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Say so long to mushy, bland canned beans and learn how to cook beans from scratch. With just a few pantry ingredients and my chef-approved tips, you can transform humble dried beans into an irresistibly creamy staple that’s bursting with savory, flavor-packed goodness. Whether you’re blending them into dips, tossing them into salads, or making a cozy soup, perfectly prepared beans are a must-have for every home cook!

Overhead photo of prepared beans in a large serving bowl with a spoon.

Hi, friends! If you’ve ever wondered how to prepare and cook beans from scratch, you’re in the right place. Humble and endlessly versatile, dry beans are an unsung kitchen hero. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to prepare and cook any variety of dried beans. So, roll up your sleeves and let’s dive into the wonderful world of beans, the magical fruit: 😉

Table of Contents

About this tutorial for preparing dry beans

Perfectly creamy, beautifully tender, and packed with flavor, there’s something truly magical about perfectly cooked dried beans.

Picture: a gently bubbling pot of perfectly plump and beautifully buttery beans infused with aromatic herbs and fragrant flavoring ingredients—the cozy earthy-savory aroma is seriously like a warm hug for your nostrils.

Flawlessly creamy and perfectly seasoned, these impeccably cooked beans are just begging to star in your next soup, chili, salad, tacos, cassoulet, or simply served as a side dish over rice.

Best of all, this soaking and cooking method works for any variety of dried beans, from black beans and pinto beans to white beans, chickpeas, and more. Once you master how to prepare and make dried beans, you’ll always have a stash of perfectly cooked beans ready to use. Honestly, you’re going to wonder why you ever reached for the subpar canned stuff!

If you’re looking for more culinary school cooking tutorials, check out these articles next: How to Hard Boil (or Soft Boil) Eggs and How to Cook Crab Legs.

Why you’ll love cooking beans from dried

  • Unbeatable Creamy Texture: Cooking beans from dried yields a tender, melt-in-your-mouth, silky consistency that a can of beans just can’t match.
  • Flavorful Liquid: Save the aromatic, viscous cooking water (aquafaba) and use it as a starchy base in soups, stews, and hummus dips. 
  • Cost-Effective and Budget-Friendly: A bag of dried beans is more affordable than cans, especially when buying in bulk.
  • Endlessly Customizable: Infuse your beans with your favorite aromatics, like garlic and onions, and herbs, like bay leaves and rosemary, to tailor the flavor to your taste buds and create a signature staple for your kitchen.
  • Freezer-Friendly and All-Season: Freeze the cooked beans in individual serving sizes and make meal prep a breeze. Then use them in chilis and stews in the warmer months and refreshing salads and dips in the cooler ones. 
Overhead photo of a bowl of dried beans, ramekin of kosher salt, and small jar of olive oil on a kitchen counter.

Ingredients to prepare dried beans

  • Dry Beans. You can use any variety of dried beans here: black, pinto, kidney, cannellini, navy, garbanzo beans—your choice. Just make sure to look for beans that are plump and uniform in color and avoid shriveled or cracked beans.
  • Water. You’ll need enough fresh, cold water to soak and cook the dry beans. I use filtered water.
  • Kosher Salt. Salt seasons the beans from the inside out and helps them cook evenly, so whatever you do, don’t skip the kosher salt.
  • Olive Oil. While optional, just a tablespoon of good-quality olive oil lends a touch of richness and helps prevent some of the foaming while the beans are cooking.
  • Optional – Aromatics. If you want to take your beans from ordinary to extraordinary, you’ll want to add some aromatics to the pot when cooking the dry beans. This can include aromatic veggies, like yellow onion, garlic, celery, and even leeks or fennel, to herbs, like dry bay leaves, and fresh rosemary sprigs, and spices like black peppercorns. Use what you have on hand or love.

