Cooking dried beans can seem intimidating, but it really only requires one thing: “thinking ahead.” If you know what you want to cook for the week, follow the steps below and you’ll have a huge pot full of fiber-rich, filling, goodness in no time.
Still thinking canned beans are the way to go?
Top 3 reasons why I choose dried over canned:
- SALT – canned beans (or canned food in general) can be loaded with extra sodium. I try to avoid the extra bloat and control the salt by adding it myself. If you do choose canned, then definitely pick-up “unsalted” versions.
- PRICE – I can definitely save a buck or two by buying dried beans in the bulk aisle and stocking up for later.
- BISPHENOL A (aka BPA) - This is a chemical found in food containers (like cans) and has been shown to increase the risk of cancers, heart disease, and fertility issues.
3 Quick Steps
Ingredients
1 cup dried black beans
1 bay leaf (optional)
water
Steps:
- Rinse beans to remove any dirt.
- Soak for 4- 6 hours (or overnight).
- Place in a pot and cover with about 2-3″ water above the beans. Boil for 45 minutes to an hour and ensure that there’s always water in the pot. Add more as necessary.
(NOTE: DO NOT add salt to the beans while cooking. This will slow down the cooking process. You can flavor the beans after they are cooked).
Yields ~ 3 cups cooked
Zesty Black Beans
Ingredients
2 cups cooked black beans
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup red onion, chopped
¼ cup green onion, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Juice from ½ a lemon
¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon pepper
Steps:
- In a large saucepan heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté onions, garlic, salt, and pepper until onions are slightly translucent.
- Add the cooked black beans and reheat for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and toss in chopped green onions and cilantro.
Yields 2 cups cooked
[...] Add cooked Zesty Black Beans. [...]