Summary
A comprehensive table of beans & pulses together with soaking and pressure cooking times and pressures.
How to cook beans or pulses in a pressure cooker
Use this basic guide if you do not have a specific recipe
- Pick through the beans and discard any discoloured beans or loose skins
- Soak in cold water for a minimum of the time shown, soaking overnight is usually the best way to achieve this
- Change soaking water a few times if possible
- Never cook the beans in the water they were soaked in
- Rinse the beans well at the end of the soaking period
- Ensure the pressure cooker is at least a quarter full
- Never fill the pressure cooker more than half full
- Always cover the beans with at least 5 cm (2") water
- Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the water - this reduces foaming
- Allow the pressure cooker to get to the required pressure and then begin timing
- Use the specified pressure release method - this is the natural method in the case of dried beans or pulses
- A bean is usually perfectly cooked when it can be easily squashed between your forefinger and thumb
- If the beans are not sufficiently cooked, return to pressure, cook for another 3 minutes and allow the pressure to reduce using the natural method.
Re-check that the beans are cooked to your liking.
BEAN VARIETY | COLD WATER SOAK TIME minimum period |
PRESSURE COOKING TIME | COOKING PRESSURE High = 15 psi Medium = 10 psi Low = 5 psi |
PRESSURE RELEASE METHOD |
Azuki (red) beans | None | 8 minutes | High | Natural |
Black beans | 4 hours | 12 minutes | High | Natural |
Black urad beans | None | 7 minutes | High | Natural |
Black eyed peas | None | 10 minutes | High | Natural |
Borlotti beans | 4 hours | 7 minutes | High | Natural |
Broad beans | 8 hours | 4 minutes | Medium | Natural |
Butter beans | 8 hours | 4 minutes | Medium | Natural |
Chickpeas | 8 hours | 25 minutes | High | Natural |
Faba beans, (Fava beans) | 8 hours | 4 minutes | Medium | Natural |
Lentils or Split peas | None | 7 minutes | High | Natural |
Lima beans | 8 hours | 4 minutes | Medium | Natural |
Mung beans (green) | 4 hours | 9 minutes | Low | Natural |
Pinto or mottled beans | 4 hours | 12 minutes | High | Natural |
Red kidney beans | 4 hours | 12 minutes | High | Natural |
Mung beans (red) | 4 hours | 9 minutes | Low | Natural |
Shell beans | 4 hours | 10 minutes | High | Natural |
Snap, string or runner beans | None | 4 minutes | Low | Cold water release |
Soya bean | 8 hours | 35 minutes | High | Natural |
White or cannellini beans | 4 hours | 12 minutes | High | Natural |
White urad beans | None | 7 minutes | High | Natural |
Yellow or Peruano beans | 4 hours | 10 minutes | High | Natural |