Most recipes that use canned beans tell you to drain and rinse them before adding the beans to the dish. I’ve noticed that the great chef and teacher Jacques Pépin might drain the beans, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him rinse them and then more times than not he ends up adding the drained liquid back to the pot anyway. What is the thinking behind draining and rinsing beans?
This was a question that came up during our weekly live chat, where we help you level-up your skills in the kitchen. Here’s when and why recipes might tell you to drain and rinse canned beans.
One of the primary reasons for draining and rinsing canned beans, or any canned food, is to remove some of the excess salt. As staff writer Becky Krystal wrote in an article about reducing salt in cooking, a study commissioned by Cook’s Illustrated found that draining and rinsing removes roughly 25 percent of the sodium from canned beans. (Another study puts that number closer to 40 percent.)
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Answered by Aaron Hutcherson
What’s cookin’, friends? I’m Aaron, a food writer and recipe developer for Washington Post Food. I’m a classically trained chef who loves the comfort and soul food I grew up with and exploring other cuisines. Need help in the kitchen? I’m always happy to help. Email me at aaron.hutcherson@washpost.com or join my weekly live chat.
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Nutrition aside, the other main consideration is texture. For soups, stews and anything else liquidy, feel free to use the whole can — just keep in mind that you’ll be adding more liquid than if the recipe calls for drained and rinsed beans. On the flip side, drier is always better when you’re trying to make something crispy or crunchy, such as Crispy Spiced Roasted Chickpeas, and bean burgers, cakes and croquettes would likely be too wet if you include the liquid. It’s also a good idea to drain and rinse beans when you’re adding them to a salad. Somewhere in the middle are dips, which would work fine with the extra liquid, though they will definitely be looser than intended.
Lastly, if the beans you’re draining are chickpeas, don’t toss the liquid! Known as aquafaba, that liquid can be used as a vegan replacement for egg whites in co*cktails and desserts.
Canned bean recipes
