Free dried bean calculator. Enter servings to find the dried beans in grams and the soaking water in millilitres you need for the meal.
Your results will appear here.
Enter your values and press Calculate.
Enter servings. This calculator allows 80 grams of dried beans and 300 millilitres of soaking water per serving, for a main dish portion of beans.
Beans serving size grams in this calculator is 80 grams of dried beans per serving, which is a main dish portion. As a side dish, about 40 to 50 grams of dried beans per person is enough, giving about 100 to 150 grams cooked. For a main dish, about 80 to 90 grams dried per person gives about 200 to 270 grams cooked. Competitor guides quote 1/4 cup dried per person as a side and 1/2 cup dried as a main, and 80 grams sits close to the 1/2 cup main figure, since 1 cup of dried beans weighs about 180 to 200 grams depending on type.
Dry beans to cooked beans conversion is about 2.5 to 3 times by weight and volume, with variation by type. One cup of dried beans gives about 2.5 to 3 cups cooked, and 100 grams dried gives about 250 to 300 grams cooked. One pound of dried beans is about 2 cups dried and gives about 6 to 7 cups cooked. Dried beans per cup cooked therefore works out to about 65 to 80 grams dried per cup cooked, depending on the bean. Treat every conversion as a guide, since bean age, variety, soaking time, and cook time all change the yield.
How much water to soak beans is generous: cover the beans by 2 to 3 inches of water, since they absorb a lot overnight. This calculator plans 300 millilitres of soaking water per serving, which covers 80 grams of dried beans with room to swell. For overnight soaking, use cold water for 8 hours in the fridge, or use a quick soak: boil for 2 minutes, then sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse after soaking, and cook in fresh water, since soaking water carries compounds that cause gas.
Cooking quantities for the pot are simple: cook beans in about 3 to 4 cups of water per cup of dried beans, simmered until tender, not boiled hard. Stovetop times vary: black beans 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, navy beans 1 to 2 hours, pinto beans 1.5 to 2.5 hours, chickpeas 1.5 to 2.5 hours, and kidney beans 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Lentils and split peas cook much faster, in 20 to 45 minutes, and need no soaking. Salt near the end of cooking for the best texture, and add garlic, onion, bay leaf, cumin, or smoked paprika for flavour.
Dried beans pressure cooker time is much shorter than stovetop time. At high pressure, black beans take about 20 minutes plus 10 minutes natural release, kidney beans about 25 minutes plus 10 minutes, pinto beans about 25 minutes plus 10 minutes, and chickpeas about 35 minutes plus 15 minutes. Soaked beans cook faster than unsoaked beans in a pressure cooker. Kidney beans must be boiled vigorously for at least 10 minutes before slow cooking, since a slow cooker alone does not reliably destroy their natural toxin, so never slow cook raw kidney beans from dry.
Dried beans types differ in yield and cook time, even at the same serving weight. Chickpeas give about 2.75 cups cooked per cup dried and stay firm, which suits salads and hummus. Kidney beans give about 3 cups cooked per cup dried and hold their shape in chilli. Black beans give about 2.5 cups cooked per cup dried and cook relatively fast. Cannellini beans give about 3.25 cups cooked per cup dried and turn creamy. Lentils are not beans in the soaking sense, but they serve at similar weights and cook in under 45 minutes.
Dried beans for a crowd scales directly from the per person amount. For 10 servings, this calculator gives 800 grams of dried beans and 3000 millilitres of soaking water. For 25 servings, it gives 2000 grams and 7500 millilitres. For 50 servings, it gives 4000 grams and 15000 millilitres. For 100 people as a main dish, it gives 8000 grams, about 17.6 pounds, and 30000 millilitres of soaking water, giving roughly 20 to 24 kilograms cooked. Buy 25 percent extra for a crowd, since beans are cheap and running out is worse than leftovers.
Dried beans canned equivalent is useful when you run out of dried beans. One 15 ounce can, drained, gives about 1.5 cups of cooked beans, which is close to 1/2 cup of dried beans, or about 90 grams dried. One cup of cooked beans weighs about 165 to 200 grams. Cooked beans freeze well for up to 3 months: cool them, portion them into 1/2 cup or 1.5 cup amounts, squeeze the air out, and thaw overnight in the fridge. In the fridge, cooked beans keep for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container.
Dried beans kids portion is about half an adult portion: about 40 grams dried per child, giving about 100 to 120 grams cooked, or about 1/4 cup cooked as a side. Introduce beans gradually for young children, and mash or blend them for toddlers. Serve beans with rice, bread, or tortillas for a complete meal, and add vegetables to stretch a pot further. If you cook too many beans, turn leftovers into dips, soups, salads, or burgers, rather than throwing them away.
About 80 grams of dried beans per serving in this calculator as a main dish, giving about 200 to 270 grams cooked. As a side, about 40 to 50 grams dried per person is enough.
About 300 millilitres of soaking water per serving in this calculator, covering the beans by 2 to 3 inches. Soak overnight for 8 hours, or quick soak by boiling 2 minutes and sitting 1 hour.
About 2.5 to 3 cups cooked per cup dried, depending on bean type, age, and cook time. One pound dried gives about 6 to 7 cups cooked.
Soaking shortens cook time and improves digestibility, but it is not always essential. Lentils and split peas need no soaking. Kidney beans must be boiled hard for 10 minutes before slow cooking.
Black beans about 20 minutes, kidney and pinto beans about 25 minutes, and chickpeas about 35 minutes, all at high pressure plus natural release time.
One 15 ounce can, drained, gives about 1.5 cups cooked beans, close to 1/2 cup or about 90 grams of dried beans.
About 8000 grams, or 17.6 pounds, of dried beans for 100 main dish servings in this calculator, with 30000 millilitres of soaking water.
About 40 grams dried per child, giving about 100 to 120 grams cooked, or about 1/4 cup cooked as a side dish.
Yes, for up to 3 months. Cool them, portion them, squeeze out the air, and thaw overnight in the fridge. In the fridge, cooked beans keep 3 to 5 days.