Do you know why grains should be soaked overnight — prior to cooking?
Not only does soaking reduce cooking time, but it also aids in digestion!
How? Well, grains are seeds that contain enzyme inhibitors. Soaking neutralizes these enzyme inhibitors, which is great because we need enzymes in order to properly digest the foods we eat. Grains also have anti-nutrients such as phytic acid, which soaking breaks down as well.
Perfect for sensitive tummies. 🙂
How To Soak And Cook Whole Grains
- grain of choice
- warm water (see chart below for amount, specific to each grain)
- 1 tablespoon acid per 1 cup liquid, such as kombucha, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, kefir, whey, yogurt, etc.
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil per 1 cup grain (optional)
- 1/4 to 1 teaspoon sea salt per 1 cup grain
The night before, combine grains, water, and acid in a pot. You want to soak the grains for at least 7 to 8 hours prior to cooking them. Cover pot and let sit out on counter.
When ready to cook, add oil and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer for time listed (see chart below), or until grain is tender and all water is absorbed. Don't lift the lid while cooking, except very quickly once or twice to check that it is still simmering gently.
When cooked, remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for about 15 minutes. Fluff with fork. Enjoy!
Also see the Gluten-Free Grain Cooking Chart.
Grain Cooking Chart
information from “Enchanted Broccoli Forest” by Mollie Katzen
| RICE (1 cup) | WATER | COOKING TIME | YIELD |
| Brown Rice (long grain) | 2 cups | 35 to 45 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Brown Rice (short grain) | 2 cups | 35 to 45 minutes | 3 3/4 cups |
| Brown Basmati Rice | 2 cups | 45 to 50 minutes | 4 cups |
| Brown Jasmine Rice | 2 cups | 45 to 50 minutes | 4 cups |
| Black Japonica Rice | 2 cups | 45 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Wehani Rice | 2 cups | 45 minutes | 3 cups |
| Wild Rice | 2 1/2 cups | 1 1/4 hours | 4 cups |
| Manitok Wild Rice | 2 1/2 cups | 50 to 60 minutes | 4 cups |
| GRAIN (1 cup) | WATER | COOKING TIME | YIELD |
| Amaranth | 1 1/2 cups | 25 minutes | 2 cups |
| Barley, Hulled | 3 cups | 1 3/4 hours | 4 cups |
| Barley, Pearl | 2 cups | 1 1/2 hours | 4 cups |
| Buckwheat/Kasha | 1 1/2 cups | 10 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| *Bulgur | 1 1/2 cups | 30 to 40 minutes | 3 cups |
| Cracked Wheat | 2 1/2 cups | 7 to 10 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Cornmeal (Polenta) | 2 1/2 cups | 10 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Couscous | 1 1/4 cups | 10 minutes | 2 3/4 cups |
| Kamut | 2 1/2 cups | 1 3/4 hours | 2 1/2 cups |
| Millet | 2 cups | 25 minutes | 3 1/2 cups |
| Oat Groats | 2 1/2 cups | 35 to 40 minutes | 2 1/2 cups |
| **Quinoa | 2 cups | 25 to 30 minutes | 4 cups |
| Rye Berries | 2 1/2 cups | 1 1/4 hours | 2 1/2 cups |
| Spelt | 1 1/2 cups | 50 to 60 minutes | 2 cups |
| Teff | 3 cups | 15 minutes | 3 cups |
| Triticale | 2 1/2 cups | 1 1/2 hours | 3 cups |
| Wheat Berries, Hard (Red) | 2 cups | 2 hours | 3 cups |
| Wheat Berries, Soft (White) | 2 cups | 1 1/2 hours | 3 1/2 cups |
*Soak, don't cook.
**Rinse first.
Do you soak your whole grains before cooking them?
Is it really possible to "eat what you want to eat" like bread and butter, cinnamon rolls and cookies, meat and potatoes...
Bible-based cooking program...
...yet it's GOOD for you?
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Are these cooking times for soaked grains? I didn’t know that Molly Katzen soaked her grains. If so, I am going to have to check this book out of the library! Thank you for posting this helpful chart.
Kelli – no they’re not, I realized that after a bit. The cooking time will be less than the times listed here, sometimes by as much as half. Watch for tenderness and full water absorption.
Hi, thanks for this useful list of cooking times for unsoaked grains. Do you have or could you point me to a list of cooking times for soaked grains? I understand that the cooking times will be shorter, but a new list would be so helpful.
Wardee, I’m confused. Your listing for couscous has an asterisk that means, “Soak, don’t cook.” We always cook our couscous, so I’m not sure what this means? According to this chart, do we not cook couscous? Because the chart also says to cook it for 10 minutes.
Also, in the reply you gave to Kelli, you said that the cooking times will be less than what is listed in your chart, sometimes by as much as half. I’ve always been taught not to check rice until the time is up…not to lift the lid at all until the correct amount of time has passed. Otherwise, the rice can become sticky and gooey. Would you mind explaining a little bit more to us about what the cooking time actually means on the chart, and about not cooking couscous? Thanks! 🙂
Julieanne
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/iLoveHomeschooling
.-= Julieanne Miller´s last blog post… When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a…Doctor! (e-book review) =-.
