Want to learn how to cook beans from scratch? It's easy and the results are scrumptious.
If you want to be a healthy vegan, you really must add beans to your vegan diet. Hubby Jeff and I were vegan for MANY years before we began to understand the importance of eating this great source of protein on a regular basis.
So how did we go from not eating ANY beans to learning how to cook beans in a pot, and then later moving on to the "big time" by using a pressure cooker?
Well just like you, perhaps, we started out buying canned beans, which was quick and easy and at least got us on the road to eating and cooking with beans. But after a while we made the switch to cooking up our own beans from dry beans. Since it takes a while to cook beans in a regular pot on the stovetop, we learned to cook with a pressure cooker to save time (WAY easier than we thought it would be). And thus began our love affair with beans in all shapes and sizes.
"Why should I go through the trouble of cooking beans from scratch when I can just use some canned beans" you ask? Good question. Although canned beans are convenient, they're NOT the healthiest way to go since they usually contain lots of sodium and preservatives. And it's best to try to get away from eating processed foods as much as possible. Not to mention, canned stuff tastes totally different than fresh. It's amazing the difference! And lastly, it's WAY more expensive to buy canned beans than simply cooking beans yourself.
Plus, once you learn how to cook beans and get the hang of it, you'll be whipping up beans and happily munching away on them every day! We make a batch of beans 1-2 times per week. When we finish up one batch of beans, we start another one soaking overnight. By the next day, the beans are ready to be cooked up.
Once you get in the groove, it all works beautifully and really doesn't take up all that much of your time, ESPECIALLY if you have a pressure cooker.
Here's a helpful instructional video created by my husband Jeff, for those of you who learn best by example. Jeff teaches you everything you want to know about buying, storing, soaking and cooking your beans.
Here he uses our preferred method of cooking beans, which is with a pressure cooker. Enjoy!
There are MANY beans to choose from, and each has their own distinct flavor. Let's take a look at
some of the most popular beans that are available for you to play with.
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Kidney (or red) beans are the bean of choice when creating your very own red beans and rice recipe, which you can create quickly and easily with the information contained within this site.
By the way, red kidney beans contain a toxin that can only be destroyed with thorough cooking,
so never eat your kidney beans raw or under-cooked.
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Coming in 2nd place for the most popular of beans is pinto beans. You might not recognize
them in their dried form. Once they're cooked, they lose their famous markings and simply turn pink.
They're used most often when making chili and refried beans. By the way, pink beans
(popular in the Southwest) can be substituted for pintos.
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Black beans (one of my favorites) have a very mild, earthy, sweet taste. Because of their dense
texture, they are perfect when combined with spicy flavors and hot seasonings. Black beans are also
known as turtle beans.
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Garbanzos (or Chickpeas) have a distinctive flavor which is slightly nutty, yet offer a sweet taste.
Garbanzos are used in dishes such as hummus since they break down into a delectable and dense creamy texture.
You will also see them floating around in soups (think Minestrone) because they offer a dense and firm bite
that really help to fill you up.
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I'm including soybeans here for one reason only - to let you know that while many foods are made with soybeans, they're not (in all actuality) the best when eaten on their own. They're difficult to digest for most people, and their taste is very bland and neutral. Refer to the Soy section for more information on the preparation of foods made with soybeans.
If you decide to cook them, be sure to choose organics since soybeans are well known to be genetically modified. Ack!
Now, having said all that, black soybeans (or black soya beans) are far better tasting
and cook up beautifully. But their skins are thin and can easily break open during the cooking process.
For this reason, you will add salt to the cooking water (unlike most beans in which the salt
makes it difficult for the beans to cook). Black soybeans are a "low carb" bean.
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Adzuki (or Aduki) Beans is perhaps my favorites bean of all. They are small, so they are easier to digest than some of the larger beans. And they do not have to soak before cooking. They have a strong flavor that is a delicious mix of sweet and nutty. They are rounded with a point on one end.
Adukis tend to be less beany-tasting than most beans and digest rather easily. Adzukis have a bit of a
meaty flavor and tend to go well with foods that traditionally taste good with meat such as potatoes.
No matter which bean you choose, the rules are the same.
Choose organic beans whenever you can, which are usually quite easy to find. I purchase bulk beans from the bulk department of my natural foods store, but it's important that you know how old the beans are in the bins. Anything over 12 months begins to lose their fresh taste.
If you don't find what you're looking for, or you're not sure on the age, ask your grocer about placing a special order. Beans can also be found online.
Before I show you how to cook beans, you'll want to learn how to clean and get them ready for the cooking process.
