dried beans

A simple dish of creamy, thin-skinned beans and broth on toast is easy to make, and a comfort to eat alone or feed a crowd. If you make the beans ahead of time, they can keep in the fridge for 3 days, but may need a splash of water added when you heat them up. The broth is a great way to make use of parmigiano rinds, if you happen to be saving those, but if you don’t have any lying around, you can still make it rich with umami: Whisk a heaped tablespoon of white miso with a little of the bean broth to make it smooth and lump-free, then add it back to the pot. It will add a similar, savory depth. The dish seems plain, but it won’t be if you season the broth well, and garnish each bowl generously with olive oil, grated cheese and herbs, just before you eat it.

Beans and Garlic Toast in Broth

beans,

onion,

garlic cloves,

Parmesan rinds

olive oil

salt

sourdough bread

garlic clove,

parsley leaves, chopped

marjoram leaves, chopped

Flaky sea salt, finely grated Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper,

If you remember, soak the beans in cold water overnight, or for 10 to 12 hours. Rinse beans, and place in a large heavy-bottomed pot with onion, garlic, Parmesan rinds, olive oil and salt. Cover beans with water, so the water level is a couple of inches above the beans, and bring to a boil, then turn heat down so it’s simmering gently. Put a lid on the pot, and cook until beans are tender, adding more water as needed to keep the beans submerged. This could take 1 to 2 hours or more, depending on the beans and whether or not you soaked them. (If you’re using an electric pressure cooker: Add 5 cups water, set the machine to high pressure and cook for 25 minutes, then allow the machine to slowly depressurize on its own.)

Use a spoon to fish out the onion, garlic and cheese rinds; discard. Taste a couple of beans along with the broth. It should be opaque and slightly creamy; adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed.

Brush both sides of each piece of bread with olive oil, and place on a foil-lined sheet pan. Run the pan under the broiler for 2 minutes, so the bread is crisp at the edges and nicely toasted, then flip bread and repeat. While the bread is still hot, rub a garlic clove along one side of each piece, as if you were grating the garlic on the bread, pushing just firmly enough for the clove to fray and dissolve slightly into the bread.

To assemble, place a piece of bread at the bottom of four wide, shallow bowls and ladle hot beans and broth on top. Wait a few seconds for the bread to absorb some broth, then ladle a little extra on each one, so it’s swimming. Garnish the bowls generously: Drizzle olive oil all over the beans, sprinkle with herbs and flaky sea salt, cover with finely grated Parmesan and grind a little black pepper on top.

Use whatever variety of beans and chiles you’ve got in your pantry to make this recipe, which is inspired by the silky, lard-fried, pinto bean version available at nearly every Southern Californian taqueria. Eat these however you like, whether alongside rice and greens, smeared onto garlic-rubbed toast or spread onto a warm tortilla and with a perfectly fried egg on top. The overnight soak allows the time for both water and salt to penetrate the beans, cutting down the cooking time and leading to better seasoned, more evenly cooked beans. But if you’re short on time, you can skip the presoak; the beans will just take longer to cook through, and might not cook as evenly, which isn’t the end of the world if you’re mashing them up. You can also skip simmering altogether and use the drained, rinsed beans from two (15-ounce) cans and begin with Step 3.

Olive Oil Refried Beans

beans of any variety

baking soda

bay leaves

small dried chile of any variety

country-style bread, grilled

Calabrian chile paste,

basil leaves, torn (optional)

Parmesan (optional)

The night before cooking, remove any debris from beans. Rinse them, then place them in a 4-quart Dutch oven or pot of similar size. Add 6 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and the baking soda. Cover and set aside in a cool place for 8 to 12 hours.

To cook, add bay leaves, garlic and chile to the beans and bring the pot, uncovered, to a boil. Taste the cooking water and adjust seasoning as needed; it should taste pleasantly salty. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, partly cover with a lid and cook until beans are completely tender and just beginning to fall apart. Depending on the variety and age of your beans, this can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. Throughout the cooking time, monitor the pot to ensure the beans are always submerged, adding more water as needed. When you suspect the beans might be done, taste five of them. If they are not all creamy through to the center, keep on simmering. No one likes an underdone bean!

