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How to Cook Basic Dried Beans

Course Component
Keyword dried beans, how to cook dried beans
Prep Time 12 hours
Cook Time 2 hours
Author Erin Alderson

Ingredients

Soaking

  • 1 cup beans: chickpeas white beans, black beans, pinto beans, Gigante beans, etc
  • 3-4 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Aromatics

  • ½ large peeled yellow onion cut into large wedges
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled
  • 3-4 sprigs rosemary thyme, and/or oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Place the beans in a strainer and pick through, removing any debris you might find. Give the beans a good rinse. Transfer the beans to a jar and cover with water and stir in the salt. Let soak overnight, up to 24 hours.
  • When ready to cook, drain the beans and transfer to a pot. Add enough water to go about 2" above the beans. Add in aromatics and salt. Bring to a boil and let cook for 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, reduce the heat to low so that the beans are just below a simmer. Cook the beans until soft, occasionally tasting to reach the right texture. Taste and add more salt if desired. This would also be the time to add any acid-based ingredients. 
  • After cooking, let cool in the pot for about 20 minutes then remove any aromatics. Transfer to a container to finish cooling. Once the beans have cooled, seal and place in the refrigerator. Use within a week.