Variations

  • Spicy Flavored Beans: If you prefer your beans with a hint of heat, toss in some dried red pepper flakes, small dried chiles, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or chili powder.
  • Smoky Beans: Toss in a little bit of smoked paprika, a drop of liquid smoke, or even a small piece of smoked sausage for smoky flavor.
  • Extra Savory Flavor: Swap out the water and cook the dry soaked beans in vegetable broth or chicken broth for an extra depth of savory flavor.
  • Garlicky Cooked Beans: Toss in a bunch of peeled whole garlic cloves when cooking the beans to infuse delightful mellow, almost buttery garlic flavor.
Overhead photo of rinsed dried beans in a colander - first step to preparing beans

How to prepare beans

The first step to preparing dry beans is to rinse and then soak them. You can do this using the traditional soaking method or the quick soaking method, depending upon your time constraints and preferences:

Traditional soaking method

  1. Pick Through and Rinse Beans: Dump the beans into a colander and sift through the beans, discarding any pebbles or any beans that are off-colored, shriveled, or damaged in any way. After sorting, rinse the beans under cold running water to remove any dirt or dust.
  2. Mix Water and Salt: Add kosher salt to a large bowl or storage container. Then, add 2 quarts (8 cups) of cold water and vigorously whisk until the salt is dissolved.
  3. Soak Beans: Next, dump the rinsed beans into the salty water. Make sure the water level reaches about 3 inches about the beans, if not, add more water. Then, discard any beans that float before setting the beans aside. Let the dry beans soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or no more than 24 hours.
  4. Drain, Rinse, and Cook Immediately: After soaking, drain and rinse the beans well. Then, proceed to the cooking step immediately.

Quick soaking method

  1. Pick Through and Rinse Beans: Dump the beans out into a colander and sift through the beans, discarding any pebbles or any beans that are off-colored, shriveled, or damaged in any way. After sorting, rinse the beans under cold running water to remove any dirt or dust.
  2. Mix Water and Salt: Add kosher salt and 2 quarts (8 cups) of water to a large pot. Grab a whisk and vigorously stir until the salt is dissolved.
  3. Bring Beans to Boil: Dump the rinsed beans into the salty water and then place the pot on the stovetop. Bring the contents to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, immediately remove the beans from the heat.
  4. Let Beans Stand: Let the beans soak in the hot water for 1 hour.
  5. Drain, Rinse, and Cook Immediately: After preparing dried beans, drain and rinse them well. Then, proceed to the cooking step immediately.

How to cook beans

After you’ve prepared the dried beans by soaking and rinsing, it’s time to cook them. You can do this on the stovetop or in the oven:

Stovetop cooking

  1. Add Beans with Aromatics to Pot: Place the soaked beans into a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans by at least 3-inches. Then add the oil and stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Next, if using, either tie aromatics up in a sachet or add them directly to the pot.
  2. Simmer Beans on the Stove-Top: Place the pot of beans onto the stovetop and bring to a gentle boil over high heat. Once barely boiling, immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the beans, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 3 hours, or until the beans are tender. While the beans are simmering, be sure to skim-off and discard any foam from the surface of the water.
  3. Let Beans Cool: Once the beans are done, take the pot off the heat and let the beans cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid. Once cool, remove cheesecloth bundle or pick out and discard the aromatics. Then, drain the beans, reserving a few cups of the liquid for storage.
  4. Store or Use Cooked Dried Beans: Transfer the cooked beans along with some of the cooking liquid to protect their skins from drying out to airtight containers and use or store for later.

Oven cooking

  1. Add Beans with Aromatics to Pot: Place the soaked beans into a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans by at least 3-inches. Then add the oil and stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Next, if using, either tie aromatics up in a sachet or add them directly to the pot.
  2. Simmer Beans in the Oven: Arrange oven rack to the bottom third position and then preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120-degrees Celsius).Cover the pot of beans and place into the preheated oven. Let the beans cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 3 hours, or until the beans are tender. While the beans are cooking, be sure to check on them and skim-off and discard any foam from the surface of the water.
  3. Let Beans Cool: Once the beans are done, take the pot off the heat and let the beans cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid. Once cool, remove cheesecloth bundle or pick out and discard the aromatics. Then, drain the beans, reserving a few cups of the liquid for storage.
  4. Store or Use Cooked Dried Beans: Transfer the cooked beans along with some of the cooking liquid to protect their skins from drying out to airtight containers and use or store for later.

Chef expert tips for perfect results every time!

