Can You Freeze Cooked Beans

Today I wanted to help show you another way to save money in the kitchen. I am going to teach you how to freeze beans and make your own “canned” beans. You are just going to store yours in the freezer instead of canning them.

These are so easy to make and a big money saver. Plus, no worries about any extra salt or other ingredients in the canned beans. I love knowing exactly what is going into the beans and it is super easy. These are the perfect addition to your soup recipes. You may also want to check out these 35 Easy Freezer Meals.

Why We Love to Freeze Cooked Beans

Making slow cooker pinto beans, black beans, navy beans and more to stock your freezer is a great way to save money. The ideas are endless and you can even flavor the beans with ham hock and onions if you prefer.

This is one of my favorite favorite freezer tip as the ingredients and prep time is very minimal. You can cook Instant Pot Pinto Beans Recipe or Crock Pot Pinto Beans instead of the stove top for a easy variation.

Ingredients

• Dried Beans – Feel free to use different types of beans including kidney beans or white beans
• Water – Make sure to cook beans in fresh water

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

How to Cook Dried Beans and Freeze Them

Step 1 – Rinse the beans thoroughly and remove any debris (rocks, clumps, dirt, etc) from the beans. 

Step 2 – Place the beans in a medium size saucepan. Add in the water and make sure that the beans are covered by at least 2 inches over the top of the beans (add more water if needed). 

Step 3 – Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes. Watch the beans closely as they cook as you don’t want them to get too soft before freezing them. 

Step 4 – Once the beans are cooked through, drain them in a colander and rinse them immediately with cold water to cool them off immediately. 

Step 5 – Once the beans have cooled completely, sort the cooked beans in freezer containers or labeled bags.

Step 6 – Seal the container or bags and place them directly in the freezer until ready to use. 

Expert Tips

• Cooking Beans – When cooking the beans, make sure to not overcook them. You do not want them to be too soft as they could get mushy when they thaw.
• Freeze in Smaller Portions – Since we usually add these beans to soups, I like to freeze in small portions. Measure out 2 cups of beans and place in a freezer-safe container, plastic freezer bags or airtight container. This will equal the size of 1 can of beans.
• Thawing Beans – When you are ready to use, defrost the beans out completely in the refrigerator overnight or place them in warm water to thaw them quicker. Then the beans are ready to use in your favorite recipes just like a can of drained beans.

How to Use Frozen Cooked Beans

Leftovers make it easy to use your frozen cooked beans in many recipes. We love to use them in Ham & Bean Soup Crock pot recipe, Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe, Cincinnati Chili Recipe and 3 Bean Salads Recipe.

You can even make Easy Crockpot Refried Beans Recipe.