What is that old saying about beans? “Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you… save on groceries?” It’s true. Beans are not only healthy and a great source of proteins, they’re also dirt cheap, which means they should be a staple on every family’s grocery list. But, if you really want to save some extra cash, you should look into buying dried beans – which are almost always a steal.
Canned beans of almost any variety, whether they’re lima beans, black beans, or pinto beans, are generally pretty cheap. Sometimes they can be had for .50 to $1.50 a can. And while a can should definitely be able to feed a family of 4, the price of a 1 pound bag of dried beans averages less than $1.50. Just to give you a better idea of how great a deal that is, a 1 pound bag of dried beans yields approximately 7 cups of cooked beans, while a can of beans is around 1.75 cups. That’s pretty significant.
The only pitfall that you encounter when cooking with dried beans is that it takes a little longer to prep, and people tend to like the convenience of canned beans. However, if you want to try and save big and start cooking up dried beans like a pro, here’s how you do it.
How to Prepare Dried Beans
To start prepping your dried beans for cooking, measure out what you’re going to be cooking and spread them out on a baking sheet or large plate. Move them around to check for small pieces of leaves or twigs – essentially any type of dirt and debris that you wouldn’t want to end up in your cooking. Once that’s finished, move dried beans to a colander and rinse under cold water. Be sure to move the beans around with your hand to rinse off all of them.
The next step is the most important, as it will help cut down the time it takes to cook the beans. Soaking dried beans also helps break down the properties in beans that cause gas (which is never a bad thing, right?)
How to Soak Dried Beans in the Traditional Method
Put the dried beans in a pot and cover with cold water. Leave soaking overnight or for 8 hours. Once they’re finished soaking, drain the water out and rinse the beans with cold water. Now you’re ready to cook!
How to Hot Soak Dried Beans
The hot soak method of cooking dried beans is that it takes about half the time to soak the beans as the traditional method. Start by putting the dried beans in a large pot. For every 1 cup of dried beans, add 5 cups of water. Heat water to boiling, and let the beans boil for a few minutes. Take the beans off the heat and cover to allow them to cool down. Once cool, let them soak for 4-6 hours. Afterwards, drain the beans from the water and rinse in cool water.
How to Quick Soak Dried Beans
Like the title alludes to, the quick soak method is the fastest way to soak dried beans before cooking. Start by adding dried beans in a large pot. Add 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of dried beans. Bring water to a boil, and boil beans for 3-4 minutes. Take beans off heat, cover pot, let cool. Let beans soak for 1 hour, then drain and rinse in cool water.
How to Cook Dried Beans
Cooking beans is pretty simple once you’ve finished with the prep work. Add a few cups of water and 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil to a saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Add beans that have just been soaked and rinsed. Simmer and stir until cooked. Depending on the type of bean, they could take 30 minutes to 3 hours (although that’s pretty rare). Here’s a quick guide on average cook times for different types of dried beans.
- Black Beans: 1-1 1/2 hours
- Soybeans: 3 hours
- Pinto Beans: 1-1 1/2 hours
- Kidney Beans: 1-1 1/2 hours
- Lima Beans: 1 hour
- Garbanzo Beans: 1-1 1/2 hours
Remember, though: keep adding warm water as the water in the saucepan evaporates or is soaked up by the beans as they cook. Stir occasionally to keep the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add spices to taste – salt and pepper are always a good base to start with, and you can add other spices to mesh with the rest of your meal.
What’s your favorite type of bean, and how do you like to cook it? Do you have any tips for soaking dried beans? Share your tips with us in the comments!