  • Soak In Salty Water. Make sure you add kosher salt during soaking, not just during cooking, and certainly not just add the end. Adding salt every step of the way ensures the beans are seasoned from the inside out and it helps them cook evenly.
  • Ensure Freshness. Despite what those post-apocalyptic television shows portray, dry beans do expire. Ensure your beans aren’t past the expiration date or they won’t soften properly.
  • Add Aromatics. While entirely optional, aromatics are the key ingredient to making truly exceptional beans. I recommend at least using an aromatic ingredient, like garlic, and a hearty herb, like dried bay leaves or sage when preparing dry beans.
  • Gently Simmer on Stovetop or in Oven. You’ll want to bring the soaked beans to a boil and then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Avoid harshly cooking the beans—vigorously boiling will agitate the beans too much causing breakage.
  • Skim Off Foam. Make sure you skim off and discard any foam from the surface of the cooking liquid for a cleaner bean broth.
  • Check Water Level. In order to cook evenly the beans need to be submerged in water, so be sure you add fresh water to the pot any time the level drops too low.
  • Check For Doneness Early. Cooking times vary greatly among bean varieties so you’ll want to check the beans for doneness (just eat one!) at the one-hour mark. While you can use a bean-cooking chart, those can be wildly inaccurate since cooking times can vary depending upon age and other factors.
  • Save Cooking Liquid. Keep the aquafaba (cooking liquid) and store the cooked beans in the liquid to protect them from drying out.
Overhead photo of dry beans soaking in a mixture of water and salt.

FAQs: frequently asked questions

Below you’ll find the most common questions and answers about making this recipe. If you have a question you’d like answered, please drop it in the comments section below!

How can I tell if my beans are fresh?

The easiest way to tell if your dry beans are fresh is to check the “best by” date on the bag or package. However, you can also do the float test: add the beans to a bowl of cold water—discard any beans that float to the top as this might be a sign of air, mold, or lack of freshness.

Do I need to soak dry beans before cooking?

If you are using a bean variety with thin-skin, such as black beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, of split peas, you can actually skip soaking.

However, most other bean varieties, like great northern beans, navy beans, and red kidney beans will need to be soaked before preparing—unless you know for sure the beans are fresh and of high-quality.

Take away: While you can skip soaking thin-skinned beans, you’ll need to soak beans with thicker-skin.

Can I cook beans without soaking them first?

Sure. Quite honestly, you are free to do whatever you would like—it’s your kitchen. However, if you’re trying to cook a thick-skinned bean, like pinto beans, without soaking prior, they will require more cooking time and they won’t be quite as tender or creamy.

Should I add baking soda?

Well, that depends. Baking soda will increase the pH of the cooking liquid, aiding in the softening process. However, it can give the cooked beans a slightly-off-flavor and it can soften the beans too much.

So when should you add it? If you’re making beans for with the intent of blending them into a spread or dip, like hummus, adding a pinch of baking soda will ensure your beans are super-soft and perfect for pureeing. However, if you’re looking to prepare whole beans, you’ll want to skip the baking soda.

How long does it take to soak dry beans?

If you use the traditional method, you’ll need to soak the dried beans from anywhere between 8 hours to 24 hours. However, if you use the quick-soak method, you’ll need to let them soak for just 1 hour.

Can I cook the beans in a slow cooker?

You sure can! You can cook beans in a slow cooker, crock pot, instant pot, on the stovetop, or in the oven. You’ll just need to adjust the cooking times accordingly.

How long does it take to cook dried beans?

Cooking times will vary greatly depending upon the bean type, age, and more factors; however, it typically takes about 1 to 2 hours on the stovetop or in the oven to cook dry beans that have been previously soaked.

Why are my beans still tough after hours of cooking?

If you’re beans are still tough after hours of simmering away, there could be a few culprits:

  • Old Beans: Make sure your beans aren’t past their “best by” date. If your bag of dry beans have been sitting in the pantry for years, it’s best to throw them away.
  • You Didn’t Soak The Beans: If you skipped soaking the beans in a mixture of salt and water for at least 8 hours (but no more than 24), the dry beans are going to take much longer to cook.

How much cooked beans do you get from 1 cup dry?

You’ll get about 3 cups of cooked beans from 1 cup or 1/2 pound of dried beans.

Action photo of a wooden spoon stirring and cooking dried beans in a large pot with aromatics.

Using cooked beans

Common serving suggestions

  • Blend into Dips: Mash or puree the beans into a creamy spread or dip, like this everything bagel dip or make your favorite hummus recipes.
  • Add to Soups, Stews, and Chilis: Add hearty comfort to soups, stews, and chilis by tossing in some homemade beans. I personally love using from-scratch beans in this 3 bean chili recipe, ham and navy bean soup, and chicken and white bean soup.
  • Toss into Salads: Incorporate the beans into your favorite salads, like beef taco salad, for added texture and wholesome flavor. Or simply use them in your favorite bean salad recipes, like white bean salad and Mexican 3 bean salad.
  • Fill Tacos, Burritos, and Beyond: If you’re a lover of black bean tacos and burritos, use the beans as a filling for your favorite Mexican handheld recipes.
  • Mash into Bean Patties: Add beans and sautéed veggies to a bowl with a little binder, mash, and form into bean patties. Check out the best black bean burgers for inspiration. 
  • Use in Bean Recipes: Use home cooked beans in any recipe that calls for a can of or canned beans, like salmon tostadas with black beans and bacon baked beans.

Unique ideas

  • As a Simple Side Dish: Serve the cooked beans simply, as a side dish alongside roasted meats, seafood, and seasonal veggies. Or transform them into a heartier bean side dish, like these Mexican pinto beans or cuban black bean recipes.
  • Serve Over Rice: Stir into or spoon over steamed rice with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or truffle oil.
  • Top Toast: Mash or blend the beans with olive oil, lemon, and fresh herbs to create a flavorful spread for toasts and crostinis.
  • With Poached Eggs: Consider serving the beans topped with poached eggs or soft boiled eggs and pico de gallo salsa for a savory breakfast.
  • Add to Grain Bowls: Bulk up your favorite grain bowls with perfectly prepared beans and roasted veggies. 

Storing leftovers

  • Refrigerator Storage: After preparing and cooking the dried beans, allow them to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer the beans, along with the cooking liquid, to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing Instructions: Allow the beans to cool completely before portioning the beans along with some of the liquid into freezer-safe storage containers or bags. Then store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Reheating Instructions: If the beans were frozen, you can thaw them in the fridge overnight or reheat them directly from frozen on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of cooking water or broth if needed. Alternatively, you can reheat the beans in the microwave in a covered dish on 50% power.
Close-up action photo of a spoon serving cooked beans from dried.

Super simple, yet perfectly rewarding, preparing and cooking beans from dried will open up a wold of delicious possibilities! With just a couple pantry staples and a touch of patience, you’ll have a pot of creamy-dreamy, superbly-flavorful cooked beans ready to star in all your favorite recipes.

I pinkie-promise, once you learn the basics and how to make beans, you’ll never go back to the canned ones again! So, grab that bag of dried beans and let me know how it turns out in the comments sections below.

Cheers and happy cooking, friends!

Cheyanne

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More culinary school basic cooking tutorials!

Action photo of a spoon scooping cooked beans for a large serving bowl/

How to Prepare and Cook Bean

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Servings: 6 cups
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Say so long to mushy, bland canned beans and learn how to cook beans from scratch. With just a few pantry ingredients and my chef-approved tips, you can transform humble dried beans into an irresistibly creamy staple that's bursting with savory, flavor-packed goodness. Whether you're blending them into dips, tossing them into salads, or making a cozy soup, perfectly prepared beans are a must-have for every home cook!

Equipment

  • 1 Large Bowl – for soaking dried beans
  • 1 Colander – for rinsing beans
  • 1 Dutch Oven or Large Pot – for cooking beans
  • Optional Cheesecloth and Twine – for optional aromatics

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound Dry Beans (about 2 cups dried beans)
  • As Needed Water
  • As Needed Kosher Salt
  • 1 TBS Olive Oil
  • To Taste Aromatics – SEE NOTES

Instructions

  • Pick Through and Rinse Beans: Dump the beans out into a colander and sift through the beans, discarding any small stones, pebbles, or any beans that are off-colored, shriveled, or damaged in any way.
    After sorting, rinse the beans under cold running water to remove any dirt or dust.

Traditional Soaking Instructions

  • Traditional Soak Beans: Add 1 ½ tablespoons of salt to a large pot or large storage container. Then, add 2 quarts (8 cups) of cold water and vigorously whisk until the salt is dissolved.
    Next, dump the rinsed beans into the salty water. Make sure the water level reaches about 3 inches about the beans, if not, add more water. Then, discard any beans that float to the top as this might be a sign of air or mold.
    Finally, set the beans aside and let them soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or no more than 24 hours.
    (Note 1: If you are using beans with thin skin, such as black beans, black eyed peas, lentils, and split peas, you can skip the soaking step. For all other bean varieties, it’s best to soak them unless you know for a fact that they’re fresh.) (Note 2: After proper soaking, the beans should now have swelled to about double their original volume.)

