How to Cook Beans with MORE Baking Soda for GREAT Digestion

How to Cook Beans with MORE Baking Soda for GREAT Digestion (NO GAS!) is a life-changing article and recipe about how to use a relatively large amount of baking soda when you boil (optionally soaked) dried beans. You will be amazed that you can now eat beans without any gas issues.

Course beans

Cuisine American, Asian, European, Mexican, middle eastern

Keyword baking soda, digestion, how to cook beans, no gas

Servings servings

Calories 116kcal

Author Megan

Cost $2

Equipment

large cooking pot with lid or Instant Pot

Ingredients

1-½ cups dried beans of choice
4-½ to 7 cups water depending on if you're using a pot on the stove (7 cups), or an Instant Pot (4-½ cups)
½ teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Soak beans in plain water overnight (for 1 to 3 days). Use this method. (Soaking is optional for Instant Pot version.)
Rinse beans one final time, and place in large cooking pot. Cover with water by 3 inches.
(For 1-½ cups beans, use about 7 cups water for stove top [depending on pot size and shape], or use 4-1/2 cups water for Instant Pot.)
For Instant Pot: Add half teaspoon baking soda now (otherwise wait to add it for stove top).
Depending on bean variety, cooking times vary.
For stove top: Cook 40 minutes for smaller beans, or up to 2 hours for larger beans, including chick peas, whatever time brings your beans to being about half-cooked (still a little hard in the middle). (Garbanzo beans and kidney beans take longer than black beans, for example.) Cook the beans covered, maintaining a steady simmer or slow boil.
For Instant Pot: Choose Manual high pressure button, and adjust time to 25 to 45 minutes (see Notes section below for individual bean's cooking times). When timer sounds, allow to naturally release for 15 minutes.
Stove top continued: Now, add baking soda (water will bubble up!), and stir. Continue to cook 30 minutes to 1 hour, until beans are fully soft.
Strain baking soda water, and rinse. Proceed with the recipe in which you plan to use the beans.

Notes

Instant Pot Guide -- How long to cook each bean

Cook each bean for the lesser time indicated below if soaked, and the greater time if unsoaked.

Allow a minimum of 15 minutes after cooking for your IP to naturally release pressure. Then do a QPR.

chickpeas: 35 to 45 minutes
pinto beans: 25 to 35 minutes
white navy beans: 25 to 35 minutes
Great Northern/cannellini beans: 25 to 35 minutes
black beans: 25 to 35 minutes
kidney beans: 30 to 40 minutes
black eyed peas: 20 to 30 minutes

I tend to cook my beans on the more side, to make them a little softer. If you find you want your beans not splitting at all and a littler firmer, you may decide to cook your beans for 5 minutes less than I've designated.

Nutrition