Today we will talk about a very healthy vegetable, extremely rich in protein - beans. Beans came to us from Latin America, and for Mexicans this is the same primordial product as turnips once were for Russians. Potassium, zinc, copper, vitamins are just a small list of useful substances contained in beans. Some housewives consider beans to be a heavy food, however, this is not so. To get the full benefit from beans, you need to cook them properly. Raw beans are not eaten as they contain substances that can cause poisoning. Beans you need to boil it, and the most convenient way to do this is in a slow cooker.

Ingredients:

• beans

Preparation:

Before cooking, it is advisable to soak the beans for several hours or overnight. If possible, change the water periodically. Beans expand in volume when soaked, so you need to add a lot of water. Experienced chefs claim that soaked beans are much tastier than unsoaked ones.

Before cooking, drain the water, rinse the beans and cook in a slow cooker in new water.

The most delicious beans in a slow cooker are obtained when cooking on the “stew” program.

Inexperienced housewives may have a question: how long should you cook beans in a slow cooker?

I cook small white beans of the “Sugar” variety, brought from Ukraine, in a slow cooker for 1.5 hours.

There are now many varieties of beans on sale: Preto, Azuki, Limo, Black Eye, Kidney, Pinto, Black. This is in large stores. Grandmothers at the market also sell beans of different colors and sizes - red, yellow, variegated, without such sonorous names, but no less tasty.

What I mean is that the cooking time for beans can vary depending on the variety from half an hour to 3 hours.

If you grow beans yourself on your own plot, then you know that beans freshly harvested in August-September cook much faster than grains that have been lying in your closet for three years)) Therefore, when cooking, it is not recommended to mix beans of different varieties and colors. In any case, when cooking, you should try a couple of beans; if they are soft enough, the beans are cooked.

Salt slows down the cooking of beans, so they are salted at the end of cooking. You can also cook beans in a slow cooker on the “soup” program.

For some, the process of cooking beans in a slow cooker may seem long. But when you learn how to properly cook beans in a slow cooker, you will be able to pamper your family with delicious and healthy bean dishes, because beans in a slow cooker turn out soft, tender and tasty.

You can use beans to make soups, salads, side dishes for meat and fish, pates, cutlets; they are equally good in any dish.

Boiled beans will be an excellent independent dish when you add fried onions, sour cream or tomato sauce to it.

Beans go well with vegetables - carrots, tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplants, garlic and are indispensable for those who fast, since their protein content is close to meat, while bean protein is easier to digest. For lovers of very satisfying food, I recommend it.

Someone will say that you can buy ready-made beans in cans at the store, but how can they compare in taste and benefits with beans that you cook yourself!

Bon appetit!!!

Beans have been loved by many peoples from time immemorial; in different countries they are used to prepare national dishes. It is a storehouse of vegetable protein, various vitamins and microelements, as well as a tasty and nutritious product. How to prepare it correctly in order to preserve the maximum amount of nutrients, read our article.

Variety selection

There are a lot of varieties of this culture, all of them are healthy and nutritious. Their main difference is how quickly it cooks and how much it boils. For example, white and white-red beans cook faster, red beans take almost twice as long. This point should be remembered when calculating the cooking time of a particular dish.

Soaking beans

Some housewives do not like this product because it takes a long time to prepare, and sometimes the intestines begin to rebel when digested. These not the most pleasant consequences can be removed quite simply. You just need to soak the beans in cold water in advance. It is worth remembering that during the soaking process it will increase in volume almost three times, so you need to add more water. The longer the beans stay in the water and the more they are saturated, the faster they will cook and the fewer surprises they will present to your intestines. It is better to leave it overnight or even for a day.

Cooking beans

The simplest dish is boiled beans with herbs. This cooking method will not take much of your energy; the multicooker will do everything for you. You just need to pour the pre-soaked beans into a bowl, add water 1-2 cm above the level of the beans and turn on the “stew” mode for 1-2 hours (depending on the variety). Add salt 15 minutes before readiness. Drain the water from the finished beans, transfer to a plate, add herbs of your choice and enjoy the taste.

Beans in tomato are prepared in the same way as the previous dish, but 15 minutes before cooking, add salt and a few tablespoons of tomato. It will give a beautiful shade and add a pleasant sourness.

Beans with vegetables will give you not only benefits, but also a variety of tastes. Take onions, garlic, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, and any other vegetables you wish. Rinse thoroughly, peel and chop: finely chop the onion and garlic, finely chop the carrots or grate them, cut the bell pepper and tomato into medium cubes. Pour a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into the bottom of the bowl, fry the onion and garlic until translucent and slightly golden, then add the carrots. After a few minutes, add the pepper and tomato and fry everything together for another 5 minutes.

Pour the resulting vegetable frying into a separate bowl, and pour pre-soaked beans into the bowl and pour water so that it covers the top by 1-2 cm. Cook the beans until half cooked for an hour and a half, depending on the variety.
Add vegetables, a couple of tablespoons of tomato, and spices to taste to the boiled beans and simmer for another 30-60 minutes.
Decorate with herbs and eat with pleasure.

This unique nutritious product can be consumed as an independent dish, and it can also serve as only one of the ingredients in more complex recipes. In any case, you will receive a portion of useful substances and the pleasure of a unique taste and aroma.

Dishes with legumes are considered filling and nutritious. They combine all the necessary fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Vegetarians even replaced some recipes that included meat with similar ones, with the addition of beans.

It is also worth taking note of such recipes for people who want to lose weight or are on a diet, since beans contain a minimum of fat, but a lot of healthy protein, which will allow you to feel full for a long time without gaining excess weight.

The only drawback of this “plant-based meat” is that the digestion process is longer and requires special enzymes. This fact should be taken into account by people who have problems with the digestive system.

Beans are good in lean soups and borscht, and are also an excellent addition to some salads. It does not lose its excellent taste both hot and cold. Pairs perfectly with tomato sauce, sour cream and herbs.

Many peoples of the world, in particular the Mexicans and the Japanese, have made dishes with beans their national dishes. And their recipes and cooking secrets are begged not only by millions of tourists, but also by international culinary specialists.

Secrets of cooking beans in a slow cooker

Before cooking beans, fill them with water in advance, preferably cold, and leave for several hours. It’s even better to leave the legumes overnight, but no more than 10 hours, otherwise they will start to ferment. For those who don't like the hassle of cooking beans on the stove, you can cook them in a slow cooker, but cook them in the "Stew" mode.

When the washed beans are already in the bowl, they need to be filled with fresh water (calculation: 4 cups of water per 1 cup of dry beans). Add salt at the end of cooking.

Ready beans should be soft, but at the same time remain intact, not overcooked. Since it absorbs a lot of liquid during cooking, water for stewing must be added with a reserve. Then the stew won't be too thick.

Cooking legumes in a slow cooker will help preserve not only all the beneficial substances, but also the wonderful delicate taste. Interesting recipes for bean dishes will help diversify your menu.

White bean and meat stew

Ingredients:

• Pork – 600 gr.;
• White beans – 2.5 tbsp.;
• Tomato paste – 4 tbsp. l. (full);
• Sour cream – 2 tbsp. l;
• Cold water – 3 tbsp;
• Fresh garlic - to taste;
• Bay leaf – 2-3 leaves.

Recipes allow for some interpretation: salt, spices and garlic are added as desired.

Preparation

1. Soak dry beans in cold water for several hours, then rinse.
2. After washing the meat well and cutting it into pieces, fry it in a multicooker in the “Frying” mode.
3. Add white beans and cover with cold water.
4. Turn on the “Stew” mode and cook for 1 hour.
5. A few minutes before the end of cooking, pour in sour cream mixed with tomato paste.
6. Squeeze the peeled garlic cloves into the finished stew, stir and leave for a few minutes.
7. At the very end, add bay leaves and spices to taste to the vegetables and meat.

Recipes with chicken and mushrooms

Ingredients:

• Chicken thighs or wings – 500 gr.;
• White beans – 1 tbsp.;
• Medium onion – 3 pcs.;
• Mushrooms – 200 g;
• Tomato paste (juice) – 2 tbsp. l.;
• Sunflower oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
• Fresh garlic – 2 cloves;
• Salt, spices - to taste.

Preparation

1. Soak beans overnight in cold water and rinse thoroughly.
2. Cook in a slow cooker for about an hour until half cooked.
3. Rinse the chicken under running water and dry.
4. Finely chop the onions and mushrooms and fry until golden brown, at the end add squeezed garlic to them.
5. Remove the beans and place them in a colander, allowing excess liquid to drain.
6. Place chicken, fried onions, mushrooms and garlic in a bowl, season with spices to taste and fry until done.
7. Add beans, add tomato paste (can be replaced with juice) and a little water.
8. Cook all products in the “Stew” mode for about 1 hour.

Vegetable stew in a slow cooker

Ingredients:

• White beans – 2 tbsp.;
• Medium carrots – 2 pcs.;
• Red bell pepper – 2 pcs.;
• Medium onion – 2 pcs.;
• Tomatoes - 4 medium-sized pieces;
• Tomato paste or juice – 2 tbsp. l.;
• Fresh garlic – 3 cloves;
• Sunflower oil – 3 tbsp. l.;
• Salt, spices - to taste.

Preparation

1. Soak the beans for several hours, or better yet overnight.
2. Wash all the vegetables, cut the peppers and onions into cubes, grate the carrots on a coarse grater, and cut the tomatoes into slices.
3. Pour a few tablespoons of sunflower oil into the multicooker bowl and add chopped vegetables.
4. Add tomato paste (can be replaced with tomato juice) with spices, stir and fry for several minutes.
5. After cooking the vegetables, add soaked and washed white beans and 1.5 cups of water.

