Do You Boil the Beans Before Putting Them in Chili?

Beans are a common ingredient in most chili recipes, but before you add them to the pot, note whether they’re canned or dried: This will tell you whether you need to boil the beans before putting them in your chili.

Whether you’re using kidney beans, black beans, or pinto beans, if they’re dried beans, you’ll need to either boil them separately while the chili is simmering or let them soak overnight to rehydrate them. This is because the acidic foods in the chili (tomatoes and tomato sauce) will keep the dried beans from cooking properly alongside the rest of the ingredients. By the time the beans are cooked all the way, the rest of your ingredients will be overcooked.

However, if you use canned beans, you don’t have to worry about this issue. You can simply drain the beans and add them into the pot with the rest of your chili ingredients.