How to Cook Dried Beans (Traditional Soak)

Making dried beans from scratch can seem overwhelming at first, but with a few simple tips, you can master this fundamental skill! This video demonstrates how to cook dried beans using the traditional four-step method: rinse, sort, soak, cook.

Cooking dried beans the traditional way involves soaking the beans overnight for 8-12 hours. Soaking times are the same for all beans (pinto, black, garbanzo, etc.), but cooking times will vary depending on the type of bean and intensity of heat.

You don’t have to refrigerate the soaking beans overnight, although if you have kids or pets that like to eat things off of countertops, it wouldn’t hurt to put them in the fridge!

Helpful Tips for Soaking and Cooking Dried Beans (Traditional Method)

• Discard the soaking water before cooking
• Rinse the beans before and after soaking
• Once soaked, cook them long enough so that they’re no longer hard – this may help prevent digestive discomfort (1)
• If you will not be using the beans in another recipe that requires cooking, make sure that they are thoroughly cooked to your textural liking!

Once cooked, use the beans in this easy four bean chili recipe or our non-refried beans base recipe. Don’t have time to soak them overnight? An easy alternative to cooking dried beans the traditional way is using the quick-soak method!

Got an Instant Pot handy? Cook dried beans from scratch using our Instant Pot Dried Beans Base Recipe as a guide, or check out all of the delicious variations on the recipe page!