Heirloom beans “filled the cupboards” of our ancestors because dry beans keep for long periods without spoiling and are easy to prepare. Once hydrated by soaking them in water, beans cook quickly in a pot on top of the stove (most beans are tender within 45 minutes to one hour).

Simple seasonings, like a drizzle of fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and fresh-ground pepper, enhance the taste of beans. Pungent spices and aromatic herbs add savory flavors to beans’ meaty, yet tender flesh. A pot of heirloom beans is inexpensive to prepare and can be enjoyed for many meals over several days.

Cleaning, sorting and soaking

Before cooking any dried beans, always sort through them looking for misshapen beans and pebbles or soil. Although Zursun uses sophisticated equipment to sort and clean all our beans, there may be occasional natural debris.

Soaking beans prior to cooking softens them and shortens their cooking time. Although beans can be cooked without soaking, they will take considerably longer to become tender.

Long-soak method – Place beans in a large bowl and add tepid water to cover by about 3 inches. Preferably let stand overnight, or for several hours. When soaking beans during hot weather refrigerate to prevent fermentation.

Quick-soak method – In pot, add beans and water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover pot and let stand for at least 1 hour before cooking.

Note: One cup of dried beans yields about 2-3 cups of cooked beans depending on the variety.

Lentils and split peas do not require soaking before cooking.

Cooking beans on stovetop

After soaking, drain beans using a colander and rinse thoroughly. Place the drained beans in an appropriately sized heavy-bottomed pot, and add enough fresh water to cover them by 3 inches leaving at least 2 inches of space between top of the water and rim of the pot.

Do not add salt. Both salt and acidic ingredients like ketchup or tomatoes will keep beans from tenderizing, so add these ingredients the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.

Bring the beans to a boil over medium heat. As soon as they reach a simmer, reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer gently until the beans are tender but still hold their shape.

Beans will take about 45 minutes to 1-1/2 hours to cook depending on their size. Test for doneness by biting into a few beans while cooking.

The trick is to cook beans until they are just tender and creamy, yet still hold their shape; overcooked beans begin to split, become mushy and turn unpleasantly soft.

Cooking beans in the oven

Beans can also be cooked in the oven using a heavy, ovenproof baking dish with lid. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak beans as instructed, and place in baking dish, add water and cover. Cook for about the same amount of time as stovetop, and check for doneness by tasting.

Cooking with pressure cookers

To prevent overcooking, follow the manufacturers directions. Pressure cookers could reduce cooking time by more than half due to higher temperature that occurs inside the pressurized pot. Using this method, however, makes it impossible to gauge when beans are tender and to adjust the seasonings during cooking.

Season beans

Beans can be seasoned while cooking or after they are cooked. (As noted above, it is not recommended to add salt or acidic ingredients during first part of cooking).

Aromatic vegetables (onions, garlic, celery and carrots), fresh or dried herbs, and spices added at the beginning of cooking will help produce rich, flavorful bean broths and soups.

For example, the broth in Cannellini Bean Soup is made with sweet red onions, carrots and celery sautéed in olive oil. The soup is then finished with sea salt, fresh-ground black pepper and extra drizzle of oil.

Spicy chili powder is a perfect seasoning for many types of dried beans (try Anasazi, Black Turtle, Pintos). In recipes for Chili Beans with Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Mexican Pot Beans the beans simmer with chili powder creating a piquant, smoky broth.

Another option is to prepare beans in plain water and season after cooking, preferably while beans are still warm because the flavor of the added ingredients absorb better. For instance, Flageolet Bean Salad, melds delicate, pale green beans with fruity olive oil, white wine vinegar, black olives, fresh basil and parsley creating a delectable salad best served at room temperature.

Season lentils

Zursun lentils come in an alluring variety of tastes, colors and sizes. It’s important, however, to know beforehand how each lentil cooks up: whether retaining its sturdy texture and shape, or transforming into a smooth, creamy purée.

Lentils are best seasoned during cooking or baking. For fun, flavor lentils using an East Indian tarka, known as “seasoning with oil.” For this method, aromatic vegetables may be added while the lentils cook in water. After the lentils are cooked, the peppery tarka is mixed in. To make a tarka, oil is heated in a small skillet to which highly-flavored spices are fried until fragrant.

Petite red or golden yellow lentils used in Lentil Purée (Dal) make a spicy Indian soup using a tarka. The lentils are seasoned with onion, garlic and ginger while cooking in water. The tarka, made with black mustard seeds, red chilies and dried curry leaves, is mixed into the creamy lentils just before serving.

For a simple, tasteful Lentil Soup, use Spanish Pardina lentils that hold their shape during cooking. Simply seasoned with a bit of butter, fresh thyme and mint, the soup is light and full of pure lentil flavor.

Red Lentil Soup with Indian Spices is another easy and vibrant potage made with delicate crimson lentils flavored with pungent garlic, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes and fresh lemon.

Baking is a fun and easy method to cook and season lentils because it eliminates the need to watch the pot on the stovetop. For instance, try Lentilles du Puy with Roasted Carrots and Beets made with hearty French green lentils. The earthy-flavored legumes are combined in a casserole with sweet-scented beets, carrots and shallots, savory herbs, and finished with a splash of sherry wine vinegar.

Recipes for all Zursun’s beans, lentils and grains can be found on the Recipes page of our website.