Soaking and Cooking Times for Dried Beans and Lentils
How to soak and cook dried beans and lentils: soak methods, stovetop and pressure times from university guides, the kidney bean slow-cooker warning, and salt and acid.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Dried beans are cheap, filling and very flexible, but the packet rarely tells you much. This guide pulls together what university extension services, a food-safety authority and two studies say about soaking and cooking. It is practical information, not medical advice. The published times differ from source to source, so we show them side by side instead of picking one "right" number. Beans vary a lot with age, variety and water, so test for tenderness and treat every time as a starting point.
Read this first
- Red kidney beans need strict care. The FDA says soaking for at least 5 hours and then boiling in fresh water for at least 30 minutes removes the toxin, and that the low levels in canned and properly cooked kidney beans will not affect you. [1] Other sources we read give a shorter boil of at least 10 minutes after soaking. [2] [3] [4] Follow your own national authority. Full detail is in lectins in beans.
- Do not cook raw dried kidney beans only in a slow cooker. Utah State, Oregon State and the Australian Food Safety Information Council all say to boil them first on the stove. [2] [3] [4]
- Lentils and split peas do not need soaking, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Texas A&M and WebMD. [5] [6] [7]
- Soaking is optional for most beans. WebMD says it is not needed, but it can reduce gas-causing sugars and make beans more tender. [7]
- Salt and acid: the sources we read disagree on salt and mostly agree acid goes in late. See below.
Soaking: the three methods
Soaking is done to shorten cooking, even out texture and, for some people, ease digestion. The quantities below are for 1 pound (about 2 cups) of dried beans, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln guide (updated 2026, based on North Dakota State University material). [5]| Method | Water | What to do | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot soak | 10 cups | Boil 2 to 3 minutes, remove from heat, cover | Up to 4 hours [5] |
| Quick soak | 6 cups | Boil 2 to 3 minutes, remove from heat, cover | At least 1 hour [5] |
| Overnight soak | 10 cups cold | Refrigerate | 8 hours or overnight [5] |
Drain and rinse after soaking. [5] WebMD (medically reviewed December 2024) describes the same three ideas: a quick soak of at least one hour, a hot soak of up to 4 hours and an overnight chilled soak of 8 hours or more. [7] Texas A&M gives 12 to 24 hours for an overnight soak and says to change the water once. [6] Colorado State University tested a salted soak of 12 to 24 hours (see the salt section). [8]
Some guides say to throw away the soaking water. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln says to drain and rinse, and Montana State Extension says to discard the water after its gas-reducing soak. [5] [9] A 2023 study of nine biofortified beans also discarded the soaking water. [10]
What soaking does, according to studies
| Finding | Source |
|---|---|
| In a Burundi study of 9 biofortified bean varieties and one traditional control, soaked beans needed about 78 minutes of cooking against about 157 minutes for unsoaked beans, and gave a higher cooking yield. [10] | Muroki et al., 2023 |
| In the same study, soaked beans kept less iron and less zinc than unsoaked ones. [10] | Muroki et al., 2023 |
| In a lab study of 9 bean varieties, hot soaking sped water uptake, and soaking in high-pH or sodium (monovalent) salt solutions shortened cooking time, while soaking in low-pH or calcium chloride solutions lengthened it. [11] | Kinyanjui et al., 2015 |
Limits: the first study used local bean varieties in a controlled setup and was funded by agricultural research centers. [10] The second is an abstract we read through Europe PMC and concerns lab soaking solutions, not kitchen advice. [11] Neither tested health outcomes. For gas, the best we have is Harvard Health's advice, quoted in beans, gas, FODMAPs and digestion; we found no trial that measures how much soaking helps.
Stovetop times
Published times differ because of bean age, variety and method. These are the numbers the guides give, after soaking.| Bean or lentil | Texas A&M (Dinner Tonight, 2017) | University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2026) | Montana State Extension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black beans | Not listed separately | 60 to 90 minutes [5] | Not listed |
| Great Northern | Not listed separately | 45 to 60 minutes [5] | Not listed |
| Kidney, navy, pinto | Not listed separately | 90 to 120 minutes [5] | Not listed |
| Beans and chickpeas, general | 1 to 2 hours; older beans need longer [6] | Not listed | "One or more hours, depending on type" [9] |
| Lentils | 15 to 20 minutes, no soaking [6] | No soaking needed [5] | 25 to 50 minutes, no soaking [9] |
| Split peas | 35 to 40 minutes, no soaking [6] | No soaking needed [5] | Cook quickly, no time given [9] |
The lentil figures differ (15 to 20 against 25 to 50 minutes) because lentil types differ, and the sources do not say which type they mean, so check your packet. We did not find a source giving stovetop times for chickpeas or black-eyed peas on their own beyond the general range above.
