How to Make Beans from Scratch Without Really Trying

Nothing says comfort food like beans. They’re flavorful, fiberful and one of the best value foods in the supermarket. Plus, they come in a variety of shapes, sizes and textures, making them extra versatile in the kitchen.

But most of us stick to the canned variety when we can be cooking fresh beans ourselves. Here are two easy ways to make beans from scratch at home:

Method 1: Overnight Soak

The premise is simple: Set it and forget it.

• Before soaking dried beans, pick out any discolored beans or stones (on occasion you might find one)

• Rinse the beans under the faucet using a sieve

• Place the beans in a medium pot or bowl and cover with cool water by about an inch

• Cover the bowl and leave the beans at room temperature for about eight hours

• When the beans have plumped up, they’re ready to be cooked

• Cooking dried beans is like preparing rice — boil and simmer until the beans are tender but still firm (overcooked beans fall apart easily)

Tip: Plan a little extra time in case the beans take longer to cook than you thought. Really large beans might need more water, so if you notice the beans have soaked up all the water but aren’t fully plump, add a little more.

Method 2: Quick-Soak

When you’re short on time but still set on cooking beans from scratch, use this quick-soak method. 

• Repeat Step 1 from Method 1, but this time place the beans into a heavy-bottomed pot

• Cover the beans with about 2 inches of water and a lid

• Place the beans on the stove to boil

• Once they reach a boil, remove the pot from the heat to allow the beans to cool

• Let the beans sit for one hour

• Once the beans have plumped up and there’s a little water left, repeat Step 6 from Method 1