How to Cook Dry Beans

Once you learn how to cook dry beans, you may never use the canned again. Not only is it healthier it tastes great. Once you learn the few extra steps to cooking beans you can have some cooked and frozen for future use. I prefer pressure cooking dry beans. However if you don't have a pressure cooker, we discuss below how to cook dry beans on the stove and the crock pot.

Directions on Cooking Dry Beans

  Here is how I like to cook dried beans. You can do this process with any type of bean.
Step 1: Add your dried beans in a large bowl.
Step 2: Cover with water. Let sit overnight.
Step 3: Drain beans and add to a large pot.
Step 4: Add quartered onion, chopped carrot, celery, ham or meat bone (optional) and a bay leaf. These add flavor to your beans while they are cooking.
Step 5: Cook one hour on low or until beans are tender.
Step 6: Discard bone, bay leaf, etc.
Step 7: Use beans in your recipe. Allow to cool and freeze in plastic containers.

How to Cook Black Beans

Pre-soak and cook as directed above. Do not add salt or any acid while they are cooking. You can use cooked black beans to make refried beans, add to salads, stir in soups, chili, with rice and much more.

Try this black bean taco wrap recipe.

How to Cook Garbanzo Beans

Pre-soak and cook as directed above. Do not add salt or any acid while they are cooking. Use garbanzo beans as a side dish sprinkled with salt and pepper, hummus, tossed in salads, added to soups, etc.

How to Cook Pinto Beans

Pre-soak and cook as directed above. Do not add salt or any acid while they are cooking. To make refried beans out of pinto beans, mash beans and add a little water and seasonings of choice. Blend together. Freeze in plastic containers.

How to Cook Lentils

Lentils are the one bean you can add right into your soup. Try Lentil soup. They don't need to pre-soak. To cook, 1 Cup lentils, add to large pot and add 1-1/2 Cups broth. Cook as instructed above by adding chopped onions, etc. Reduce heat and cook 15 minutes until tender. Taste test if not tender cook an additional 3-5 minutes.

How to Cook Dry Beans in the Crockpot

Ingredients:

• 6 Cups beans
• 12 cups water
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 3 Tablespoons dried onions
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and whole

Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low 10 hours. Allow to cool and freeze 2-3 Cups of beans per baggies or plastic containers. To make refried beans out of pinto beans, mash beans and add a little water and seasonings of choice. Blend together. Freeze in plastic containers.

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Recipes

You can substitute your cooked beans for canned in any recipe. Here are a few to try.

Barbecue Franks and Beans

Ingredients:

• 5 hot dogs cut up
• 1 Cup kidney beans
• 1 Cup black beans
• 1 Cup white beans
• 3/4 Cup BBQ sauce

Directions:
Drain beans and rinse. Add all ingredients together in saucepan and simmer 10 minutes.

Calico Beans

Brown in skillet:

• 1 lb. Hamburger
• 1 lb. Diced bacon
• 1 diced onion

Mix in small bowl:

• ½ C. Brown Sugar
• ½ C. ketchup
• 2 T. vinegar

Add sauce to meat in skillet. Then add in to meat:

• 1 can pork and beans
• 1 Cup kidney beans (drained)
• 1 Cup butter beans (drained)

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees or cook in the crock pot.

White Bean Dip with Seasoned Pita Chips

Seasoned Pita Chips

• 6 pitas
• 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

White Bean Dip

• 1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 - 3 large fresh sage leaves
• 1/3 Cups extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Dash cayenne pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each pita into 8 equal-sized wedges. Lightly brush pita wedges with olive oil on both sides and place on lined baking sheet. Season pita with salt and pepper before placing in oven. Bake for 5-6 minutes before turning each wedge. Return to oven and continue baking for another 5 or 6 minutes, or until pita wedges are golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside. Add cannellini beans, fresh garlic, lemon juice, sage leaves, and olive oil to the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour bean mixture into a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Right before serving, add a dash of cayenne pepper and a drizzle of some high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Serve with seasoned pita chips or vegetable crudités.

More Recipes

Three Bean Salad
Bean Soup Recipes
Chili
Minestrone Soup
Pasta Fagioli Soup
Refried beans
Taco salad with kidney beans
Black beans and rice
Chickpeas make great hummus
Black bean taco wraps

Red Beans and Rice

See our bean kitchen experiments here.

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Related Basic Cooking Lesson Pages:
~ Basic Cooking Lessons, ~ Stock and soups, ~ 5 mother sauces, ~ Yeast and baking breads, ~ Herbs and spices, ~ Vegetables, ~ Dry beans, ~ Grains, ~ Eggs, ~ Different cooking methods, ~ Growing an herb garden, How to Cook Q&A

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