Soaking dried beans might not be an essential step in every successful recipe, but skipping it can cost you time and texture.
Soaking your beans for a bit before cooking hydrates them so that they cook faster and more evenly. It can also help break down some of the complex sugars that make beans difficult for your body to digest, and it generally results in creamier, tastier cooked beans than when you drop them dry into a pot.
Here’s how to soak a few different varieties, plus how long to soak beans in general.
How to Soak Black Beans
Compared to other beans, black beans are smaller and cook significantly faster. Before you start, make sure you go through the dried beans and rinse off any dust or debris you find.
For an overnight soak, cover the beans with several inches of water in a large bowl for 6 to 8 hours at room temp. If you have to leave them unattended for longer than that, place them in the fridge.
If you’re in a rush, bring the beans and water to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and leave the beans unattended for an hour. Regardless of which method you choose, you’ll finish by draining and rinsing the beans in fresh water before cooking.
After cooking, you can use the black beans in all of your favorite recipes. I even like stirring them into queso for a thicker texture.
How to Soak Red Beans
Red beans (also known as kidney beans) are firmer and slightly larger than black beans, so most chefs suggest soaking them a bit longer than black beans.
An overnight soak of 8 to 10 hours is the traditional approach, especially for dishes like red beans and rice, where a longer soak helps the beans hold their shape while simmering in a pan. Cover the red beans with a few inches of water. Since red beans have to soak longer due to their size, move the bowl to the refrigerator to prevent any fermentation or bacterial growth.
The quick-soak method for black beans also works for red beans if you’re in a hurry. Boil for a couple of minutes, then let them sit off the heat for a full hour before draining and rinsing.
How Long to Soak Beans
Most overnight soaks should last for about 8 to 12 hours in cool water. Soaking beans longer than 12 hours can leave you with a bland, mushy texture. Most chefs advise against soaking beans for more than a day at most. In fact, it’s generally accepted that quick-cooking dry beans yields better results than beans left soaking for too long.
If you’re short on time, the quick-soak method is a reliable alternative, even if the beans might not be as consistent as they are when soaked overnight.
Bring the beans to a boil, take the pot off the heat, cover it, and let the beans sit in the hot water for an hour. This method works for almost any bean you might be cooking with, although there are a few exceptions.
Lentils, black-eyed peas and split peas are all so small that they don’t need to be soaked at all before cooking, and can go straight into the pot.
Whichever method and bean you’re working with, always drain and rinse with fresh water before cooking. The soaking liquid itself isn’t something you want to cook the beans in.