Cooking Dry Beans, Lentils, and Split Peas
to cook.
Rinse beans, lentils, or split peas. In a large Dutch oven combine 1 pound beans and 8 cups cold water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (Or, omit simmering; soak beans in cold water overnight in a covered Dutch oven.) Drain and rinse. In the same Dutch oven combine beans and 8 cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for time listed below or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Cooking time depends on the dryness of the beans.
| Variety | Amount | Appearance | Cooking Time | Yield |
| Black Beans | 1 pound | Small, black, oval | 1 to 1-1/2 hours | 6 cups |
| Black-eyed peas | 1 pound | Small, cream-color, oval (one side has a black oval with a cream-color | Do not presoak. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. | 7 cups |
| Cranberry beans | 1 pound | Small, tan-color with specks and streaks of burgundy, oval | 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours | 7 cups |
| Fava or broad beans | 1 pound | Large, brown, flat oval | Follow these soaking directions instead of those above: Bring beans to boiling; simmer, covered, 15 to 30 minutes to soften skins. Let stand 1 hour. Drain and peel. To cook, combine peeled beans and 8 cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 45 to 50 minutes or until tender. | 6 cups |
| Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) | 1 pound | Medium, yellow or golden, round and irregular | 1-1/2 to 2 hours | 6-1/4 cups |
| Great Northern beans | 1 pound | Small to medium, white, kidney-shape | 1 to 1-1/2 hours | 7 cups |
| Kidney beans, red | 1 pound | Medium to large, brownish red, kidney-shape | 1 to 1-1/2 hours | 6-2/3 cups |
| Lentils (brown) | 1 pound | Tiny, brownish green, disk-shape | Do not presoak. Use 5 cups water. Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes. | 7 cups |
| Lima beans, baby | 1 pound | Small, off-white, wide oval | 45 minutes to 1 hour | 6-1/2 cups |
| Lima beans, Christmas (calico) | 1 pound | Medium, burgundy and cream-color, wide oval | 45 minutes to 1 hour | 6-1/2 cups |
| Lima beans, large (butter beans) | 1 pound | Medium, off-white, wide oval | 1 to 1-1/4 hours | 6-1/2 cups |
| Navy or pea beans | 1 pound | Small, off-white, oval | 1 to 1-1/2 hours | 6-1/2 cups |
| Pinto Beans | 1 pound | Small, tan-color with brown specks, oval | 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours | 6-1/2 cups |
| Red beans | 1 pound | Small, dark red, oval | 1 to 1-1/2 hours | 6-1/2 cups |
| Soybeans | 1 pound | Small, cream-color, oval | 3 to 3-1/2 hours | 7 cups |
| Split peas | 1 pound | Tiny, green or yellow, disk-shape | Do not presoak. Use 5 cups water. Simmer, covered, about 45 minutes. | 5-1/2 cups |