Quick Soaking Instructions

  • OR Quick Soak Beans: Add 1 ½ tablespoons of salt and 2 quarts (8 cups) of water to a large pot. Grab a whisk and vigorously stir until the salt is dissolved.
    Dump the rinsed beans into the salty water and discard any beans that float to the top as this might be a sign of air or mold.
    Then, place the pot on the stovetop and bring the contents to a boil over high heat.
    Once boiling, immediately remove the beans from the heat. Let the beans stand for 1 hour.
  • Drain and Rinse Beans Again: After soaking, drain and rinse the beans well. Then, proceed to the cooking step immediately.
  • Add Beans with Aromatics to Pot: Place the soaked beans into a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans by at least 3-inches. Then add the oil and stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
    Next, if using, either add the aromatics (garlic, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, peppercorns, and herbs) directly to the pot or make a sachet by placing the aromatics into the center of a piece of cheesecloth and tying everything together into a bundle with kitchen twine.
    (Note 1: While it’s easier at the beginning to simply add the aromatics directly to the pot, you’ll need to pick them out later. Using a cheesecloth might feel cumbersome at the beginning, but it will make easy work removing the aromatics later.) (Note 2: While the aromatics are completely optional, they will make a huge difference in the end results. You don’t need to use every single aromatic, just use what you have on hand and/or love.)

Stove Top Instructions

  • Simmer Beans on the Stove-Top: Place the pot of beans onto the stovetop and bring to a gentle boil over high heat.
    Once barely boiling, immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the beans, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 3 hours, or until the beans are tender. While the beans are simmering, be sure to skim-off and discard any foam from the surface of the water.
    (Note 1: Do NOT rapidly boil the beans or you’ll agitate them too much which can cause breakage.) (Note 2: Start checking on the beans at the 1-hour mark. The precise amount of time the beans will take to cook will depend greatly upon variety, age, and other factors.) (Note 3: Watch the water level, if at any time the water drops too low and you can see beans peeking out, add enough hot water to cover by ½ an inch.)

Oven Cooking Instructions

  • OR Simmer Beans in the Oven: Arrange oven rack to the bottom third position and then preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120-degrees Celsius).
    Cover the pot of beans and place into the preheated oven. Let the beans cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 3 hours, or until the beans are tender. While the beans are cooking, be sure to check on them and skim-off and discard any foam from the surface of the water.
    (Note 1: Start checking on the beans at the 1-hour mark. The precise amount of time the beans will take to cook will depend greatly upon variety, age, and other factors.) (Note 2: Watch the water level, if at any time the water drops too low and you can see beans peeking out, add enough hot water to cover by ½ an inch.)
  • Let Beans Cool: Once the beans are done, take the pot off the heat or out of the oven and let the beans cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid.
    Once cool or after about 20-30 minutes, remove cheesecloth bundle or pick out and discard the aromatics.
    Then, drain the beans, reserving a few cups of the liquid for storage.
  • Store or Use Cooked Dried Beans: Transfer the cooked beans along with some of the cooking liquid to protect their skins from drying out to airtight storage containers and store in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
    Or use the beans as you would canned beans in your favorite dishes and recipes. Enjoy!
    Action photo of a spoon scooping cooked beans for a large serving bowl/

Notes

  • Optional Aromatics: Use what you have on hand or the ingredients you love.
    • 4-6 cloves Garlic – smashed and peeled
    • 1 small Yellow Onion – halved or quartered and peeled
    •  1 medium rib Celery – chopped into 4 pieces
    • 1 medium Carrot – peeled and chopped into 4 pieces
    • 2 whole Dry Bay Leaves
    • 6-8 whole Black Peppercorns
    • 6-10 Sprigs Fresh Herbs – such as thyme, rosemary, sage, or parsley
  • Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
  • Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can! 
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 6 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal    Carbohydrates: 47g    Protein: 17g    Fat: 3g    Saturated Fat: 1g    Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g    Monounsaturated Fat: 2g    Sodium: 11mg    Potassium: 1049mg    Fiber: 15g    Sugar: 2g    Vitamin C: 4mg    Calcium: 132mg    Iron: 4mg
Course: How To, Side Dish
Cuisine: American

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