Slow-Cooked Beans

Name: Slow-Cooked Beans
Total time: 5 h
Ingredients: 1 pound dried beans, such as black beans, black-eyed peas, great northern beans or pinto beans (see Tip); 1 onion, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried; 1 bay leaf; 5 cups boiling water; ½ teaspoon salt

6 Ratings
6 Reviews

By cooking your own dried beans, you save money, reduce sodium and get better flavor along with, surprisingly, more vitamins and minerals. If you can't use the whole batch, freeze surplus cooked beans for later use in soups, salads and dips. The range of time for cooking beans is wide and varies with the age and the type of beans selected.

Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

Source: EatingWell Magazine, Winter 2004

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Recipe Summary

total:

5 hrs

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Nutrition Info

Ingredients

1 pound dried beans, such as black beans, black-eyed peas, great northern beans or pinto beans (see Tip)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
5 cups boiling water
½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Step 1
Soak beans in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, use the quick-soak method: Place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.)

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Step 2
Drain the beans and place them in a slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Pour in boiling water. Cook, covered, on high until beans are tender, 2 to 3 1/2 hours. Add salt, cover, and cook for 15 minutes more.

Tips

For easy cleanup, try a slow-cooker liner. These heat-resistant, disposable liners fit neatly inside the insert and help prevent food from sticking to the bottom and sides of your slow cooker.

Tip: Don't use kidney beans in this recipe; slow-cooking doesn't destroy a natural toxin in kidney beans that can cause severe digestive distress. After soaking, kidney beans must be boiled in fresh water for at least 30 minutes to render them safe to eat.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:

1 cup

Per Serving:

253 calories; protein 14.6g; carbohydrates 47.6g; dietary fiber 18.6g; sugars 1.4g; fat 1.1g; saturated fat 0.2g; vitamin a iu 9.4IU; vitamin c 3.7mg; folate 246.6mcg; calcium 137.8mg; iron 4.4mg; magnesium 96.6mg; potassium 712.1mg; sodium 200.9mg; thiamin 0.4mg.

Exchanges:

3 starch

6 Ratings

5 star values: 4
4 star values: 1
3 star values: 1
2 star values: 0
1 star values: 0

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Chris M'Gonigle

07/30/2018

This is a good base recipe. I did this but then I added a bunch of other things to it. When it was done, I mashed up some of the beans to thicken/ smooth it out so it turned into more of a bean stew. I added low salt beef bouillon, carrots, garlic, and some other things.

brava313

10/09/2011

Easy Basic RecipeWhat a simple and easy alternative to costly, high-sodium canned beans! However, if you decide to cook the beans longer, be sure to monitor the water level. Any beans not submerged will burn.Pros: Minimal Effort

EatingWell Member

10/09/2011

Easy Basic Recipe What a simple and easy alternative to costly, high-sodium canned beans! However, if you decide to cook the beans longer, be sure to monitor the water level. Any beans not submerged will burn. Pros: Minimal Effort

EatingWell Member

08/15/2011

Loved this versatile recipe! This recipe is so versatile. I changed it up a bit by adding half the water the recipe called for and substitued chicken broth which gave it a richer flavor. I also added spicy shredded pork that I had leftover and it was fantastic!

robinsplace

08/15/2011

Loved this versatile recipe!This recipe is so versatile. I changed it up a bit by adding half the water the recipe called for and substitued chicken broth which gave it a richer flavor. I also added spicy shredded pork that I had leftover and it was fantastic!

EatingWell User

09/29/2010

Best bean slow-cooker recipe I've tried. Adding the boiling water allows them to cook evenly. I cook 1 lb bags of black or pinto beans and freeze in ~2 cup portions for later use.

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Slow-Cooked Beans

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Recipe Summary

Nutrition Profile:

Ingredients

Directions

Tips

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (6)

All Reviews for Slow-Cooked Beans

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Slow-Cooked Beans

Gallery

Recipe Summary

Nutrition Profile:

Ingredients

Directions

Tips

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (6)

All Reviews for Slow-Cooked Beans