How to cook dried beans and lentils properly?

Add rinsed (unsoaked) dried beans to an Instant Pot with water covering them by 2 inches. Pressure cook on high: black beans: 25-30 minutes. Chickpeas: 35-40 minutes. Pinto beans: 25-30 minutes. Kidney beans: 25-30 minutes. Natural pressure release for 15 minutes.

Rinse dried beans, cover with 3 inches of cold water, and soak overnight (8-12 hours). Drain, add fresh water to cover by 2 inches, bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook until tender. Black beans: 60-90 minutes. Chickpeas: 90-120 minutes. Pinto beans: 60-90 minutes.

Lentils require no soaking and cook in 15-30 minutes. Rinse lentils, add to a pot with water (2 cups water per 1 cup lentils), bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Red lentils: 15-20 minutes (they dissolve into a creamy texture). Green/brown lentils: 25-30 minutes (hold their shape). French/Puy…

Place rinsed beans in a pot, cover with water by 3 inches, and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour. Drain, add fresh water, and cook as normal. This replicates an overnight soak in about an hour.

Canned beans are already cooked and ready in seconds. Drain, rinse (removes 40% of the sodium), and add directly to salads, soups, tacos, or any recipe. For mashed applications, heat in a pan with seasonings and mash with a fork.