Guide to Soaking Beans: Two Methods for Soaking Beans

There are two main soaking methods for dried beans: the overnight soak and the quick soak. The overnight soak involves covering beans with a few inches of water and leaving them on the counter or in the refrigerator overnight.

The quick-soaking process involves boiling the dry beans in a stockpot full of fresh water for a few minutes, then letting them sit in the hot water for an hour to soften. After soaking the beans, they still need to be cooked, either on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker, to reach the consistency of a canned bean.

Soaking beans allows them to expand to their full size before you begin the cooking process. Soaking can help shave down the cooking time, and some preliminary studies show that it may make the beans easier to digest.

However, some culinary experts and home cooks debate the necessity of the soaking method. Proponents believe that the process is necessary for cooking and digestive purposes, but critics say the reduction in cooking time is negligible, and the digestive benefits require further scientific research.

Soaking beans is a matter of preference: You can soak any beans, but it may be most helpful to thicker-skinned varieties, like kidney beans, chickpeas, or lentils, or older batches of stale dried beans, which can take longer to cook than fresh, dried beans.

Thin-skinned beans, like pinto beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, or cranberry beans, don’t need to be soaked because the heat can more easily penetrate their skin.

The quick-soak method is a great strategy for those nights where you're craving beans but don't want to wait for an overnight soak. To quick-soak beans, add the beans to a large pot of boiling water. Allow them to boil for about five minutes, then remove the pot from the heat, and cover. Let the beans sit in hot water for one hour, then cook them in fresh water.

Place the dry beans in a colander or fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water, removing any damaged beans or small stones. Next, place the beans in a large bowl and cover them with two inches of water.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and let the beans soak at room temperature for up to eight hours, or refrigerate them for up to 24 hours. Drain the soaked beans in a colander or fine-mesh sieve. Discard the soaking water.

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