It’s been a long-held maxim that the only way to ensure properly cooked beans is to soak them overnight in cold water. Recently, that truth seems to have been debunked. Food bloggers across the Internet have been decrying the method for years, yet only now is the new understanding finally taking hold. No-soak beans take a little longer to cook, but far less planning.
Cooking no-soak dried beans in the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker is likewise a longer time investment; however, it is easy to set up the beans at the beginning of the day and come home to fully cooked legumes in time for dinner. Plus, the temperature-controlled water bath yields tender beans with absolutely no chance of overcooked, mushy results. Here, I’ve cooked pinto beans, but you can use this method to prepare any dried beans you’d like. Feel free to alter the seasonings and aromatics to suit your preference.
Kate Williams
Kate is a freelance food writer and editor living in Berkeley, CA. Before moving to the Bay Area, Kate spent two years working as a test cook at America’s Test Kitchen, and has contributed to Serious Eats, The Oxford American, KQED and The Hypocrite Reader, among others. She's currently the editor of Berkeleyside NOSH.