How To Quick-Soak Dried Beans
We’ve all been there. You go to start a recipe for your favorite classic beef chili, navy bean soup, or from-scratch hummus and then it hits you: you forgot to soak the beans! Of course you can reach for canned beans at this point, but if freshly cooked beans are what you really want, then it’s time to learn how to quick-soak your beans — it cuts the soaking time down to just an hour!
Should You Soak Dried Beans?
Whether you plan your recipe the night before or an hour before, we highly recommend that you soak your dried beans before cooking them. This presoak begins the softening process and allows the beans to cook more quickly and evenly.
Ideally, you would soak the beans for several hours before cooking, often overnight, so the beans have plenty of time to absorb water slowly.
The Quick-Soak Method Saves Time
If you don’t have time for a long soak or just plain forgot, then there’s still hope. The quick-soak method couldn’t be easier — bring the beans to a boil, then let them soak in hot water for about an hour.
This doesn’t actually cook the beans (they’re not ready to eat quite yet!), but it puts your beans at the starting line, just as if you’d soaked them overnight.
How To Quick-Soak Dried Beans
- Rinse the beans: Rinse them under cool running water in a colander.
- Transfer to a saucepan and cover with water: Cover with about 2 inches of water.
- Boil the beans: Boil the beans for 1 minute.
- Soak for 1 hour: Cover with a lid and let the beans to soak for 1 hour.
- Drain the beans: Drain and rinse the beans in a colander.
How To Quick-Soak Dried Beans
Short on time? Here's how to cut the soaking time to just 1 hour.
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Ingredents
- Dried beans, any amount
- Water
Instructions
Pour the beans into a colander and rinse them under cool running water. Check and discard any stones or other debris. Drain.
Tip the beans into a pot and cover with about 2 inches of water.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cook the beans for 1 minute, then remove the pot from the heat. Cover with a lid and let the beans to soak in the warm water for 1 hour.
Drain the beans into a colander. Rinse and begin to cook according to your recipe.