To fry the beans, remove the bay leaves and chile from the bean pot. Discard the bay leaves, and mince the chile. Set a large cast-iron or similar frying pan over high heat, and add about half the oil. Add the minced chile. Use a slotted spoon or sieve to add beans and garlic — but not their cooking liquid — to the pan. Reduce heat to medium, and, with a potato masher or wooden spoon, stir and mash the beans into a silky paste, constantly stirring and scraping to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add about 1/4 cup bean cooking liquid to loosen the mixture, then gradually add remaining oil. If the bean paste is too thick, continue adding cooking liquid as needed, being mindful that it is seasoned with salt. When the mixture is rich and velvety, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt.

To serve, lightly rub warm toasts with raw garlic, then slather with a generous amount of bean paste. Garnish with chile paste and, if desired, torn basil and a heap of grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

This is a no-soak method for cooking dried Ayocote Negro beans.

How To Cook Dried Ayocote Negro Beans

bag of dried Ayocote Negro Beans

cumin

paprika

chipotle peppers

kosher salt,

black pepper,

filtered water, plus more if needed

How to Cook Basic Dried Beans

water

½ large peeled yellow onion,

oregano

bay leaf

sea salt

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.

Wow, that was a lot of information but definitely helpful to have direct and concise information. This inspired me to make beans this weekend. Thanks!

During this period of staying at home, one of my pleasures has been to leave a pot of beans on the stove, something I couldn't do until the weekends previously when I worked at an office. Thank you for all the information and links, I have learned a few new tricks!

Erin! I love this post. I don’t cook beans at home nearly enough. This breakdown is great.

This is the best information that I have read in a very long time. Sincere thanks  and best regards.

Just made dried beans not in an instant pot for the first time ever. My house smells amazing and they taste delicious!

Canned beans aren’t the only option if you’ve forgotten to or don’t have the time to soak your dried beans before using them in a recipe.  You can quick soak dried beans in the Instant Pot in less than 30 minutes.

How to Quick Soak Dried Beans in the Instant Pot

beans

water ((enough to cover 1 inch above beans))

Place beans in a shallow tray or plate.

Clean the beans by removing any foreign items like twigs, stones, etc.

Pour the beans into a bowl and fill with water. Pick out anything that rises to the top.

Drain the beans into a sieve or colander.

Pour beans into the Instant Pot inner pot.

Add water to the beans.

Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.

Do a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) and open the lid.    [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]

Drain the liquid and use the beans in any recipe that calls for soaked beans.

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/jtyjbt6oz8cymx2t4fbs

Canned beans aren’t the only option if you’ve forgotten to or don’t have the time to soak your dried beans before using them in a recipe.  You can quick soak dried beans in the Instant Pot in less than 30 minutes.  With a 5 minute pressure cooking time, this quick way to soak beans allows you to make your favorite recipes on a weeknight!

Cooking your own beans isn&#x27;t as difficult as it seems and you can do a large batch and store them in the freezer. Cook the beans to your liking and save some money!

Soaking and Cooking Dried Navy Beans

Navy beans

onion

tsp sea salt

Sort through dried beans and remove anything that doesn&#x27;t belong there.

Rinse beans under cold tap water.

Place in large pot and cover with 2&quot; of cool water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1-4 hours. Amount of soaking time could affect cooking time later.

Drain and discard soaking liquid

Quick Soaking

Place soaked beans in a large pot and cover with 2-3 inches of cool water. Add onion, bay leaf, and any other aromatics you might like such as garlic, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns etc. Tie up herbs and peppercorns in cheesecloth or put in a tea infuser.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 25 mins. then add 1 tsp sea salt. Continue to simmer for another 15 mins or until done to your liking.

When done, drain over a bowl to reserve cooking liquid. Let cool and use in recipe, or store in cooking liquid in fridge or freeze, drained, flat in ziplock bags.