Pressure cooking
Two university sources give pressure times, but for different appliances and methods, so do not mix them.- University of Nebraska-Lincoln (unsoaked beans, pressure cooker): black 20 to 30 minutes, kidney 20 to 30, navy 25 to 35 and pinto 15 to 20, with a 20-minute natural release, then 10 more minutes on high if the beans are not tender. [5]
- Colorado State University (electric pressure cooker, low pressure, after a 12 to 24 hour salted soak): chickpeas 6 minutes, great northern 2, kidney 4, black, red or navy 6, pinto 3, black-eyed peas 3 and cannellini 3, each with a natural release (5 to 10 minutes for most beans, 30 to 40 minutes for chickpeas). [8] The page says the soaked-and-salted method gave quicker cooking, better texture, flavor and appearance and a reported decrease in intestinal gas compared with unsoaked or unsalted-soak beans, but it does not give the study design in the text we read, so treat that as the extension service's report, not a proven result. [8]
- Lentils in the Colorado State method: brown or green 7 minutes and a 10-minute natural release; red lentils are not recommended on their own because they turn mushy. [8]
- Foaming: the Colorado State page says not to fill the cooker past the half-full mark with foaming foods like beans, and adds a little oil to reduce foaming. [8]
We did not find a food-safety authority that gives a pressure-cooking time for red kidney beans. The extension times above are cooking guides, not safety rules, so the soak-and-boil minimums in the first section remain the only official safety numbers we read. [1] [2] [4]
Salt, acid and baking soda: what is and is not known
| Question | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Does salt in the cooking water make beans tough? | We found no study that tests this directly. Texas A&M says to add salt and herbs toward the end for flavor. [6] The Nebraska guide, in its pressure-cooking steps, adds up to 1 tablespoon of salt per pound to keep the skins intact. [5] These two pieces of advice differ. |
| Does salt in the soak help? | Colorado State reports quicker cooking and better texture with a salted soak (1.5 tablespoons of salt in 8 cups of water per pound), compared with unsalted or no soak. [8] A lab abstract found sodium (monovalent) salt solutions shortened cooking time, while calcium chloride lengthened it. [11] Both are narrow findings, so they do not settle kitchen debates. |
| Does acid slow softening? | The Nebraska guide says add lemon juice, vinegar, tomatoes or wine after cooking because they can keep beans from becoming tender. [5] The lab abstract found low-pH soaking lengthened cooking time. [11] That supports adding acid late. |
| Baking soda? | The Nebraska guide says skip it because it destroys the B vitamin thiamin and can add an off-flavor. [5] The lab abstract found high-pH soaking shortened cooking, so the trade-off is real, but we have no human nutrition study on the amount of thiamin lost. [11] |
In plain words: soaking and cooking in plain water works. Add acid late. Salt is a taste choice, and sources disagree on when.
Storage after cooking
Colorado State says to serve or refrigerate cooked beans within 2 hours, keep them in sealed containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days, or freeze for 6 to 8 months. [8] Oregon State also says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. [3]Related pages
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to soak dried beans?
No. WebMD says soaking is not needed, though it can reduce gas-causing sugars and make beans more tender. [7] Soaking about halved cooking time in a 2023 study. [10] Red kidney beans are the exception for safety: they need the soak and boil steps your food-safety authority gives. [1] [4]
Do lentils need soaking?
No. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Texas A&M and WebMD all say lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas do not need it. [5] [6] [7]
Can I cook dried kidney beans in a slow cooker?
Not from raw. Utah State and Oregon State say boil them on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes first. [2] [3] The FDA's own steps are a 5-hour soak and a 30-minute boil in fresh water. [1]
Does salt make beans hard?
We did not find a study that shows it does. Sources disagree on when to add salt, and acid is the clearer problem: add it after beans are tender. [5] [6]
Why do my beans stay hard?
The sources we read mention bean age and variety (older beans need longer) and acidic ingredients added too early. [5] [6] A lab study also found variety strongly affects how fast beans cook. [11] We did not find a source that proves hard water is the cause.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Slow cookers: the kidney bean warning
- Utah State University says slow cookers may not get hot enough to fully cook dry beans, so boil them on the stove for 10 minutes and drain first, or quick soak, drain, boil for a further 5 minutes and drain, then use the slow cooker. [2] It also notes that canned kidney beans are safe in slow-cooker recipes. [2]
- Oregon State University Extension says red kidney beans should be boiled on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes before going into the slow cooker, and that other dried beans carry the compound at lower levels. [3] Its slow-cooker recipe (for beans in general) soaks in the fridge for at least 6 hours, then cooks about 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. [3]
- The Australian Food Safety Information Council says not to cook kidney beans at a low temperature such as a slow cooker, and that badly cooked beans can be more toxic than raw ones. [4]
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Natural toxins in food. Read 2026-10-24.
- Utah State University Extension. Killer kidney beans. Read 2026-10-24.
- Oregon State University Extension Service. Slow cooker beans. Read 2026-10-24.
- Australian Food Safety Information Council. Kidney beans. Read 2026-10-24.
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food. How to cook dry beans from scratch. Updated and reviewed 2026 (Colgrove, Wells; originally Henneman). Read 2026-10-24.
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Dinner Tonight. Legumes. Dated December 21, 2017. Read 2026-10-24.
- WebMD. What to know about soaking beans. Medically reviewed December 24, 2024. Read 2026-10-24.
- Colorado State University Extension. Cooking beans at high elevation using an electric pressure cooker. Read 2026-10-24.
- Montana State University Extension, Roosevelt County. Enjoy legumes. No author or date shown. Read 2026-10-24.
- Muroki MW, Waswa LM, Fungo R, Kabwama A, Mahungu SM. Cooking properties and nutrient retention of biofortified common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) varieties: the case of Burundi. Front Sustain Food Syst 2023;7. Read 2026-10-24.
- Kinyanjui PK, Njoroge DM, Makokha AO, Christiaens S, Ndaka DS, Hendrickx M. Hydration properties and texture fingerprints of easy- and hard-to-cook bean varieties. Food Sci Nutr 2015 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.