So the starchy liquid that lives in the can? That's your bean broth. Use that broth to thicken soups, help dips hang together—all the ways you'd use the broth with beans you cooked yourself. So stop throwing it away!
Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish.
The slimy liquid on beans is safe to eat. It is the cooking liquid from the canning plant, where the beans were cooked.
Canned bean liquid, which is often quite starchy, is also welcome in soup, to help thicken the broth, and in hummus, to help it get super smooth.
Not draining and rinsing them can add viscosity, liquid, and/or flavor to a dish, she says, which isn't always something she wants for a recipe.
The practices of both draining and draining/rinsing canned beans can effectively reduce the amount of sodium from that contained in the product as purchased. All brands and all varieties of canned beans tested demonstrated reductions in sodium content per serving after draining and draining and rinsing.
Rinsing beans for flavor and health reasons
That salt and starch content is why you should rinse and drain canned beans before using them in your recipes. The salt and starch can change the characteristics and texture of the dish, especially if you are making a casserole, and will increase your sodium intake.
Cook's Country suggests using the liquid from canned beans in recipes like soups, stews, or chili. You can also use it in dips, and you might want to try adding it to dishes like casseroles or even braises for added richness.
“Bean liquid has many cooking uses, including use as an instant stock or broth for soups and other dishes, as it enhances the flavor of what's being cooked by adding a deep savory, almost umami, quality,” says Joe Castelforte, Cento's Corporate Chef. ”It can also be used as a thickener for sauces and soups.”
Although canned black beans are ready to eat, they should be drained and rinsed first — to wash off some of the slippery slime common to all beans and to get rid of excess sodium (even in the reduced-sodium varieties).
(Saponins occur in many plants, some of which are actually used to make soap!) But the saponins in beans are harmless, so while that foam might be a bit shocking when you spot it, just keep rinsing until it is all gone and carry on with your recipe. It's all natural.
The liquid used to fill the jars is necessary so that the heat from the canning process penetrates throughout the jars as expected during processing.
Canned beans are already cooked. They cost a little more than dried beans, but are still a great buy because they are fast and convenient. Just remember to rinse them first to wash away some of the sodium (salt) or buy canned beans with no added salt.
When dried beans are soaked in water, their volume increases as they absorb the water. Beans absorb hot water more quickly than cold water, which is why the black-eyed peas used in this activity should have swelled faster in the hot water than in the cold water.
Too much liquid will thin your chili
The same holds true for using canned beans in chili. According to Taste of Home, you should typically drain canned beans before adding them to your pot of chili. All that liquid can seriously water the chili down, diluting all its flavors.
But most people can enjoy more beans with less gas with the help of these tips: Soak beans overnight in water, then drain, rinse and cook in fresh water. This decreases the oligosaccharide content.
Many people wonder if they need to drain and rinse canned beans, and the answer is, “it depends.” It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans.
While rinsing and draining beans is not necessary, there are a few reasons people choose to do so. Depending on the type of bean you are using, the coloration of the bean liquid may cause a coloration change you don't want for your dish.
Sometimes you may not want the flavor of the bean cooking liquid, but most times it is welcome. Regardless, always STORE your cooked beans in the water in which it was cooked, for the reasons mentioned above (keeps the beans moist, nutrition, and yum-factor).
But if you have excess bean broth, use it to cook more beans or lentils, thicken soups, season and drink like bone broth or add to quick breads and doughs. When I have it, I use rich, unsalted black bean broth in place of water for my sourdough discard chocolate cake—yum! Bean broth also freezes well.
Can I drink the broth? Yes! All of our Swanson broths can be enjoyed as a beverage. Swanson Sipping Bone Broths are specially made to be consumed as a beverage.
If you are using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them with water to cut the sodium (salt) content by almost a half. Rinse well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.
Draining and rinsing canned beans can reduce their sodium content by more than 40%. But taking just a few extra minutes is key to getting the most benefit. First, drain beans in a colander for two minutes. Then rinse the beans under cool running water for 10 seconds.
Draining and rinsing of canned vegetables can reduce the sodium content from 9 23%. Analytical values for the three vegetables tested were lower than that declared on the label. Of all the nutrients tested, vitamin C decreased from 5-28% with draining and rinsing.