When it comes to soaking beans there are two common methods: overnight or the quick soak method. Follow this easy recipe to learn how to do both!
With the quick soak method, the beans will be ready in as little as an hour. It takes the overnight prep work out of recipes like Hoppin’ John, Ham and Bean Soup or Great Northern Beans and Ham.
Why Do You Soak Beans?
Beans need to be soaked in order to break down some of the complex sugars that make beans hard for some people to digest. It also makes them faster to cook!
Soaking prior to cooking beans can really save you a lot of time and energy in the kitchen.
How to Soak Beans Fast
This quick soaking method works great on the following kinds of beans:
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
- Red beans
- Any variety of dried beans
How to Quick Soak Beans: To start, rinse the beans in a colander and remove any small stones or pieces of debris.
- Cover beans with water in a stock pot and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat, cover, and let the beans stand at least one hour, (preferably four hours).
Then you are ready to cook the beans according to the recipe!
How to Soak Beans Overnight
This is the easiest method ever! It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 with little to no work required.
- Rinse the beans in a colander, making sure there are no small pebbles, rocks or debris.
- Transfer the beans to a stockpot and fill with clean water and add another two inches to the top. The beans will swell as they soak so the extra water is important.
- Cover the stockpot and let it sit overnight.
The next morning, strain the beans and proceed with your recipe.
How Long to Soak Beans
Soaking beans overnight is kinda’ vague, isn’t it? Soak the beans a minimum of 6 hours and any time up until 10 hours. What you are really looking for is the skin to easily slide away from the bean and to be able to squeeze the bean and have it be somewhat soft and ready to cook.
This quick soaking method makes prepping dry beans a breeze. So go ahead and buy bulk, then store and prep those beans with ease!
Delicious Bean Filled Recipes
- Black Eyed Peas Recipe – simmered with ham
- Great Northern Beans and Ham – yummy comfort food!
- Hoppin’ John – delicious Southern-style dish
- 15 Bean Slow Cooker Chili – no soaking required!
- The Best Baked Beans
How to Soak Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried beans or desired amount
- water
Instructions
- Rinse beans well and sort through to remove any debris.
- Place beans in a large saucepan.
- Add water to cover 2" above the beans. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cover and let sit 60 minutes.
- Drain and discard water. Use as directed in your recipe.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
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For an overnight soak you need to add salt. For 1 pound of beans add 1.5 tablespoons of salt to 2 quarts of water.
The salt will break down calcium in the skins making the skins softer and much less likely to burst when cooking.