Lentils, chickpeas and beans: how to cook each well

Lentils, chickpeas and beans are all dried pulses, but they do not behave the same way in a pot. Lentils need no soaking and cook in about half an hour, while chickpeas and most whole beans need a long soak and a longer simmer. Cooking each one well comes down to three decisions: whether to soak, how much liquid to use and when to add salt or acid.

Pulses also differ in how their skins and interiors respond to heat. Some hold their shape through a long simmer, while others soften into a purée. Knowing which type you have tells you how to handle it, and most disappointing results come from treating every pulse the same way.

Lentils cook without soaking

Start by rinsing lentils in a sieve and picking out any small stones or debris, which is still worth doing with packaged lentils. Brown, green and black lentils can go straight into the pot. Use about two and a half to three cups of water or stock for each cup of dry lentils, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. A hard boil can split the skins and leave the texture mushy.

Brown and green lentils are usually tender in twenty to thirty minutes, and they keep their shape well when cooked in plenty of liquid. Start checking around fifteen minutes, and drain any leftover liquid once they are tender so they do not turn soggy as they cool. Drained whole lentils make a good base for a warm salad with a sharp dressing.

Red and orange split lentils are different. Their hulls have been removed and the halves are split, so they cook in about fifteen minutes and collapse into a thick, soft texture. That makes them well suited to dal and soups where you want body rather than separate pieces, so save them for dishes meant to thicken.

Chickpeas and beans need a soak and a longer simmer

Dried chickpeas and larger beans, such as pinto and black beans, have tough skins and dense interiors that need time to hydrate evenly. An overnight soak in plenty of cold water works well. For a faster option, cover the pulses with water, bring them to a boil, boil for two minutes, then remove from the heat, cover and let them stand for about an hour before draining. Discard the soaking water and cook in fresh water.

Soaked chickpeas typically need around sixty to ninety minutes at a steady simmer, and unsoaked ones can take two hours or more. Older dried beans take longer than fresh ones, so a batch that softened quickly last time may need extra time. Test a few pieces by pressing them between your fingers; they should mash easily with no chalky center. A pressure cooker shortens these times considerably, though the appliance's own guidance on timing and fill levels should be followed. The table below lists typical simmer times for common types.

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Red kidney beans need a hard boil

Red kidney beans contain a natural toxin that is destroyed by thorough boiling. After soaking, boil them vigorously for at least ten minutes before lowering the heat to a simmer. Slow cookers held at a low temperature may not heat the beans enough to destroy the toxin, so the safe approach is to boil them on the stove first and finish them in a slow cooker if you like. Discard the soaking water, and do not rely on a gentle simmer or a warm slow cooker alone, since undercooked kidney beans can cause severe nausea and vomiting.

Salt and acid change the timing

Salt added early seasons the beans from the inside as they cook, and in ordinary amounts it does not noticeably toughen dried beans, so salting at the start is a sound habit. Acidic ingredients work differently. Tomatoes, vinegar, citrus juice and tamarind slow the softening of the skins, so add them after the beans are tender rather than at the beginning. Hard tap water can also slow softening, which is one reason a batch may take longer than the table suggests.

If beans stay stubborn, a small pinch of baking soda in the cooking water can help them soften. Use only a little, since too much leaves a soapy taste and a mushy texture. Season in stages rather than all at once. Liquid reduces as a dish simmers and concentrates whatever salt is in it, so a little salt in the cooking water and a final check at the end gives far better control than one large addition.

Keeping the shape in the pot

Pulses with firm, thick skins, such as chickpeas and French green lentils, hold their shape best, while split red lentils are meant to break down. To keep beans whole, avoid stirring them vigorously once they are tender, and let them cool in their own cooking liquid. The liquid keeps them plump and lets them absorb flavor as they cool. If pulses are destined for a salad or a stew, cook them a few minutes short of fully soft, since they keep softening while they sit in a hot sauce or rest.

Once you know which kind you are cooking, the routine is simple: soak the large pulses, keep the small ones at a gentle simmer, and season and acidify at the right moment. A well-cooked pot of plain beans or lentils is a dependable base for many world dishes, from Indian dal to Mexican frijoles and Middle Eastern chickpea stews, and it rewards a little planning more than a lot of effort.