Julieanne – Thank you for pointing out those areas that need clarification!
Regarding the couscous –
the way I cook it is to pour boiling water over it, and let it sit covered, in the boiling water (but not on the burner) for 10 minutes. I do not believe this is a grain that needs to be soaked, because if it is made in a traditional way, the soaking/pre-cooking has already taken place before we get it. So, the process is really easy, just pour boiling water over it and let it sit.Oh, you know what… ignore me… when putting this together, I had a brain freeze, I guess… I was thinking of couscous as bulgur! So that is a mistake. Couscous does need cooking. I starred it by mistake.
As far as the cooking times, well… that is going to have to be a matter of experimentation. You’re right not to lift the lid unnecessarily. But, I find I have to break that rule. 🙂 What I do is take a quick “peek” about halfway through the regular cooking time to see if the water is all absorbed or not. I try to minimize the interruptions. In the case of rice, I find that it is cooked in about 25-30 minutes if it has been soaked overnight.
Hopefully this helps!
Totally just curious- do you routinely soak your rice? I have in the past a few times, but thought it was so low in phytic that it was fine not to soak. I usually fry my rice in coconut oil, butter, and/or olive oil before adding the stock, so soaking wouldn’t fit in with that practice. I love this chart- thanks so much!!! 😉
In His Name,
Kirsten
Kirsten,
I found a more effective way to soak brown rice, detailed HERE at my site. It’s really easy and gets rid of the phytic acid quite effectively (which is not actually that low in rice). Sometimes I do saute the rice in oil, then soak it – I have no idea if it still works for the phytic acid, but it does work for the end result! I end up cooking the same amount of time, about 45 minutes, as with unsoaked rice. I add new water to about 1/2 cup less since the rice has absorbed some water during the soaking process.
Hope that helps!
🙂 Katie
ohhh-this will save MANY a frustration in the kitchen. I’m going to print this out (if you don’t mind) and stick it on my fridge!
.-= c´s last blog post… blunders and absurdities =-.
C – No, I don’t mind! Enjoy! Let me know if you find any mistakes. 🙂 My site is set up so if you just hit Print (Ctrl-P), the post will print without all the sidebars, etc. It comes out formatted very nicely.
Umm good to know! I will remember that.
.-= c´s last blog post… blunders and absurdities =-.
Thank you sweet Wardee!! warm loving hugs
Do I understand correctly? The grains/rice are cooked in the same water they soaked in?
.-= Marg´s last blog post… The barn roof =-.
Marg – Yes! Though you may rinse them if you like.
As far as I’ve read, you should throw away the soak water as that has the phytic acid you just leached out, as well as whey or vinegar that you may not want in your cooked grains.
Hi Susan,
You can toss the soaking liquid if you don’t care for the flavor of vinegar in your rice.
The whey or vinegar offset or neutralize the phytic acid so it isn’t a problem to cook in soaking water.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
I need some troubleshooting help! I cooked spelt berries for the first time, and since I just came across this table, it’s the only instructions I had. I soaked 1 cup berries in 1 1/2 cups water (with a little whey) overnight and cooked them today – brought to a rolling boil, added a little salt and olive oil, and left the lid on 50 minutes. Lots of water left. 10 more minutes. Still lots of water left. 20 more minutes. Drained the things and gave up. They’re pretty chewy, in my fridge waiting to be a cold grain salad (inspired by your post last week!). But I’m wondering: did I do something wrong? Should all the water be absorbed? Should spelt be chewy? I often have trouble with my soaked rice not being tender after cooking 45 minutes and absorbing all the water. I use 2 cups water to 1 cup rice, but I’ve found that when soaked, it actually needs a little more to be totally soft. Have you really cooked a cup of brown rice with only 1.5 cups water? NT’s “basic brown rice” has a 2:1 water:rice ratio too.
Katie – I will have to edit that chart. I’ve had it for so long and got it from a Molly Katzen book. I use 1:2/rice:water just like NT. As for the spelt, it has been a long time since I’ve cooked them, but I remember them being very chewy after a long cooking time. Are you certain they’re not done or are they just chewy?
You’re reminding me – I made those biscuits the other day with water, not milk. They turned out pretty good. Not as good, but still good! 🙂
Hi Wardee! Thanks for this post; I sited it in my last blog. I’m just wondering, I always soak my beans overnight before cooking but only in water. Are beans different than grains in that water is sufficient or should I be soaking them in acid as well?
Raychel –
Refer to these instructions for soaking/cooking beans:
https://traditionalcookingschool.com/2006/05/12/cooking-dry-beans/
Wardee,
Does the quinoa end up being a bit mushy when it is soaked? Mine didn’t come out nice and fluffy for tabouli- the way it is when unsoaked. Did I do something wrong? Thanks.
Regina — Hi! Mine doesn’t usually come out mushy when I soak. Here are some thoughts for you.
1) There could have been excess water.
