of sodium, and are three to four times more expensive than their dried counterparts.
How to Buy and Store Dried Beans and Legumes
Look for whole, not cracked, beans with smooth skins and no wrinkles. If the store has a high turn-over of beans, you’ll know they are fresh.
Store beans and lentils in a cool, dry place, out of the light. You can leave them in their original bag, or transfer them to an airtight container. I like mason jars since I can see how much I have on hand. While legumes keep indefinitely, the older the bean, the longer the cooking time, so don’t over-buy if you cook beans only rarely.
Why soak legumes?
Soaking will speed up the cooking time, reducing it by a good quarter. Soaked beans also keep their shape better once cooked, which may or may not be a selling point.
The standard belief that soaking removes the indigestible carbohydrates that cause gas has come into question. If gas is an issue, the best remedy is building up your bean tolerance. Eat small portions often. Your gut will adjust. (Although, I understand your hesitation given the isolation factor these days.)
Do all legumes need to be soaked?
No. Small legumes, like lentils and split peas, don’t need to be soaked. They will cook quickly on their own. With larger, longer-cooking legumes, you can skip the soaking if you’re going to be pureeing them. Beans will lose some of their colour when soaked, so if hue is integral to the dish, you might want to skip this step. Ultimately, it’s up to you.
How to Soak Legumes
Before you cook or soak your legumes, pour them onto a plate and pick through them. Remove any stones and broken or shrivelled beans. Then give them a good rinse in a sieve to remove any dust and dirt. Just be sure to rinse right before you soak or cook. You don’t want to leave the wet beans hanging around. They could ferment.
Legumes will swell when soaked, so use at least twice as much water as beans. You can leave them out on the counter to soak, but I like to cover mine and pop them in the fridge overnight. This way, they’re fully soaked by the morning (or afternoon, if I’m busy). Try not to let them soak longer than 12 hours or the taste and texture can be compromised.
Quick-Soaking Legumes
If you’re pressed for time and want your beans to hold their shape once cooked, a quick-soak works well. Put the beans in a saucepan, cover them with cold water and bring them to a full boil. Boil 2 to 3 minutes, drain, and then cook according to your recipe.
How to Cook Legumes
If you soaked the beans, remove any skins that came loose. Drain the beans, discarding the soaking water, and rinse. You can cook the beans according to the recipe you’re making, or just cook them in fresh water (keeping that 2:1 ratio).
Bring the liquid JUST to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Unlike the quick-soak method, which is very short, you don’t the beans bouncing around in the boiling water for long periods. They can split or break.
Simmer the beans uncovered, adding water as needed, or partially cover with a lid to reduce evaporation. Cook until they’re soft. You will want to occasionally skim off any foam that rises to the surface. If you get distracted and skip the skimming, don’t panic. The foam won’t hurt you or the final dish.
WHEN DO I ADD SALT?
Cooking dried beans at home allows you to set the salt level. Tinned beans are notoriously high in sodium. Some people don’t add salt because they think it slows cooking time. It does, but not by that much. I add salt about half-way through the cooking process. This way, the beans fully absorb the salt, and the entire bean is flavoured. I’m also not extending the cooking time. Adding 1/2 tsp salt per cup of dried beans will give flavour without saltiness. You can also add flavour by adding herbs, onion, and/or garlic to the cooking water. Or even cook the beans in stock.
That said, acids, like vinegar and tomatoes, will prolong the cooking time. If you’re making a tomato-based dish, add fully cooked beans to the recipe.
How long will it take to cook the beans?
Cooking time depends on several things — the variety of bean, the age of the legume, and whether or not you pre-soaked them. Times range from 30 minutes for red lentils to more than 2 hours for chick peas. You can reduce time using a pressure cooker, but that’s another post.
How do I know when the beans are done?
Unlike pasta, you don’t want beans al dente. Instead, you want the beans cooked all the way through. They should be soft but not mushy. If you can flatten the bean with your thumb, it’s done.
My beans are cooked. Now what?
That depends on what you’re making. The beans are ready to eat, so add them to a soup, salad, or make them into a side dish. If you want beans for later, drain, rinse, and store them. Cooked beans can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to a year.
When portioning beans, I pre-measure in 2-cup portions, which is the equivalent of a 19 oz (540 mL) tin. If you prefer 14 oz (398 mL) tins, measure out 1 1/2 cups.So, now that you’ve got plenty of beans all cooked up, what are you going to make? May I be bold and suggest Easy 5-Ingredient Black Bean Salad? Or Smoky Navy Bean Soup?