How long to soak beans for chili

When it comes to soaking beans there are two common methods: overnight or the quick soak method. Follow this easy recipe to learn how to do both!

Table of Contents Show

Why Do You Soak Beans?
How to Soak Beans Fast
How to Soak Beans Overnight
How Long to Soak Beans
Delicious Bean Filled Recipes
How to Soak Beans
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Instructions
Nutrition Information
Is 2 hours long enough to soak beans?
How long do you soak beans before cooking?
Is 6 hours long enough to soak beans?
Do you need to soak beans before making chili?

With the quick soak method, the beans will be ready in as little as an hour. It takes the overnight prep work out of recipes like Hoppin’ John, Ham and Bean Soup or Great Northern Beans and Ham.

Why Do You Soak Beans?

Beans need to be soaked in order to break down some of the complex sugars that make beans hard for some people to digest. It also makes them faster to cook!

Soaking prior to cooking beans can really save you a lot of time and energy in the kitchen.

How to Soak Beans Fast

This quick soaking method works great on the following kinds of beans:

Black beans
Pinto beans
Red beans
Any variety of dried beans

How to Quick Soak Beans: To start, rinse the beans in a colander and remove any small stones or pieces of debris.

Cover beans with water in a stock pot and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat, cover, and let the beans stand at least one hour, (preferably four hours).

Then you are ready to cook the beans according to the recipe!

How to Soak Beans Overnight

This is the easiest method ever! It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 with little to no work required.

Rinse the beans in a colander, making sure there are no small pebbles, rocks or debris.
Transfer the beans to a stockpot and fill with clean water and add another two inches to the top. The beans will swell as they soak so the extra water is important.
Cover the stockpot and let it sit overnight.

The next morning, strain the beans and proceed with your recipe.

How Long to Soak Beans

Soaking beans overnight is kinda’ vague, isn’t it? Soak the beans a minimum of 6 hours and any time up until 10 hours. What you are really looking for is the skin to easily slide away from the bean and to be able to squeeze the bean and have it be somewhat soft and ready to cook.

This quick soaking method makes prepping dry beans a breeze. So go ahead and buy bulk, then store and prep those beans with ease!

Delicious Bean Filled Recipes

Black Eyed Peas Recipe – simmered with ham
Great Northern Beans and Ham – yummy comfort food!
Hoppin’ John – delicious Southern-style dish
15 Bean Slow Cooker Chili – no soaking required!
The Best Baked Beans

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How to Soak Beans

A great way to take the overnight prep out of your favorite recipes!

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Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Soaking 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Holly Nilsson

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▢1 pound dried beans or desired amount
▢water

Instructions

Rinse beans well and sort through to remove any debris.
Place beans in a large saucepan.
Add water to cover 2" above the beans. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, cover and let sit 60 minutes.
Drain and discard water. Use as directed in your recipe.

Notes

Note: This is not a recipe to cook beans, this is a pre-soak and beans will still require cooking after the quick soak method.To cook beans after soaking, drain soaking water. Place beans in a large pot and cover with water (add herbs, onion, etc if desired). Simmer on low just until tender.Simmering time can range from 45 minutes to 2 ½ hours depending on the variety.

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

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Is 2 hours long enough to soak beans?

Beans should soak for 8 to 10 hours overnight. If they are soaked for longer than 12 hours, they can lose their familiar flavor and become overly mushy.

How long do you soak beans before cooking?

To soak beans the traditional way, cover them with water by 2 inches, add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon fine salt) per pound of beans, and let them soak for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Drain them and rinse before using.

Is 6 hours long enough to soak beans?

Soak the beans a minimum of 6 hours and any time up until 10 hours. What you are really looking for is the skin to easily slide away from the bean and to be able to squeeze the bean and have it be somewhat soft and ready to cook. This quick soaking method makes prepping dry beans a breeze.

Do you need to soak beans before making chili?

The answer is no, you do not need to soak beans before cooking in chili. Soaking beans can actually make them harder to cook, as they will absorb more water and take longer to cook. A good way to soak beans for chili is to allow them to absorb water and break down starches.