I Tried Adding Baking Soda to My Beans and It Worked.

Okay, so hear me out...

I just learned the easiest little cooking trick, and I honestly can’t believe I didn’t know this sooner. If you ever cook dried beans at home (or even thought about it), you need to try this.

Apparently, if you add just a tiny bit of baking soda to the water when you’re cooking beans, they get soft way faster. Like, way way faster. I didn’t really believe it at first, but I tried it, and it actually works. I was like, wait, why aren’t more people talking about this?

So if you’re like me and don’t want to spend your entire night waiting for beans to finally stop being rock hard, this is for you.


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Beans are awesome but also... kind of annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, I love beans. They’re cheap, filling, healthy, and you can throw them into basically anything from chili, tacos, soups, to salads, you name it.

But the problem? They take forever to cook. Like, sometimes it feels like hours. I’d soak them overnight like the internet says, then boil them forever the next day, and they’d still come out kinda firm. And don’t even get me started on chickpeas. Those are next-level stubborn.

So when I found out that people use baking soda to soften beans faster, I was like, “Wait. That’s it? Baking soda?” I already had some in the pantry. So of course I had to try it.


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What I did (it was super easy).

I started with some dry black beans. I didn’t soak them (because I forgot, as usual). I just rinsed them and threw them in a pot with a bunch of water.

Then I added just a little bit of baking soda. Like, maybe 1/4 of a teaspoon. That’s it. I didn’t measure super carefully, just a small pinch.

Then I let them boil, turned the heat down, and let them simmer like normal.

And here’s the wild part - they were done in like half the time. No joke. They were soft, creamy, and tasted totally normal. I was honestly kinda shocked.


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So... why does this work?

Okay, I’m not a scientist or anything, but here’s what I found out (and I’ll try to say it how I understand it).

Beans have this stuff in their skins that makes them stay firm. And if the water is too hard (like with minerals in it), it makes it even worse. Baking soda is like the opposite of that. It makes the water a little more gentle or “alkaline” (that’s the fancy word).

This helps the beans soften faster because it breaks down the tough stuff in the skins.

That’s basically it. You’re just helping the water do its thing faster. No fancy tricks, just science doing its job. Even if you don’t really get all the details (I definitely don’t), it still works. That’s what matters.


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A few things I learned (so you don’t mess it up).

Don’t use too much. Seriously, just a tiny bit. If you add a whole spoonful or something, it can make the beans taste kind of weird or soapy. Just a pinch is perfect.

Don’t use baking powder. I almost messed this up. I thought they were the same, but they’re not. You want baking soda, the one that comes in the orange box. Not baking powder, which is for baking cakes and stuff.

Give it a rinse. After the beans are done cooking, I just drained them and gave them a quick rinse with fresh water. That gets rid of any leftover soda taste, just in case.



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Bonus: It works with chickpeas too!

I tried it again the next week with chickpeas, and let me tell you, it was a game-changer. Chickpeas usually take forever, and even when they’re “done,” they’re still kind of tough. But with the baking soda trick, they got super soft and perfect for hummus.

You know how store-bought hummus is all smooth and creamy, and homemade hummus always ends up kind of gritty? This helps with that. Your hummus will be way better.


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Wait, does it change the flavor?

Not really. I didn’t notice anything weird. Maybe if you used too much it would, but I kept it small and it was totally fine. I even had some the next day and it still tasted great.


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Final thoughts.

If you’ve ever cooked beans and wondered why they take so long, this little trick might just save you. You don’t need any special tools or ingredients , just a pinch of baking soda.

It’s super beginner-friendly, totally affordable, and honestly kind of magical. I’ve done it a few times now and I’m never going back. Beans that cook faster and come out softer? Yes, please.

Try it the next time you make a pot of beans and see for yourself. I feel like I unlocked a secret level in cooking or something. It’s that good.

Let me know if you try it or if you have other weird kitchen tricks. I’m always looking for shortcuts that make life easier.