1. Simmer for 1 hour.
2. At the end of cooking, add finely chopped garlic, mix everything well and cook for a few more minutes.

Legumes stewed in tomato sauce

Ingredients:

• White beans – 400 gr.;
• Onions – 4 pcs.;
• Medium carrots – 4 pcs.;
• Tomato paste (you can use adjika or ketchup) – 3 tbsp. l;
• Tomato juice – 1.5 tbsp;
• Salt, spices - to taste.

Preparation

1. Dried white beans should be soaked in cold water overnight.
2. Peel the onion, wash it, cut it into large cubes and fry until golden brown in a slow cooker.
3. Add grated carrots to the fried onions and simmer for 10 minutes until tender.

1. At the end of cooking the carrots, pour the beans into the bowl, pour in the tomato juice and paste, season with salt and spices to taste.
2. Mix all products well and cook in the “Stew” program for 1.5 – 2 hours.
3. After cooking, decorate the dish with herbs.

These delicious legume recipes will help add variety to your child's nutritious menu. After all, kids really like the delicate taste of boiled beans. But it is worth remembering that beans can be offered to children after three years of age and preferably in small portions.

Beans are a real treasure trove of nutrients. Rich in plant protein and vitamins, it is very desirable in the human diet. To make preparing this product less hassle, try cooking beans in a slow cooker.

Delicious dishes and cooking methods

To do this, you can use a variety of device modes: in the “cooking” or “porridge” mode, you can simply cook the beans (if they are dry). If you want to use the “stewing”, “baking” or “frying” modes, then it is better to soak the dry beans. In order to preserve the beneficial properties of beans to the maximum, you can cook them in the “steamed” mode. You can also come up with a wide variety of options with canned beans.

You can cook absolutely any beans in a slow cooker: red, white, and black. You can cook fresh green beans on their own or in a sauce. Canned beans are most often used in stews or added to meat. Dry beans can be prepared in almost any way, mixed with potatoes, meat, mushrooms and much more.

In addition, if you are already bored with regular beans, you can make many dishes from them:

• Bean stew with vegetables
• Beans with meat (chicken)
• Soup with beans and meat
• Borscht with beans
• Bean pate
• Bean cutlets
• Bean lobio

And much more!

Tricks for cooking beans in a slow cooker

To ensure that the beans turn out delicious and that cooking them is a pleasure, follow some tips:

• Consider the characteristics of different types of beans: White and red-white beans will cook faster, unlike red beans, which will take longer to cook
• Beans, like all legumes, take a long time to cook, about 3 hours. To shorten this process to 2 hours, the beans can be pre-soaked for several hours.
• The beans should be soaked for 7-8 hours, and it is advisable to change the water once
• Beans should be soaked in a large bowl and plenty of water.
• Beans are soaked not only to reduce cooking time, but also to prevent problems with digestion of the product

You can find many recipes for cooking beans in a slow cooker. Here is one of the simplest and most uncomplicated ones, which does not require much effort or additional ingredients.

Boiled beans in a slow cooker

You will need:

• Beans

Preparation:

1. After soaking, rinse the beans. Place it in the multicooker bowl, pour water into it in a ratio of 1:3. Add some salt.
2. Cook the beans in the “stew” or “soup” mode for 1-2 hours, depending on the type of beans and the desired result.
3. To check for doneness, remove a few beans and check for softness.

Beans are not only very healthy, tasty, but also a universal product. Try boiling the beans according to the recipe above and adding them to a salad or to a finished dish. Once you are satisfied with the results, do not neglect the possibilities of preparing such a variety of bean dishes in a slow cooker. Eat tasty and healthy!

This is a fairly satisfying and balanced dish. It harmoniously combines proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the right proportions.

White beans with vegetables are suitable for vegetarians and simply for those who do not like to eat meat. Because it is rich in protein content. There are as many as 21.1 g of protein per 100 g of beans. Moreover, it is not at all greasy, only 2 g of fat per 100 g of product. Therefore, if you are watching your weight, you should also like this dish.

Children can cook beans after 3 years. At an earlier age, it will be difficult for the baby’s not yet strong stomach to digest it. Also, when offering your child white beans with vegetables, observe the serving size. It should not be large, about the size of a child’s handful. Excessive consumption of beans can lead to indigestion and flatulence.
But in small quantities it will only be beneficial.

Beans also make it delicious.

Legumes do not cook very quickly, and to simplify the task we will cook white beans in a slow cooker.

Products:

• White beans – 100 g
• Carrots – 1 pc.
• Onions – 1 pc.
• Bell pepper – 1 pc.
• Red tomatoes – 1-2 pcs.
• Tomato paste – 1 tsp.
• Garlic – 2 cloves
• Salt, black pepper - to taste
• Sunflower oil – 1-2 tbsp.

White beans with vegetables in a slow cooker - recipe with photo: