The most common mistakes in cooking beans and how to avoid them

Wait until beans are fully cooked and tender before adding anything acidic.

⏲️ 5. Undercooking or Overcooking
Mistake: Rushing the process or forgetting them on the stove.

Fix:

Simmer gently, not a rolling boil.

Start checking for doneness after 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the variety.

🔥 6. Boiling Too Vigorously
Mistake: A hard boil breaks beans and makes them starchy and mushy.

Fix:

Simmer gently and stir minimally to keep the beans intact.

💨 7. Not Using Enough Water
Mistake: Beans absorb a lot of water; too little and they’ll dry out or scorch.

Fix:

Use at least 3x as much water as beans by volume.

Keep extra hot water nearby to top off if needed.

🧼 8. Not Rinsing or Sorting Beans
Mistake: Skipping this step may leave in dust, debris, or small stones.

Fix:

Always sort, rinse, and drain beans before soaking or cooking.

🍲 9. Skipping Flavor Enhancers
Mistake: Beans cooked in plain water can be bland.

Fix:

Add aromatics like bay leaf, onion, garlic, celery, or herbs during cooking.

Bonus: Add a Parmesan rind or smoked meat for deeper flavor.

🤢 10. Not Addressing Digestibility (Gas)
Mistake: Some people are sensitive to beans due to certain sugars.

Fix:

Soak and discard the soaking water to reduce gas-causing compounds.

Cook thoroughly — undercooked beans are harder to digest.

Add kombu (a type of seaweed) during cooking or try lentils and mung beans, which are gentler on the stomach.