Basic Cooked Dried Beans

1. 1

   Drain the beans and put them into a medium, heavy-bottomed pot. Cover them with cold water by 4 inches or so. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, if using, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt. Bring the beans just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

2. 2

   Reduce the heat to low and very gently simmer them until they are swollen and tender, 30 to 90 minutes (or more), depending on the freshness of the dried beans. The beans should remain submerged while they cook, so add more water to the pot if you need to.

3. 3

   Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in a generous pinch of salt. Add a good glug of olive oil. Let the beans cool to just warm or to room temperature in the cooking liquid. (The beans will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.)

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

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