Rice cookers are incredibly versatile pieces of kit. The truth is, you can cook much more in a rice cooker than just rice. Rice cookers are often used (in my house) for cakes, porridge, and even soup! However, anyone who has tried to cook beans knows they can be slightly more complicated than cooking grains, but I have good news for you!
Yes. Rice cookers can be used to cook all types of beans. When using a rice cooker for cooking beans, you should first soak the beans before cooking, as per safety guidelines. Once the beans have been soaked, you should discard any floating beans or shells, then run for one cook cycle of a rice cooker.
Beans are the perfect accompaniment to any rice dish – So now we know that we can. There are tips and tricks to ensure your beans come out ideally.
Prepping beans can be one of the most confusing parts of cooking. I am a seasoned cook, yet I still have to google each type of bean before I get them ready. Cooking beans can be time-consuming, so you should be a little more organised if you plan to use beans for cooking.
Beans have to be soaked, checked and double-checked before cooking.
Packet-bought beans from the store are all dried to maximise shelf life and require rehydration to bring them back to life.
Do Not Eat Dried Beans
Beans that haven’t been soaked and rehydrated shouldn’t ever be consumed.
The non-science explanation is that dried beans contain a type of poison, which will make you sick – Meaning soaking beans for their fully advised “soak time” is crucial. Eating beans without soaking them will result in a nasty stomach and, worse case – A trip to the hospital.
Different beans require different soak times due to the nature of uncooked beans and what they can bring to you. You must adhere to total soak times for beans.
If you don’t have the time to soak beans, you can find most beans in tin form in most supermarkets. Do not ever try to skip out on soaking beans. It won’t end well.
With my obligatory safety information put out there. Here is a handy list of beans and their required “safe” soak time.
When soaking beans, you should fill a bowl with cold water and add an extra 2 inches of water to allow for any expansion.
I like to add a tablespoon of salt to my water to add a little extra flavouring to the beans. This is optional and may be left out if you have dietary requirements.
Soaked beans should be left at room temperature but covered (mainly to stop any critters from getting into your mix). I like to go my bowl of beans next to the sink, covered with wrap overnight.
| Bean | Soak Time |
| Red Kidney Bean | 24hr |
| Black-Eyed Pea | 12hr |
| Pinto Bean | 24hr |
| Cannellini Bean | 5hr |
| Lima Bean | 8hr |
| Northern Beans | 8hr |
| Chick Pea | 8hr |
| Black Bean | 12hr |
| Fava Beans | 12hr |
| Adzuki Beans | 8hr |
| Edamame | 0hr |
| Mung Beans | 8hr |
| Soybeans | 8hr |
Once your beans have been soaked, you will find several floating beans (and shells). Although they won’t harm you, I prefer to throw them away. After the initial check, drain the beans, give your beans a quick wash, and check for any stones at the bottom of the pan. Again – Eating a tiny stone won’t harm you. Chomping into grit will put you off of any meal!
Now the beans have all been cooked. We are ready to cook them (which is thankfully a far faster and easier process)
Here is where the magic lies. Throw your soaked beans into your rice cooker. Fill with an extra couple of inches of water, and run a “cook” cycle. Once your cycle is done, drain and eat!
Test your beans first. – Pull one out before you drain them to check they are soft. There are times when beans may take a little more cooking time. If your beans are still a little hard, run another cycle.
Add a bay leaf or two, – Depending on how posh you are, some people opt to add a bay leaf to their water while the beans are cooking. This can add a subtle flavour and smell to the beans, which some enjoy. I have to confess. This is a step I always forget until my beans are about to finish cooking.
Mix your beans – Now all your beans have been soaked, most of the time, you will be looking to cook with one or more types of beans. Once they have been soaked and cleared, you can cook them all together. This not only saves time but can also help mix the flavours of the beans. I love to put as many in as possible—the more, the merrier.
With such long prep times, it makes sense to bulk prep and store beans for another occasion, and that’s precisely what I do (when I remember to make extra to store)
Once your beans have been prepped, soaked and fully cooked, they will be good in the refrigerator for three days if stored in an airtight container.
Another great option is to store them in the freezer. I suggest separating beans into portions. Due to the moist and sticky nature of beans, they will stick together, forming a giant frozen block of beans, which will need hacking before they can be used.
If you remember, try to pop them into 1 cup portions in separate bags. You can throw them straight into a pan (or wherever you like) to cook them. Just remember to heat anything frozen to a high temperature.
Rice cookers are the perfect way to cook beans. You should ensure your beans have all been soaked for the recommended time (see chart). Once they are ready, throw them in the rice cooker. With an extra couple inches of water (and maybe a bay leaf or two), set the rice cooker onto a rice cycle (usually just “cook”), wait for them to come out, and serve.
