How to Cook Legumes

Appears in
The Plant-Based Cookbook: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free Recipes for Lifelong Health
The Plant-Based Cookbook

By Ashley Madden

Published 2021

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  • Sort through the beans, discarding any pebbles, dirt, or oddly shaped ones.
  • Place the beans in a large bowl, covering them with water by at least 4 inches (legumes will expand when soaked), and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Soaking improves the digestibility of beans and decreases cooking time. You do not need to soak smaller legumes like lentils or split peas (but this can still help shorten cooking time).
  • After soaking, discard the soaking water and rinse the beans. If you don’t have time to cook them after they’ve been soaked, simply change the water and place them in the fridge. You can leave them in the fridge soaking for up to 2 days. Just change the water every 10 to 12 hours.
  • Place the rinsed beans in a pot, covering them with at least 2 to 3 inches of water. Optional: Add a 3-inch piece of kombu (to help with digestibility).
  • Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook partially covered. Cooking time varies but is usually between 1 and 1½ hours. Keep checking in to make sure the water hasn’t evaporated. Toward the end you can add a pinch or two of salt if desired.
  • The beans are done when you can squish one between your fingers (not falling apart but no longer hard in the middle). Once they’re fully cooked, take the pot to the kitchen sink and drain the beans in a colander. I like to save the cooking liquid and store any unused beans in this liquid in the fridge. This cooking liquid is also known as aquafaba. You can also use the cooking liquid in soups or stews. If you used kombu, discard or compost.
  • If you prefer using canned beans, I suggest choosing organic brands with no added salt or sugar and a brand that does not use BPA in their can lining (like Eden Foods).