How to Cook Dried Beans on the Stovetop

Cooking dried beans takes some preparation and time, but many people find the texture, flavor, and lack of added sodium in cooked dried beans are worth the effort. Follow these steps to cook dried beans on the stovetop:

1. Rinse the dried beans well with cold water and pick out anything that doesn’t belong.

   
   

   Place the beans in a colander for easy rinsing.

   
   



2. Drain the clean beans and dump them into a pot.

   
   

   Use a pot that’s large enough for both your beans and the water.

   
   



3. Add cold water to the pot.

   
   

   For every cup of dried beans, add 3 cups of water.

   
   



4. (Optional) Boil the pot of beans for a minute or two, and then remove the pot from the heat and cover it with a tight-fitting lid.

   
   

   This step helps soften the beans faster, reducing the soaking time.

   
   



5. Let the beans soak.

   
   

   At a minimum, let the beans set for two hours; at most, overnight.

   
   



6. (Optional) Rinse and drain the beans again.

   
   

   After the beans have finished soaking, many people like to rinse them in a colander again before cooking them.

   
   



7. Drain the beans again and then add them back to the pot, filling it again with fresh, cold water.

   
   

   Again, use 3 cups of water per cup of dried beans.

   
   



8. Bring the pot of beans to a gentle boil and let them cook until they’re tender.

   
   

   Keep testing the beans for doneness.

   
   



9. After the beans have finished cooking, remove them from the heat and drain them.

   
   

   Your beans are ready to eat (or to be used in that fabulous recipe you found)!

   
   

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