Cooking the beans

Dried white beans are quickly pressure cooked and make an amazing soup with Italian sausage, carrots, tomatoes, kale and parmesan cheese. The flavor is unbelievably good! This soup is naturally gluten free. 

Instant Pot Tuscan Sausage White Bean Soup

Italian sausage

yellow onion, diced

chicken broth (see note)

carrots,

garlic powder

Italian seasoning

(14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

kale leaves, washed and chopped (stems removed)

Parmesan cheese,

Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the Italian sausage and break it up (I use this tool*). Add in the onion. Stir every minute or so until sausage is browned. Pour in the broth and deglaze the pot.

Add in the carrots, beans, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and bay leaf.

Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 40 minutes (for beans that have not been soaked) or 20 minutes (for soaked beans) or 5 minutes (for canned beans).

When the time is up let the pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.

Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the tomatoes and kale.

Ladle into bowls and top each bowl with a heaping tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

I made this Tuscan soup for dinner tonight and everyone raved about it. This is a definitely a keeper recipe.

This soup is a cinch to make in the Instant Pot and absolutely delicious! Everyone raves about it. I use canned beans, reducing the chicken broth to about 5 cups. It keeps great in the fridge, although I don't usually have much in the way of leftovers!

Absolutely delicious! I'm making this for the second time tonight, and followed your recipe to the letter the first time--so simple and SO flavorful! Seriously, I love to cook and this is one of the best soups I've ever made. Thank you!

Made this soup tonight, absolutely delicious, I did spice it up a bit and used diced tomatoes with green chilies and didn't have kale and replaced with spinach.  Another 5+ star recipe!  Thanks!!!

This soup is delicious and only gets better the next day!  Our New favorite!!!

This recipe was delicious! I made a few minor changes. I added chopped celery at the same time as the carrots. I also used freshly minced garlic (add toward the end of the onions' cooking time). I could have cooked the beans (cannellini) for less time. I also like a creamy quality to my soup, so I blended a ladle full of the beans + some of the diced tomatoes and added that to the soup.

Just fixed this for my family of three and it was a hit! Didn't change a thing. This will be a staple for us.

Turned out to be as good as I hoped  would be. I added diced mushrooms and used fresh garlic. Thank you for the recipe!

I love the recipe!  40 minutes wasn't enough time to cook the dried beans. I ate it as is, the beans were a bit hard.  My husband did additional time in the pressure cooker and that was better :-)

This was good and seemed pretty flexible; however, I did have to pressure cook it for an extra 10 minutes after the initial 40 min cook + 5 min natural release in order to fully cook the beans. I added a chopped stalk of celery with the carrots and I was generous with the kale. I used spicy sausage, which my husband and I enjoyed, but I would switch to sweet or mild if I was serving kids or a crowd. I would make this again.

Delicious! I’m adding this to my regular rotation. I sautéed the onion and carrot together for a few minutes, then added diced celery and minced garlic, as another reviewer suggested, and sautéed for 2 min. I threw in a small parmesan rind (I keep them in my freezer for just this purpose)—but otherwise I followed the recipe directions. I used canned beans and they retained their texture nicely.

Question: I’m relatively new to pressure cooking. I would like to add small pasta (ditalini or something similar) next time I make this. Since I use canned beans, is 5 minutes of pressure cooking enough time (or too much time) to cook small pasta?

Thanks for a great recipe.

It was good.  Used ground turkey Italian sausage and navy beans.  I pre soaked them in the IP by covering with water and adding some salt.  Brought it to a boil and then pressure cooked for 7 minutes (live in a high altitude state).  The 20-minute cook time was perfect for the pot of soup.  Also, I used fresh garlic in place of garlic powder and added a parmesan rind.

If I add diced potatoes, could that affect the cooking time?  I typically used canned beans.  What about for dried beans?

We absolutely LOVE this soup at our house, summer or winter!  Been making it ever since I got Karen's recipe. I just want everybody to know that I always make it using kale, but alas, today I didn't have any &amp; I live a long way from a grocery. So, I just chopped up cabbage.  WHOA!  Just sayin...;-}. Oink, burp!

A HIT. I added a TBL of tomato paste , only 2 cans cannelloni beans, 6 cups broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Had 2 bowlfuls. yum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0ZwQxZllqY

Have a recipe that calls for soaked beans? Use the quick soak method with your instant pot!

Recipe video above. This is a white bean soup with a thick, creamy broth that&#x27;s full of savoury flavour with a hint of tomato. It&#x27;s a fast way to turn bland beans into a really filling soup that so simple to make, yet so, so good! The flavour trick - blitzing up the sautéed onion, carrot and garlic with just a bit of the beans. Keep it meat free or see notes for how to add ham, bacon, chicken or sausage! This is VERY filling - and keeps you full for ages (thank you beans!)

Creamy Tomato Bean Soup

butter (, unsalted)

onion (, finely chopped (brown, yellow, white))

garlic (, finely chopped)

carrot (, large, peeled and finely chopped)

Italian herb mix OR other dried herbs ((oregano, thyme, parsley, basil,

(170 grams) tomato paste (Note 1)

(1 litre) stock/broth, chicken

(50 grams) parmesan (, grated)

tsp EACH salt and pepper

spinach

(185 milliliters) cream, heavy/thickened ((optional) OR more butter!)

Melt butter in a pot over medium high heat. Cook garlic, onion and carrot for 5 minutes until carrot is soft and sweet.

About 3 minutes in, add the Italian herbs and cook with the onion (makes the herb flavour &quot;bloom&quot;).

Turn heat up to high, add tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes to remove the “raw” flavour.

Add white wine, cook for 3 minutes until the harsh “winey” smell is gone and mostly evaporates so you’re just left with tomato paste again.

Add 1/2 cup of beans (to thicken soup), stock, parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir, low heat, cover and simmer 3 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Use a stick blender to puree until smooth (or transfer to blender).

Add remaining beans, simmer 3 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted, then stir in cream if using. Add more salt and pepper if needed (note: canned beans are already salted).

Serve with crusty bread for dunking!

This recipe is a project that can be time- and labor-intensive. You need to dig a hole in your yard and build a fire in that hole to cook the beans. An important note: Failing to dig the hole, and using your oven instead, will result in beans that lack bona fides but are 98 percent as good as the ones that guy cooked in a hole in his yard.  This recipe will take about 3 hours plus soaking time for the oven method.

Bean-Hole Baked Beans

onions, thinly sliced

molasses

maple syrup

dry mustard

black pepper

salt pork,

Soak beans overnight in water to cover or quick-soak: Put beans in a large pot, add water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse.

If you don’t already have a bean hole, dig a hole about half again as large as whatever pot you plan to cook the beans in. (The key is that there be 6 inches between the top of the hole and the top of the pot.) Build a fire in the hole using about 10 pieces of cord wood. When the fire is burning well, add 10 softball-size rocks, then continue to burn until the wood is reduced to embers. You should have a bed of embers 2 to 3 inches deep.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans and put them into a 6-quart Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot along with all remaining ingredients except the salt pork. Stir well to combine. Lay the salt pork slices on top of the beans, then add water to cover by about an inch. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Carefully remove the rocks from the bean hole. Put the pot into the hole on top of the embers, cover it with a triple layer of heavy-duty foil, then put the rocks back into the hole around and on top of the pot. Fill in the hole with dirt, covering the pot. Come back 8 hours later, remove the pot from the hole and serve the beans.

Forget soaking and Cook Dried Beans in 2 hours hands-free in the oven for the creamiest beans ever. Use for dips, salads, and soups. Even readers say, &quot;I&#039;ll never soak and cook dried beans the traditional way again&quot;.

How to Cook Dried Beans in 2 Hours

Sea Salt

Water (enough to fill pot 2" above bean surface)

(optional) Seasonings (use any seasonings you like)

Preheat oven to 375°F and center the oven rack.

Sort DRIED BEANS to remove any unwanted pieces, then rinse.

Place beans in dutch oven or heavy soup pot with a heavy lid.

Add SALT and enough WATER to cover the beans 2&quot; above their surface.

Cover and bake dried beans for 2 hours.

Carefully remove pot and test beans for doneness. If they&#39;re not soft and creamy, top off the water until it reaches the surface of the beans, cover the pot, and continue baking in 15 or 30 minute intervals until desired consistency is reached.*Final cook time depends on the age of the dried bean; i.e., how long the dried beans sit on the retail shelf and/or your pantry.

If you want to drain the cooked beans, consider capturing the bean juice, also called aquafaba, and use it for other recipes.

Store cooked beans in an airtight container up to five days in the refrigerator or freeze up to 3 months (or longer, if vacuum sealed).

Serving and Storage Instructions

This Crock Pot Pinto Beans with Bacon recipe is the best tender, delicious, and nutritious southern comfort food ever that is made in a slow cooker.

Crock Pot Pinto Beans with Bacon

pinto beans ((pre-soaked, see notes))

chicken broth

bacon (cooked and crumbled bacon bits)

garlic (minced)

jalapeno,

Rinse your presoaked beans in clean water, and drain in a colander.

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker: pinto beans, broth, water, bacon, onion, garlic, seasonings, and jalapeno pepper (if using).

Cook on high heat for 4-6 hours, then on low heat for 2 hours. For creamier pinto beans, mash about 1/2 of the beans with a potato masher.

Serve with your favorite toppings like pico de gallo, sour cream, crushed tortilla or corn chips, pepitas, or salsa.

Spicy and bursting with hints of garlic to complement the tender sausage, this richly textured bean stew is the perfect comforting winter supper.

White Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Rosemary

(about 1 cup) dried haricot beans or cannellini beans

Bouquet garni

small (12 oz total) onions (one halved and one chopped)

carrot (halved)

Sea salt

garlic (crushed)

tomatoes

rosemary (chopped)

sugar

Soak

In a large bowl, soak beans overnight in plenty of cold water.

Simmer

The next day, strain the beans and add to a large pot. Cover with fresh cold water, add bouquet garni, halved onion, and carrot, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer until beans are soft but not mushy, 45 minutes to 2 hours. Just before the end of cooking, add salt to taste.

Reserve

Remove bouquet garni and vegetables and discard. Reserve cooking liquid for later.

Sauté

Meanwhile, in a wide saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the chopped onion and cook gently until soft but not colored, 6 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.

Stir in tomatoes, cooked beans, and rosemary. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, adding some of the bean liquid if the stew is dry. ☞TESTER TIP: Any cooked bean liquid that doesn’t get used in the stew can be frozen and used as a vegetable broth.

Season

Season well with salt, black pepper, and sugar, to taste. The mixture should be loose and juicy but not swimming in liquid.

How to prep, cook and freeze dried red kidney beans for all your recipes- Dried beans are cheaper and tastier than canned versions and a great store cupboard staple to have on-hand!

Top 14 dried beans recipes from across the web

The most viewed dried beans recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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Beans and Garlic Toast in Broth

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How to Cook Basic Dried Beans

How to Cook Basic Dried Beans

How to Quick Soak Dried Beans in th...

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Instant Pot Tuscan Sausage White Be...

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How to Cook Dried Beans in 2 Hours

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Top 14 dried beans recipes from across the web

The most viewed dried beans recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Beans and Garlic Toast in Broth

Olive Oil Refried Beans

How To Cook Dried Ayocote Negro Bea...

How to Cook Basic Dried Beans

How to Cook Basic Dried Beans

How to Quick Soak Dried Beans in th...

Soaking and Cooking Dried Navy Bean...

Instant Pot Tuscan Sausage White Be...

Creamy Tomato Bean Soup

Bean-Hole Baked Beans

How to Cook Dried Beans in 2 Hours

Crock Pot Pinto Beans with Bacon

White Bean Stew with Tomatoes and R...

Red Kidney Beans - how to prep, coo...

The most viewed dried beans recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine