Beans for Luck? {Recipe: Bean and Cheese Soup} (2024)

FAQs

How to make beans taste good? ›

Those aromatics in the pot will revolutionize the beans' final flavor. The aromatics I tend to use are onions, carrots, garlic, and celery, and then heartier, woodsy herbs, like rosemary, sage, and thyme, which marry beautifully with the earthy-sweet flavor of beans.

Let's get this straight: You do not have to soak dry beans for soups and stews. Dried beans are just as easy to cook as canned; they just take more time. Simply toss them into the pot with lots of vegetables and seasonings, cover with water or stock, and let them simmer away on their own while you go about your day.

Place soaked beans in a large pot; cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently until beans are tender but firm. Most beans will cook in 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the variety. Periodically, try a taste test or mash a bean against the side of the pot with a fork or spoon.

To prepare: Soak the dried beans in cold water for at least 8 hours or overnight, then rinse and drain. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water and boil for 40-45 minutes. Drain and serve or add to recipes.

America's favorite bean is pinto beans, according to the U.S. Dry Beans Council, often used to make refried beans. Navy beans, Great Northern beans, red kidney beans and black beans round out the rest of the top five.

These delicate guys are best for soups, purées, and other applications that don't hinge on having totally intact beans. Their thinner skins mean they have a tendency to burst and release starchiness into their cooking liquid. Try: borlotti, pinto, adzuki, cannellini, navy.

Takeaway: You don't have to soak your beans; but if you do, cook the beans in their soaking liquid. Myth 3: If you don't soak overnight, you should at least quick-soak.

Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish. Open your cans of beans using a can opener. There may be sharp edges from opening the can.

Others, like Joe Yonan, the Food and Dining Editor of the Washington Post and author of Cool Beans, insist that in most cases, soaking is unnecessary– and may even lead to flavor loss. The only consensus is that soaked beans take less time to cook than unsoaked.

Add a pinch of salt. If you have any aromatics lying around — things you'd use to make stock like onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves or woody herbs such as rosemary and thyme — add them to cooking liquid. You don't have to add aromatics, but they'll make your beans so much more flavorful.

Does adding baking soda to beans reduce gas? ›

But, according to a study from 1985, adding a little baking soda to the water while soaking dried beans decreases the amount of gas-causing oligosaccharides in cooked beans. (Yes, you can cook beans in the same water they were soaked in.

Salt everything (almost always)

Seasoning is the cardinal rule of cooking anything, including beans. About a tablespoon of kosher salt per pound of beans is a good place to start if you're cooking them in water — remember as they simmer, the bean broth will concentrate and get saltier.

Time to cook!

Transfer the soaked beans to a large pot and cover them with 2 inches of water. If you're using unsoaked beans, rinse them in a fine mesh strainer before you add them to the pot. Bring the water to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, discarding any foam that rises to the surface.

Cooking dried beans with just salt and water is fine, but they are going to taste rather plain. The Bean Institute recommends cooking beans with aromatics to get the most flavor out of them. They advise adding onion, garlic, and fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or bay leaf.

If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

Adding vegetables can contribute to the flavor and texture of your pinto beans. Sautéed onions, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, or even corn can all be excellent additions. Feel free to get creative and customize your dish with your favorite veggies. Are there any special cooking tips for pinto beans without meat?