Close

Canned beans are convenient, but dried beans have a lot to offer too: They’re cheaper than canned and often have better flavor. You also control the sodium in dried beans, so they can be healthier too. They also last a long time in your pantry. So, got a bag of beans? Here’s how to prepare and cook them.

How Long Do Dried Beans Last?

Dried beans are best used within a year or two of purchase. Younger beans typically cook faster than older ones.

Should You Soak Dried Beans?

Soaking beans before cooking helps them to cook more evenly and cuts down on the total cooking time. So if you’ve planned ahead, soak them. If you don’t have time, skip the soaking, but plan to cook the beans longer. Fresher beans, which are less dry, need less soaking time than beans that were harvested more than a year go.

Overnight Soak

Quick Soak

Rinse and pick over the beans, then place them in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour; drain.

How to Cook Dried Beans

Stovetop

Pressure Cooker

Pressure cookers like Instant Pots were made for dried beans. Place (drained) soaked beans in a 4-quart or larger pressure cooker. Add 3 cups water and 1 tablespoon oil for each cup of beans. Secure the lid and bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat to lowest setting that maintains high pressure and cook until tender.

Suggested timing:

Let pressure release naturally before removing the lid.

Slow Cooker

To cook dried beans in a slow cooker such as a Crock-Pot, place (drained) soaked beans in the slow cooker. Add 5 cups boiling water. Cover and cook on High until tender, 3 to 5 hours, or on Low, 6 to 10 hours. Add salt to taste; cook 15 minutes more.

Note:For safety purposes some dried beans, especially kidney beans, need to be boiled before cooking in a slow cooker.

Equivalents

Recipes with Dried Beans

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!OtherSubmit

Tell us why!