Legumes Cooking Chart
Cooking times are for soaked legumes. Legumes are done when easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Add legumes to liquid, bring to boil, then simmer according to time chart. Adding 1/8 tsp. of baking soda to the cooking water will hasten cooking.
| Legumes (1 cup) | Liquid | Time (hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Adzuki | 3 cups | 3⁄4 |
| Black | 4 cups | 1 1⁄4 |
| Black-eyed peas | 3 cups | 1 |
| Chick-peas | 4 cups | 1 |
| Fava | 3 cups | 1⁄2 |
| Kidney | 3 cups | 1 |
| Lentils | 3 cups | 1⁄2 |
| Lima | 2 cups | 3⁄4 |
| Mung | 3⁄4 cups | 3⁄4 |
| Navy | 2 cups | 1 |
| Pinto | 3 cups | 1 |
| Soybeans | 3 cups | 2 1⁄2 |
| Split Peas | 4 cups | 1⁄2 |
| Yellow-eyed peas | 3 cups | 1 |
Storage & Preparation
Store legumes in a tightly-sealed container at cool, room temperatures. They will keep fresh for up to a year. Store any cooked legumes in the refrigerator where they will keep for up to four days.
Lentils and split peas are not presoaked, only rinsed. Simmer in water or juices (chicken stock, etc.) until tender.
Dried legumes and whole peas must be soaked in water. Rinse them first. Cover with liquid and soak for 8 hours in cold water. Soaking overnight in a refrigerator eliminates more of their gas-producing sugars. Soaking also allows the legumes to cook evenly.
To quick soak, add legumes to boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove pot for heat, leaving them to soak for 1 hour.
Remove legumes after overnight or quick soaking; discard water and any floating legumes. Add fresh water or stock until legumes are covered by about 2 inches of liquid. Bring liquid slowly to a boil, remove any scum, reduce heat and gently simmer until tender. (See cooking chart).
Legumes absorb flavours, so combine them with herbs, spices, garlic, onions, soy sauce, vinegar and salad dressings. Cooked legumes can be mashed and formed into "patties" for vegetarian burgers.