March 2025
Did you know the Co-op holds a Bulk Sale the first weekend (Friday-Sunday) of each month? Frequent shopper and home cook, Ujjaini Sahasrabudhe, shares her best tips for using dried beans and lentils below.
I am guilty of getting carried away when I am strolling through the bulk section at the Co-op, adding ingredients to my cart because it’s something I want to try or because I have a recipe that calls for it. Forward to six months later, and I find a sorry packet of said ingredient in the deep recesses of my pantry!
Dried beans and lentils make the top of my pantry excess list. At the start of the year I committed to being better about making my way through these impulse purchase pantry items, and planning meals around my stock of dried beans has introduced me to so many fun, easy recipes. It has also been meditative to plan ahead, remember to soak the beans and lentils (when needed), and a comfort to lean into one-pot stews and other deliciousness these cooler months. So I am here to share some ideas on what you can do with dried beans and lentils. Of course, feel free to use canned beans if that works better for you… as long as you make your purchases at Co-opportunity Market! 🙂
- Soak: While soaking dried beans and lentils ahead of time can reduce cooking time, it is not always necessary. I usually do a quick Google search to see which one benefits from an overnight, or perhaps even a quick soak, and which ones do not need them. Many also say whether or not you need to soak beans depends on how “fresh” your beans are, but I find that it is not always easy to determine that for dried beans and lean towards soaking if I am able to.
- Rinse: I always rinse my beans before I cook them – this helps to remove any that are shriveled or broken in there.
- Water: Soaking usually expands the beans and may impact the amount of water you add to the mix. I usually add 2-3 cups of water for a scant 1 cup of dried beans, but you will need to use your judgement here. And of course, ratios and times may differ if you are using an Instant Pot, for example.
- Infuse: Cooking dried beans means you have more control on the flavors you may want to infuse into them – salt is a must for me, but I may throw in a parmesan rind, add root vegetables, dried mushrooms, whole spices, bay leaves, garlic, etc. It really depends on what I have at hand and what flavor I am seeking.
- Doneness: If the bean-cooking water starts to get low, I add hot water from a tea kettle. This allows the water to maintain its current temperature instead of cooling the water and slowing the cooking process.
- Taste: This one is key – you must taste as you go! You will be best able to judge doneness and flavor this way.
- Flavor: Once cooked, you can expect 1 cup of dried beans to yield about 3 cups of cooked beans. If you have flavored the beans during the cooking process, you can of course, serve them as is. This is a favorite at our dinner table when we are doing veggie tacos.
- Serve: Some other ideas on what to do with beans – drain the beans, add veggies and pasta and turn them into a minestrone-like soup. Or leave the beans in their liquid, saute some veggies, add sausage/bacon perhaps, and make a heart bean soup.
- Store: If your recipe calls for dried beans I usually still keep some of the liquid handy till I am done cooking – depending on the recipe, it may help to adjust the consistency of the dish. If you have leftover cooked beans, store them in the refrigerator in their cooking liquid for a few days. This ensures they do no not dry out.
You can also find recipe ideas with beans shared by other Owners on our website:
Vegan Mushroom White Bean Minestrone
