How to Cook Dried Beans from Scratch

How to soak and simmer dried beans for the best texture and flavour — plus a no-soak option for lentils.

Why cook dried beans

Dried beans cost less than canned, hold a creamier texture, and let you season the cooking liquid for deeper flavour. They take time, but most of it is hands-off.

What you need

• Dried beans (cannellini, romano or navy) or lentils
• Water for soaking and cooking
• Aromatics: garlic, bay leaf, onion and a glug of olive oil
• Salt — added near the end

How to cook them, step by step

• Sort and rinse the beans, discarding any stones
• Soak overnight in plenty of water (or quick-soak: boil 2 minutes, then rest 1 hour)
• Drain, cover with fresh water and add aromatics
• Simmer gently until tender — 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the bean
• Salt near the end and cool the beans in their liquid

Lentils are the exception

Lentils need no soaking and cook in 20–30 minutes — just simmer until tender. They're the fastest way into a pot of legumes, perfect for soups and salads on a weeknight.

Tips

• Don't heavily salt the soaking water — it can toughen the skins
• Keep beans at a gentle simmer; a hard boil splits them
• Older beans take longer, so buy from a fresh source
• Cook a big batch and freeze it in the liquid

Dried beans, made simple

A pot of beans is mostly waiting, and the payoff is creamier texture and better flavour than canned. Unico dried cannellini, romano and navy beans — plus lentils — are a budget-friendly place to start.