White Beans
By America's Test KitchenPublished on February 14, 2020
Time
1½ hours, plus 8 hours brining
Yield
Serves 8 (makes 7 cups)
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Soaking the beans in a saltwater solution for at least 8 hours results in creamier beans that cook more evenly than if just soaked in water.
Instructions
- Dissolve 1½ tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Drain beans in colander and rinse well. Combine beans, 10 cups fresh water, and salt in Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook at gentle simmer until beans are barely al dente, 40 to 50 minutes. (During simmer, bubbles should just break surface of water.)
- Turn off heat, cover pot, and let beans steep until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve beans from pot using slotted spoon or drain in colander for later use. (Beans can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days. Alternatively, beans can be cooled, transferred to zipper-lock bags, and frozen for up to 1 month.)
Time
1½ hours, plus 8 hours briningYield
Serves 8 (makes 7 cups)Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
While canned white beans are impossible to beat for convenience, the creamy texture and earthy flavor of homemade, cooked-from-dried cannellini beans are more satisfying than anything you get from a can. We found that brining the beans ensured that each bean was fully seasoned. We cooked the beans uncovered so that we could watch and taste them as they cooked. Maintaining a gentle simmer prevented the beans from rupturing. Tasting a couple of beans after simmering was the best way to check their texture, and letting the beans steep off the heat allowed them to gently finish cooking without blowing out.
Before You Begin
Soaking the beans in a saltwater solution for at least 8 hours results in creamier beans that cook more evenly than if just soaked in water.
Instructions
- Dissolve 1½ tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Drain beans in colander and rinse well. Combine beans, 10 cups fresh water, and salt in Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook at gentle simmer until beans are barely al dente, 40 to 50 minutes. (During simmer, bubbles should just break surface of water.)
- Turn off heat, cover pot, and let beans steep until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve beans from pot using slotted spoon or drain in colander for later use. (Beans can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days. Alternatively, beans can be cooled, transferred to zipper-lock bags, and frozen for up to 1 month.)
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