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Kidney beans dring on a white cloth napkin

Beans are often a neglected food. They’re usually cast as the supporting player in a meal, taking a back seat to the ever popular beef or chicken. Beans are loaded with fiber and protein and should be the centerpiece of a hearty and satisfying main course.

Are they worth the bother, you ask?  I would say so.  Beans cook easily and once they’re cooked, you can incorporate them into so many of your favorite recipes.

Why This Method Works

  • Cooking with beans is both easy and economical! Consider this, a pound of dry beans usually cost a fraction of canned. The average price of a can of beans is around $1.00 and yields about a cup. The price of a pound of dried beans is around $1.15 or less, and yields about 3 cups.
  • Contrary to what many people think, beans don’t need to be soaked in water overnight before cooking.  By using the quick soak method, beans can be ready to cook on the same day you want to cook them.

What You Need

  • Beans, of your choice
  • Colander
  • A large pot

How To Quick Soak Beans

  1. Rinse and sort through the beans. Dried beans are dirty and sometimes you’ll find little rocks mixed in with the beans. Simply put the beans in a colander, rinse them off and pick out any rocks and bad looking beans.

How To Quick Soak Beans - ZagLeft

How To Quick Soak Beans from ZagLeft

2. Place the rinsed beans in a large pot.

How To Quick Soak Beans -an easy way to quickly soak beans instead of soaking them overnight - ZagLeft

3. Cover the beans with 2-inches of water. Bring the water to a boil and continue cooking the beans for two minutes.

Quick Soak Beans - a tutorial from ZagLeft

How to quickly soak beans from ZagLeft

4. Remove the pot of beans from the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let the beans stand for one hour.

How To Quick-Soak Beans - ZagLeft

5. After an hour, drain and rinse the beans in a colander.

How To Quick Soak Beans : ZagLeft

Now, you’re ready to cook them in your favorite recipe!

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy!

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Joanie and welcome to ZagLeft where we share favorite recipes as well as exciting travel experiences that we’ve enjoyed while always trying to take the road less traveled.

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4 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing! I’ve always wanted to incorporate more dry beans into my cooking since they’re so economical, but the soaking time was a big turn-off.

  2. Thanks for sharing. I always forget how quick beans can be used in recipes. My family is looking to trim costs so we’ll be using beans more. Now I know an easy way to prep them.

  3. Such a great idea! I never remember to soak my beans overnight, I’m so glad you shared this!