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Mary's Nest Soaking and Sprouting Beans for Cooking
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5 from 1 vote

How to Soak and Sprout Beans

Soaking and sprouting beans can improve the nutritional value of beans, so it is worth the time and effort to do it. However, the technique can vary based on the season. An overnight soak might be sufficient in warmer months to encourage beans to sprout, but in the cooler months, it might take a two-step process and a few days longer.
Prep Time5 minutes
Soaking Time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 5 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Americana
Servings: 8
Calories: 180kcal

Equipment

  • Colander or large strainer

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Beans any variety
  • 1 Filtered water sufficient to cover beans

Instructions

  • Place the beans in a bowl.
  • Pour water over the beans sufficiently to cover them.
  • Allow the beans to soak in filtered water overnight.
  • In the warmer months, the beans should begin to show sprouts within 12 hours. If not, place beans in a colander and place the colander over a bowl. Moisten beans with filtered water twice per day to keep them moist. If fresh, the beans should sprout within 24 hours. If the beans are not fresh, they may not sprout. Leaving them in the colander longer may result in molding or spoiling due to a warmer kitchen in warmer months. You can try and cook the beans, but they may not soften because they are not fresh.
  • In the cooler months, you can leave the beans in the colander, continuing to moisten them with filtered water twice daily. They should sprout within four days. If not, they are not fresh. As stated above, you can try to cook them, but they may not soften because they are not fresh.
  • Once the beans have sprouted, they are ready to cook.

Video

Notes

Soak your sprouted beans a second time before cooking. After the beans have sprouted soak them overnight in a salty brine.  Be sure to rinse them well before cooking.  The salty brine will impart a nice flavor, but will not prevent the beans from softening, as is the case if you salt the water in which the beans are cooked.
Dried beans in the grocery store will only sprout if they are fresh. The longer beans sit in your pantry or grocery store shelf, they lose some of their freshness. This means they may not sprout and when cooked may take longer to soften or they might not soften at all.
The weather affects the outcome of sprouting your beans. Be sure to check for tips for sprouting in different weather conditions above or in the recipe card.
Find this recipe and video at https://marysnest.com/how-to-soak-and-sprout-beans-techniques-for-seasonal-differences/
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Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 645mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg