How to Cook Gasless Beans the Lazy Way

Beans are low in fat and high in protein and fiber which makes them an excellent,  tasty, and budget friendly addition to your diet.

Unfortunately, being low in fat and high in protein and fiber are also the things that give most people gas after they eat beans. 

There are many, many people who add this or that to dried beans and claim it is the secret for breaking down the exterior seed coat of the bean and making beans gasless. That’s great but what happens if you don’t want that ingredient's flavor in your bean dish?

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Some say you should soak dried beans overnight and pour off the soaking water the next day. That works too. Unfortunately some of the nutrients in the beans also go down the drain with the noxious gas maker bean seed coat.  

Fortunately there is a much easier and lazier way to cook gasless dried beans – in the crockpot slow cooker like this one! It couldn’t be simpler. You can also cook gasless beans as a one stop dump it all in the slow cooker recipe. What’s not to love? (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience.)

How to Cook Gasless Beans in a Crock Pot

1. Pick through the dried beans for small stones, etc. and rinse if necessary (some of the bean brands we buy are pre cleaned, some aren’t. )

2. Cover the beans with plenty of water in the crock pot and slow cook the beans on High until they are tender. It takes approximately 6 to 8 hours depending upon the bean (larger beans like dried garbanzo beans will  take longer than a smaller bean like pinto.) Basically, I try to start them in the morning before work, let them slow cook all day, and they are ready by dinnertime.

My slow cooker will cook most dried beans in 6 to 8 hours if I put it on High. Your mileage may vary.

By dinnertime you will have a mess of cooked beans for your recipe or to freeze as a quick pre cooked bean option for later.

An Even Lazier Way to Make Gasless Dried Beans for Dinner

During the winter Husband and I often add beans to crock pot soups and stews. We stink at menu planning and usually don’t think about making gasless crock pot beans ahead of time. Not to worry! You can still have a slow cooked bean meal for that night’s dinner without a musical fruit accompaniment for dessert!

My crock pot Cincinnati style chili recipe tastes just like Skyline!

Here’s how.

Dump everything the recipe calls for into the slow cooker, including your dried beans. Then add an extra cup or two of water (depending upon the amount of liquid that is already in your slow cooker and the amount of dried beans you use in the recipe.) Let the whole shebang slow cook all day in the crock pot per the recipe.

I make gasless crockpot beans in every bean recipe I create for Lazy Budget Chef.
Get my Crock Pot Mexican Beef and Bean recipe here. 

Slow cooking breaks down the outside seed coat of the bean and makes them gasless without pouring off any of the nutrients released into the soaking water (or in my case, broth or tomato sauce.)

That. Easy.

Really.

Actually there is an even lazier way to make gasless beans and that is to eat bean dishes more often. Your body will build up the enzymes needed to digest the seed coat, fiber, and protein in the beans in your meal without producing gas.

Now that you know how to cook gasless beans, check out my round up 25 bean and rice recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!



If you want more dried bean ideas and supplies check out the following - and more! - below!

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