MOST BEANS require soaking. Why? Because it helps your body to digest them easier, and it cuts the cooking time dramatically. Beans that DO NOT require soaking include Aduki (Adzuki), Black Soybeans, and Black-Eyed Peas.
The soaking and cooking of beans remains a mystery for so many people. I should know because I used to be one of them! Hopefully the following instructions along with photos will help to take some of the mystery away so you can start cooking beans today!
By the way, are beans hard for you to digest? If so, you might need to build up the necessary enzymes to help your body do its job more easily. So start with the smallest beans/legumes first like lentils or aduki (which are so small and easy to digest they don't need pre-soaking). Then when you feel you can digest these easily, move up to medium-sized beans like black beans and pinto beans (this size and up need pre-soaking). Finally, when your body can handle the medium-sized beans, you're ready to move up to the "big guns" like red kidney and garbanzos (chickpeas).
Another way to get your digestive system used to beans is to use small amounts, such as 1/2 cup beans in a soup or stew. Continue to add more as time goes by and your body gets used to the beans. Next mix beans in with some brown rice or other whole grains. And finally, you will be ready for a bowl of straight-up beans or refried beans without any digestive challenges.
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Now, that wasn't so bad was it? ;O)
And guess what? It's FINALLY time to learn how to cook beans. Whoo-hoo!
Create your very own vegan bean recipes with some of your favorite ingredients from this list of foods that match perfectly with beans.
RED (KIDNEY) BEANS
Chili Powder
Cilantro
Cumin
Curry
Onion
Oregano
Garam Marsala
Garlic
Lemon
Lime
Mayonnaise, non-egg and non-dairy (I like Vegenaise)
Mustard
Pasta
Pimentos
Rice
Sauerkraut
Savory
Sweet Potato
Tomatoes
Vegetables, all
Vinegar
Yogurt, non-dairy
PINTO BEANS
Bacon, vegetarian (I like Fakin' Bacon.
Eat sparingly - this is not a health food!)
Beer
Brown Sugar (I prefer Sucanat)
Cheese, non-dairy - especially Cheddar
and Monterey Jack (I like Follow Your Heart brand)
Chiles
Cilantro
Coconut
Garlic
Nuts
Olives, especially black
Onions
Oregano
Rice
Salsa
Savory
Tomatoes
Vegetables, all
BLACK BEANS
Avocados
Cheese, non-dairy (I like Follow Your Heart brand)
Chiles, especially serrano
Chives
Cilantro
Coriander
Cumin
Garlic
Jalapenos
Mint
Onions
Oranges
Peppers
Rice
Savory
Sour cream, non-dairy
Tequila
Tomatoes
Vegetables, all
GARBANZO BEANS
Bulgur
Caraway
Carrot
Cinnamon
Cumin
Extra-virgin olive oil
Garlic
Ginger
Green Onions
Lemon Juice
Onion
Mustard
Savory
Seeds, especially sesame
Tahini
Tomatoes
Vegetables, all
Vinegar
Yogurt, non-dairy
BLACK SOY BEANS
See Black Beans
WHITE BEANS (Great Northern, Navy, etc.)
Bacon, vegetarian (I like Fakin' Bacon. Eat sparingly - this is not a health food!)
Barbecue Sauce
Basil
Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
Brown Sugar (I prefer Sucanat)
Carrots
Celery
Chiles, especially Chipotle
Crushed Red Pepper
Cumin
Beer, especially dark
Dijon Mustard
Leeks
Lemon Juice
Onion
Oregano
Paprika
Savory
Thyme
Tomatoes
Vegetable Broth
Vegetables, all
Worcestershire Sauce, vegetarian
ADZUKI/ADUKI BEANS
Allspice
Balsamic vinegar
Basil
Bay Leaf
Bragg Liquid Aminos
Cilantro
Dijon
Garlic
Green Bell Pepper
Marjoram
Mayonnaise, dairy - and egg-free
Nuts, especially hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts
Onion
Orange
Oregano
Pineapple
Red Pepper Flakes
Rice, especially brown and sweet gelatinous
Rosemary
Sauerkraut
Savory
Soy sauce
Tabasco
Thyme
Vegetables, especially squash, potato, and sweet potato
Whole Grains
Worcestershire Sauce
Psssst...Get ALL the Flavor Matches found throughout VeganCoach.com all in one place with this handy dandy e-book Your Guide To Vegan Flavor Matches.
Click below to see questions from other visitors to this page...
Black beans have no flavor
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I love Black Beans out of the can, but would like to cook them from scratch as I do the other beans. I have not found success. They get the proper texture,...
Vegan slow cooker beans
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Does anyone else know that you can pop an opened bag o' dried beans in the slow cooker in the morning with water about an inch or two from the top, depending ...
Cooking Black Soybeans
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My question is about cooking black soybeans. It seems they cook up quite differently from other beans. They cook very quickly compared to other non-soybeans ...
Eating uncooked kidney beans
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I bought some dried Kidney Beans from Whole Foods and soaked them for 8 hours and added them into a Coleslaw salad recipe and they taste terrible. I am ...
Red Kidney Beans Split During Soak
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I put them in a pot with water (with about 2 tsp of baking soda) to soak overnight and only after a couple hours I found many of them with wrinkled, skins ...
Cooking beans without salt
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Hi,
I am new to pressure cookers and have just looked at your demo on cooking beans , which was very helpful. I notice that you and others have recommended ...
Should I use oil when pressure cooking beans?
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Hi,
I've seen books and websites that insist a tablespoon of oil for each cup of beans must be added to the pressure cooker--claim is it is for safety-...
Cooking Beans From Scratch
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I keep trying to cook beans from scratch and just can't seem to have them turn out soft.
I put 2 cups of beans in 6 to 8 cups water and let them soak ...
Can you soak beans too long?
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Hello,
The other evening I sorted and soaked a couple cups of black beans in anticipation of cooking them for dinner the following day. Then our ...
Storing Cooked Beans
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Hi, could you please advise if it's best to freeze chickpeas cooked in bulk? Or can they be stored in airtight jars in the fridge? If so, do we add the ...
Stock from Cooked Beans
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Can you use the stock from the cooked beans for soup or should it be discarded?
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Hi Leslie - Yes, you sure can. Before we had our pressure ...
Why discard bean soaking water?
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Recently, I found myself alone and having to now cook for myself. Dried beans are an old favorite and I have stocked up on several types. I wanted to be ...
Making beans without a pressure cooker?
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I don't have a pressure cooker to make beans. Is there another method on cooking beans?
Thank you for your time:)
Virginia
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Sassy Sez: Hi ...
Storing beans after cooking
Not rated yet
How do I store beans after they are cooked? Do I drain the liquid and rinse the beans and then store, or do I just drain and store, or do I keep them ...
Why beans split when cooking
Not rated yet
I have a problem with my kidney beans splitting when I am cooking them. I use the quick soak method and then about half hour into cooking time they start ...
Soaking beans and pressure cooking?
Not rated yet
Hi Sassy!
I'm sure that this falls into the "stupid question" category but if we use a pressure cooker, we should still pre-soak the beans . . . right?...
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"I can't cook worth a lick, but thank you! I made the best beans tonight! "Though my home base is Washington, Iowa, I'm working in Spain for the next 7 months, and looking for ways to save cash. Your instructions for pressure-cooked beans is a huge time, energy, and money saver! I cooked red beans--10 minutes cooking with 15 minute cool down, perfectly done. Grathias¡ (Spain Spanish for Gracias)" "I watched Jeff's video on cooking beans and for the first time I had beans that were really tasty." "I just want to sincerely thank you and your adorable husband for showing me how to cook dried beans! The video you created was just what I needed to give me confidence in picking out and soaking bulk beans as well as using my pressure cooker. Your website is fantastic and I thank you for your efforts!" "I found your information on how to prepare and cook beans to be VERY informative. I have to admit that I have been avoiding preparing or experimenting with beans because I had no idea where to begin. "After reading your information, I'm going out to buy at least 4 different varieties to try because you gave me that much confidence. Thank you so much!" "Thank you (times 3). I really had a craving to make chili after I saw a bag of beans at the store. All the recipes I found online feature canned beans. Your page on how to prepare and cook beans was very helpful to me! Thanks very much for including a video. On a side note, I laughed when I saw the lemon colored colander, I have that too!" "I absolutely love Vegan Coach! I first found you when trying to learn to cook dried beans to save a few bucks on groceries. Since then, I have devoured your site trying to learn the ins and outs of cooking Vegan, and truly learning to appreciate the health benefits that come from a vegan diet. I am addicted to Vegan Coach!" I love your website. This is the site I start with when I have "how to" questions. You totally got me cooking beans, something I'd never done before." "Thanks for posting the warning to people about the dangers of dried Red & Kidney Beans eaten uncooked. I found this out the hard way a few years ago. I soaked them but used them raw in the recipe. There was nothing on the dried bean package about any danger, and I read the recipe instructions wrong. My husband and I both got sick learning this the hard way. You can't tell while eating them that you will get sick." "I've really enjoyed the beans information. They petrify me actually because I don't know how to cook with them, but your info was especially helpful. Thank you for your pertinent and wonderful information." "What a great site! Just turned vegan so this will be a great help. Definitely one of my favourite vegan sites. Thanks! :-)" |
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