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How to Cook Dried Beans on the Stovetop

How to Cook Dried Beans on the Stovetop

A bag of dried beans costs a fraction of the same amount canned, takes up little space and, once cooked, tastes noticeably better: creamier, with more flavor of its own. The cooking is almost entirely hands-off; it just needs some planning.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings (about 6 cups)
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb (450 g) organic dried beans such as black, pinto, cannellini or chickpeas
  • cold water for soaking and cooking
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt for cooking, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 onion optional
  • 2 cloves garlic optional, smashed
  • 1 bay leaf optional

Method
 

  1. Spread the beans on a tray and pick out any small stones or shriveled beans. Rinse them in a colander.
  2. Soak: put the beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least 3 inches. Leave for 8–12 hours or overnight. (Quick soak: cover with water in a pot, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover for 1 hour.)
  3. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Put them in a large pot with the onion, garlic and bay leaf, and cover with fresh water by 2 inches.
  4. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot.
  5. Simmer, stirring occasionally and adding hot water if the level drops below the beans. After 30 minutes, add the salt.
  6. Start tasting at 45 minutes. Most soaked beans take 45–90 minutes (chickpeas can take up to 2 hours). They are done when several beans are creamy all the way through with no chalky center.
  7. Remove the aromatics. Let the beans cool in their cooking liquid before storing them.

Notes

  • Salting the cooking water seasons the beans throughout and does not stop them from softening.
  • Very old beans may never soften fully; buy from a store with good turnover and use them within a year.