Soaking
If you choose dried legumes, you should first rinse them with cold water and remove the ones that are not intact. You will then have to soak them in at least three times their volumes of cold water. Lentils and split peas don’t
There are three easy ways to soak legumes:
- In cold water overnight
- In a pot of boiling water, boil them for two minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for one hour.
- In the microwave, inside a covered container, cook on high for ten to fifteen minutes and let stand one hour.
Cooking
To cook your legumes, you must use fresh water and boil on low heat for the recommended time, which will vary depending on the format you
Quick chart for cooking legumes that have not soaked beforehand
| Cooking time | |
| Green lentils | Small Regular |
| Brown lentils | 20 to 25 minutes |
| Red lentils | 15 to 20 minutes |
| French lentils | 20 to 25 minutes |
| Split peas | 1 hour |
From
Quick chart for cooking pre-soaked legumes
| Cooking time | |
| 2 to 2 hours and a half | |
| Yellow or green peas | 3 hours |
| White beans | |
| Black beans | 1 to 1 hour and a half |
| Red beans | 1 to 1 hour and a half |
From
You can also cook your legumes in the oven, in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. If you
How to prevent flatulence
Legumes, despite their great nutritional benefits, can cause a small side effect that turns off most people: flatulence. Don’t
- Always rinse your legumes and don’t use the soaking water to cook
them - Soak your beans in the refrigerator instead of at room temperature.
- Add a few sprigs of fresh savory or some sage leaves to the cooking water.
- Always chew properly.
- Avoid eating other foods that can cause flatulence like broccoli, cabbage, etc.
- Avoid adding sugar to your recipes or finishing your meal with a sweet dessert as sugar increases fermentation in the
intestine which causes flatulence. - You can find drops or tablets at the pharmacy that prevent the formation of gas. Check with your pharmacist to see if those products could help you.
