Everyday Beans

Written By Kevin Messing

Our go-to batch bean recipe—simple, flavorful, and endlessly useful.

Written by Kevin Messing
April 18

We make a big pot of these beans almost every week—enough to feed our family through lunches, quick dinners, and whatever’s left over at the end of the day. Whether we’re turning them into soup, spooning them into tacos, or eating them plain with a little olive oil and a fried egg, these are the beans we come back to over and over again.

This recipe is inspired by the way Chef Andy Hollyday at Selden Standard and Nic Theisen at Farm Club treat humble ingredients with care and intention. It’s less about precision and more about rhythm. Once you’ve made them once or twice, it becomes second nature.

Note: All Sheridan Acres beans are sold within one year of harvest. That means they’re fresher than what you’ll typically find at the store—and they cook up beautifully without soaking.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dry beans

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

  • 3–4 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 1 whole onion, peeled (no need to chop)

  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 Tbsp fresh)

  • 1 bay leaf

  • A pinch of dried ramp greens (optional, but adds great depth)

  • 8 cups water

Instructions

1. Combine everything in your pot.
Use a large Dutch oven, stock pot, or pressure cooker. Toss everything in—no need to chop or sauté.

2. Choose your cooking method:

On the stovetop:
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover partially and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, checking occasionally. You’re looking for beans that are tender but not falling apart.

In a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot):
Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 30–45 minutes, depending on the size and type of bean.

  • Small beans (like black beans, Buckskin, or Rojo Chiquito): ~30 minutes

  • Larger beans (like Cranberry, Yellow-Eye, Calypso): ~40-45 minutes

Allow for a natural pressure release for the best texture.
If your beans need more time, simply return to high pressure for another few minutes. But if they’re **so close—just slightly underdone—**there’s a trick we use all the time:
Set the Instant Pot for 0 minutes. This brings the pot back up to pressure and immediately begins releasing—just enough to gently finish cooking the beans without overdoing it.

3. Taste and adjust.
Once cooked, taste your beans and season if needed. You can remove the whole onion or mash it gently into the broth for added richness.

How We Eat Them

  • With a fried egg for breakfast

  • Stirred up with leftover meat or vegetables into soup

  • Over rice with hot sauce or salsa

  • Wrapped in tortillas with greens and cheese

  • Or, straight from the fridge with a spoon

Make It Yours

This is a base recipe meant to flex with what you have. Add fresh herbs, smoked paprika, a parmesan rind, or chili flakes. Use the broth as the start of a soup or a base for grains.

It’s not just about the beans—it’s about making food that’s ready when you are.

Bean Questions We Get All the Time

Do I need to rinse or sort the beans before cooking?
We give all our beans a final hand sort before packing—so they’re ready to go. That said, a quick rinse is always a good habit.

How much does this make?
One pound of dry beans yields about 6 cups cooked, depending on the variety.

Which beans should I use?
This works with all the varieties we grow. Buckskins, Pink, Rojo Chiquito, Black Beans, and Pintos are great ones to start with.

How do I store leftovers?
Cooked beans keep well in the fridge. We store them right in the broth, then scoop out a bowl when needed and reheat. If you want to freeze them or go deeper, this guide from A Legume A Day is excellent.

What if they’re still a little firm?
No problem—just keep simmering on the stovetop and check every 15 minutes.
In the Instant Pot, try this trick: set it for 0 minutes. It’ll come up to pressure and release right away—often just enough to finish the job. You can always add a few more minutes too.
And don’t be afraid. If you “overcook” them, the worst that happens is they’re a little soft—which is great for things like bean dip or a hummus-style spread.

What about all that broth?
Keep it! It’s full of flavor. We often eat the beans more like a soup, and the broth is perfect for warming up leftovers or stirring into rice.

What do I do with the onion and garlic?
They’ll be very soft. We usually scoop them out and compost them—your beans will already be infused with all that flavor. Same goes for the bay leaf.

Kevin Messing