How To Cook Dried Beans

Although some of us reach for canned beans out of convenience, cooking dried beans from scratch is one kitchen skill worth mastering.

There are a lot of opinions out there on the best way to cook dried beans, but we think our all-purpose Southern-style recipe, which can be made with any dried bean of your choice, is the way to go. Our Test Kitchen set out to devise a method that was as simple as can be, while still yielding an ultra-tender bean, and we think they nailed it. You can certainly put your own spin on our basic blueprint, but it’s a great standard recipe you can return to again and again.

Learn how to cook dried beans, and impress yourself with how delicious something so simple can be.

Ingredients for Easy Southern-Style Beans

This is all that you’ll need to make these tasty beans, aside from salt, of course. 

• Dried beans: You can use any bean you like in this recipe, but cook time will vary. So whether you have black, pinto, or cannellini beans on the menu, this recipe will work for you. 
• Chicken broth: We opt for a mix of water and chicken broth for flavor in this recipe, but it’s important to use lower-sodium broth to avoid overly salty beans. For extra credit, you can use our recipe for Homemade Chicken Stock. You can also use vegetable broth to keep the dish vegetarian. 
• Smoked ham hock: This lends a deep savory flavor to the beans. If you prefer not to use pork, smoked turkey wings can add a light, yet meaty richness. An option for vegetarians is to use coconut aminos (a vegan, gluten-free substitute for soy sauce) and a dash of liquid smoke for that smoky meat flavor without using any actual meat. 
• Vidalia onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves: These are the aromatics we use to flavor the beans. This is a fairly classic combination that allows these beans to be a flavorful, but versatile side dish. That said, you can certainly play around with what you throw in the pot. We have a few more suggestions ourselves (see below). 
• Baking soda: This is our secret to tender beans in less time, as baking soda helps break down the tough skins on dried beans quicker.
• Pepper sauce: These beans are finished with pepper sauce for a little heat and a pop of acidity to brighten them up. Your favorite punchy hot sauce would also work, though.

How To Cook Dried Beans

The full recipe for our Easy Southern-Style Beans is further below, but here’s a brief outline of the process:

• Step 1. Combine ingredients: Add all ingredients, except the salt and pepper sauce, in a large pot. Bring to a boil; stir in salt, and reduce heat to medium-low. 
• Step 2. Simmer the beans: Cover and cook the beans, stirring occasionally until tender, 1 to 3 hours depending on the type of beans, making sure to add water as needed to ensure the beans remain covered. 
• Step 3. Finishing touches: Remove, discard, or save the ham hock for another use (alternatively you can shred the meat and add it back into the beans). Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in pepper sauce. Season with additional salt and pepper sauce to taste. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve.

Tips For Cooking Dried Beans

The Southern Living Test Kitchen swears by these pieces of dried bean cooking wisdom. 

1. Sort: Comb through dried beans before adding them to the pot to make sure they don’t contain any debris. 
2. Salt: Don’t listen to old bean folklore; you should always salt your beans while cooking! That way the salt has time to penetrate and season them evenly from the inside out.
3. Cover: Keep the liquid above the beans as they cook so they soften and don’t start to dry out.
4. Save: Don’t toss the cooking liquid—freeze it to add to soups or stews for richness and depth.

Four Ways To Upgrade The Flavor of Dried Beans

Onions, bay leaves, and fresh herbs like thyme are classic additions to a pot of beans, but these are some of our favorite flavor-packed ingredients to also throw in the pot.

• Dried Chiles: Bring the heat with guajillo, ancho, or other dried peppers.
• Lemon Peels: Add bright notes with these common kitchen scraps.
• Parmesan Rinds: Infuse the cooking liquid with the savory richness of our favorite hard Italian cheese.
• Fennel: Swap out your go-to onions for the sweet anise taste of this crunchy vegetable.

To Soak Or Not To Soak?

This recipe is designed to cook beans without soaking. (Yes! It’s possible). While soaking helps pre-hydrate the beans, requiring less water while cooking, it’s not necessary to the success of the final product.

It’s worth noting that smaller, thin-skinned beans, like black beans or black-eyed peas, are always better unsoaked and will cook up more flavorful if you cook them straight from dry. Whereas other types of beans, especially older or lower-quality ones, might require a soak to avoid toughness or excessively long cook times. That said, try to avoid using old beans, as even with soaking, they might never get truly tender.

Takeaway: If you’ve always soaked your beans, there’s no harm in keeping up tradition. Just know that you can skip soaking, especially with fresh, good-quality dried beans, if you want to.

How To Store Cooked Beans

To store beans for another meal, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to 2 (1-quart) heatproof containers with tight-fitting lids. Ladle over enough of the cooking liquid to cover the beans. Then, let cool completely to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Seal the containers and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For a longer shelf life, you can freeze the beans for up to 6 months.

How To Reheat Cooked Beans

You have two choices for reheating cooked beans. For ease, opt for the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds to 1 minute to ensure they reheat evenly. The other method is on the stovetop, where you can gently reheat over medium-low, adding a splash of water if necessary, and stirring occasionally, until heated through. 

Editorial contributions by Alana Al-Hatlani.