Sort beans and remove damaged beans and debris
Rinse beans thoroughly
Choose soak method:
Overnight soak: cover beans with 3 times their volume of water and soak 8–12 hours
Quick soak: boil beans 2–3 minutes, turn off heat, soak 1 hour
Drain and rinse soaked beans
Add beans to a pot with fresh water (about 3 times the bean volume)
Bring to a boil
Reduce to a gentle simmer
Cook until tender (typically):
Black beans: 60–90 minutes (soaked)
Kidney beans: 60–90 minutes (soaked)
Chickpeas: 60–120 minutes (soaked)
Pinto beans: 60–90 minutes (soaked)
Stir occasionally and add water as needed to keep beans covered
Salt timing:
If using soaked beans: add salt during the last 15–30 minutes
If using unsoaked beans: salt after beans are tender
Avoid acidic ingredients (tomatoes, vinegar, lemon) until beans are tender
Check doneness by tasting (beans should be soft but not mushy)
Drain if using in recipes that require less liquid
Cool and store:
Refrigerate cooked beans in a sealed container up to 4–5 days
Freeze up to 3 months