The Dried Beans Cheat Sheet: Soaking & Cooking Times for 15 Different Beans

While it may be tempting to rely on canned beans to save time, going through the process of preparing dried beans for cooking can actually be better for you in the long run—for both your physical and financial health.

Canned beans may contain preservatives and sodium detrimental to your health, while soaking dried beans before cooking helps the beans retain their maximum nutritional benefits before consumption.

Additionally, canned beans generate more waste for the environment while buying dried beans in bulk means you can store the dried beans for up to one year without having to throw away a lot of packaging material.

Make sure to rinse dried beans before soaking in clean water. Once the beans have soaked and are ready to cook, make sure to discard the dirty soaking water and rinse the beans before adding them to the water-filled cooking pot. Place the pot over high heat, and once boiling, reduce to a simmer for the allotted cooking times below.

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