Beans are an inexpensive and filling dinner staple that are a part of nearly every cuisine. Canned beans are wonderful for quick weeknight cooking but a sumptuous pot of beans cooked from dried will make you feel both soothed and accomplished. Plus, dried beans are cheaper pound-for-pound than canned.

Start by sorting and rinsing your dried beans—beans are an agricultural product so you may occasionally find small rocks or sticks in the bag. Soak the beans overnight if you’re able. The cooking time of dried beans varies depending on their size and age (as in how long they’ve sat on the grocery shelves or in your pantry); soaking helps shorten the cooking time. In a pinch you can use a quick soaking method too. After soaking, cover the beans with fresh water in a big deep pot and add a few aromatic ingredients like onion, garlic, and bay leaves and bring the whole pot to a simmer on the stove. After a few hours of cooking you’ll have a glorious pot of beans, delectable enough to serve to dinner guests.