How to Cook Dry Beans in the Crock-Pot
Having cooked beans in the freezer is an easy way to save money, stretch meals, and prepare in advance for meals like soups and casseroles.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Soaking 12 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6 People
Calories 12 kcal
Ingredients
- beans Black, Pinto, Chickpeas/Garbanzo, Cannellini, etc. --I usually soak 3 cups of beans at a time. Kidney beans don't always cook all the way through using a crock-pot, so it's best to stick with a stove-top method to be safe.
- water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large onion halved, optional
- 3-4 garlic cloves crushed, optional
- crock-pot
Instructions
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The night before (about 6-12 hours before cooking), add the beans to a large bowl. Cover the beans with water. The beans will double in volume, so make sure you have enough water and a large bowl.
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After the soaking time, drain the beans from the water and rinse with fresh water. Pick out any rocks that may be visible--yes, they can be found from time to time.
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Place the rinsed beans in a crock-pot, along with the onion (optional), garlic (optional), and salt. Cover the beans with fresh water. There should be 3 inches of water covering the beans.
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Cook the beans on low heat for 6-8 hours, until the beans are soft (not mushy!) and firm (not hard!). Once cooked, remove the onion and garlic from the beans. Allow the beans to cool. Once cool, place the beans in a storage container (with a bit of the excess liquid--about 1/4 cup to keep them moist). Beans can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. Beans are also freezer-friendly (see directions below).
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Use the beans for nachos, quesadillas, hummus, salads, burgers, taco meat (half ground beef, half beans), soups, etc.