How to Soak Beans With Free Printable

"Although some cooks swear by not soaking their beans, I recommend it. Beans cook more quickly and uniformly after they've been soaked. There are a few exceptions, including lentils, split peas, some of the very small white beans, and dried split fava beans. But most other types of dried beans should be soaked.."

- Judith Barrett

Welcome to our kitchen. Here, we're going to talk a bit about beans, including how to soak beans, how long to soak chickpeas, how long to soak black-eyed peas, and more with this easy-to-follow tutorial for kids and adults.

Learn more about cooking with kids.

If you like this, check out how to make tortillas, tostadas, and bean & sauerkraut soup.

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Cookbooks

There are several cookbooks we work with that discuss various aspects of soaking or not soaking beans, including Fagioli: The Bean Cuisine of Italy, New Native Kitchen, Dining with the Dead, and Koshersoul.

Fagioli, as mentioned in the title, is specifically about beans and will yield the most experience in working with them.

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How Long to Soak Black-Eyed Peas

We tend to soak our black-eyed peas overnight. We do soak them longer, however, if we're going to peel them for making recipes such as kala from Koshersoul.

How Long to Soak Chickpeas

As with other beans, the longer they soak, the quicker they'll reach the desired consistency when cooking. We like to soak chickpeas for 6 to 8 hours, as recommended for the perfect zuppa di pasta e ceci.

How to Quick Soak Beans

In her book, Fagioli: the Bean Cuisine of Italy, Judith Barrett explains that you can speed up the soak time of beans by soaking them in hot or boiling water, or by cooking them in a pressure cooker for a few minutes.

Do You Have to Soak Beans?

No, you don't have to soak the beans. They can be cooked as is. As a matter of fact, some people prefer not to soak them.

Mariana Nuño Ruiz states in Dining With the Dead that she doesn't like to soak the beans because:

the beans split and the skins separate from the bean. As I mentioned, buy beans from a reliable source, and always cook them on a slow simmer. How slow? Well, you barely see one or two bubbles coming up. Beans prefer low and slow.

- Mariana Nuño Ruiz

As Steve Sando, owner of Rancho Gordo, explains:

If I'm home and I have time, I'll soak. But if it's early afternoon and I suddenly have the whim to make beans, there's no way I'm not making them because I didn't soak them. It takes a little while longer, but it's not impossible.

- Steve Sando

How to Soak Beans

Ingredients

• beans
• salt

Equipment

• fine-mesh strainer
• bowl
• kitchen scale
• jar with lid
• wooden spoon

1. Weigh the Beans Needed for the Recipe

Wash your hands with soap and water. Grab your kitchen scale and place a jar on top of it. Turn the scale on and hit the zero button. Once the scale says zero, weigh the dried beans needed for the recipe.

2. Add Enough Water to Cover the Beans

Add enough water to cover the beans. Make sure they're all submerged.

3. Add the Salt

Use a measuring spoon or spice spoon to add approximately 1 teaspoon of salt to the jar and give it a stir. Place the lid on top.

We like Diaspora Co.'s Surya Salt but you can use whatever you have on hand.

4. Let the Beans Soak

Let the beans soak for 6 to 8 hours at a minimum. Depending on the recipe, you may want to soak your beans for more or less time.

Three sisters bean stew provides opportunities to work with 3 different types of beans.

5. Drain the Water

Wash your hands with soap and water. After the beans are done soaking, place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the contents of the jar into the strainer. The beans will remain in the strainer and the water will drain into the bowl.

6. Cook the Beans According to the Recipe

Cook your beans according to the recipe instructions. Beans that aren't soaked can still be used. However, they will need to cook longer to reach the desired consistency.

Free How to Soak Beans Printable for Pre-Readers and Up

Grab your free printable cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.

The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen.