Cook Dry Beans Without Soaking
Not all beans are created equal. Red kidney beans have a toxin called lectin, which can make you sick if undercooked. That’s why you must boil them vigorously for at least 10 minutes before simmering—soaked or not. Be smart, not sorry.
How to cook fast, No soak, Dry beans| Instant Pot - YouTube
Also, older beans are the grumpy old men of the legume world. They take forever to soften, no matter what you do. If your no-soak batch is still crunchy after three hours? It’s not you—it’s them. Try buying fresh beans next time.
The Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Let’s be real: skipping the soak saves you about 8 hours of basically doing nothing. But it does cost you a couple extra hours of simmering. So if you’re home anyway, why not throw a pot on the stove and go binge-watch a show? The beans will patiently wait.
Or, if you’re super impatient, use a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. No-soak beans in there? Twenty to forty minutes, tops. It’s like having a tiny, furious bean wizard in your kitchen.