2) Did you let it stand for a good while to give up alot of its heat before digging into it? If it is still warm when scooped out, the grains will smoosh together. For tabouli, I let it cool waaaayyyyyy down before using it. I even chill it.
Let me know if this helps! 🙂
I am new to soaking grains so let me just make sure I understand this correct. I soak the grains in the same water (post above answered that question) that I am going to be cooking it in. I soak the grains on the counter with no covering, just the amount of water + rice in a bowl. I can soak for longer then 7-8 hours correct? If I wanted to start soaking tonight but couldn’t cook the rice until I got home from work around 5 would that be to long of a period to soak? If I ran late and didn’t have time to cook the rice before work I wouldn’t want it to be ruined. I would be soaking it almost a full 16-24 hours instead of 7-8.
Mariah — a 16 to 24 hour soak is fine. You might find it helpful to rinse the grains after that long because the soaking water is probably more sour and maybe a little scummy. Some people like to rinse after only 8 hours. It is a matter of preference, really. I wouldn’t say no cover during soaking — either a lid, plate or even a towel to keep dust and bugs out. Otherwise I think you’ve got it!
This is just amazing. I wish I could do the same.
I have a question. What if I (routinely) forget to start 8 hours ahead? Is there any point in a shorter soak?
Thanks!
Susie — Certainly a shorter soak will help, but the 7 hour minimum is ideal. 🙂
I am wondering about soaking rolled oats, the list says oat groats, is that because it is just better to eat oat groats or does that include rolled oats?
thanks for all of the amazing information.
Krista — You can do rolled oats as well. 🙂 The only oat I don’t recommend is quick oats because they’re processed and not whole. The rolled oats will cook much faster than oat groats.
Anyone know where I can purchase Manitok wild rice?
Jean — I don’t. I’m sorry. 🙁
I’m confused! LOL If I am going to mill wheat berries should they be soaked (and dried) prior to milling in my NutriMill?
I was just about to ask that same question. Hopefully, someone can clarify!
Hi Zena Sue,
Grains need to be properly prepared to reduce phytic acid. Soaking, sprouting, and sourdough are methods to reduce phytic acid. So depending on how you plan to use your flour will determine which method you should use.
If you wish to have sprouted flour to use for things like cookies then sprouting, dehydrating and then milling, would be the proper process.
Hope this helps!
~Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Hello, I have a question. I like to cook some of my grains with soy or almond milk. Can I just soak the grain in that overnight and then cook it, or will it mess up the acid balance? Should I soak in water and then pour it out and then add the soy/almond milk? Thanks for your input.
Yes, you can soak them in almond milk as long as you’re adding an acid.
We do not recommend using soy milk as the soy is not fermented and not a healthy, traditional option.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi there I have just discovered about arsenic in rice does the soaking help for that and should I throw away the soaking water? So confused sorry
Janny
Hi Janny,
Soaking rice helps with digestibility and can help reduce arsenic levels.
You can drain the soaking water and replace with clean water before cooking.
No need to be sorry – we all get confused from time to time! 🙂
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Does anyone have a recipe for “Cream of Wheat” using einkorn berries?
Hi, Gretchen,
Wardee has a great recipe called Soaked Einkorn Porridge in her #AskWardee episode 100 on Home Grain Milling 101: More Things Your Grain Mill Can Do!
You will find the recipe here: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/home-grain-milling-101-more-things-your-grain-mill-can-do-aw100/
Enjoy!
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
How much water and cooking time for einkorn berries? Thank you!
Hi, Ashley,
Combine einkorn berries, water, and acid in a medium-size pot. For 3 cups einkorn use 6 cups of water and 1 tablespoon sourdough starter or raw apple cider vinegar. Give it a little stir, then cover and let soak for 7 to ? 8 hours or overnight. When the soaking time is over, add sea salt and coconut oil. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook undisturbed until all water is absorbed 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Serve or chill for other uses.
Enjoy!
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
Thank you for this information…and yes cooking time changes a lot once you’ve soaked.. I cook my millet in 10 minutes….(after boil point)
Just a quick question or two please..
I understand millet and buckwheat are not grains could you just use mineral salt for this soak??
Also do you have any information about popping (puffing) millet, buckwheat, amaranth please. I’m not quite sure if you would soak, dehydrate and then pop…however in saying that doesn’t millet and amaranth need to be cooked?
🙂
Hi Maroula,
We still advise soaking with an acid for millet and buckwheat.
We don’t have any information on popping, I’m sorry.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
ok thank you 🙂
I am confused. Can you bake with soaked grain? If so where are the instructions? I’ve got einkorn grain and am hoping to find a method of preparing it into bread, rolls, etc that will be tolerable for my daughter and I.
Hi, Susan.
It sounds like you’re referring to soaked flour rather than soaked whole grains.
Here’s a link to our archives of soaked flour recipes: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/?s=soaked+einkorn
You can also sprout your einkorn berries and then make flour: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/recipes/sprouting-grains-for-bread/
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Thanks for this! I’ve been soaking grains for a few years.
Now, asking a friend to pickup some organic brown rice for me on a recent shopping trip (during shelter in place!)—they got me “parboiled” organic brown rice (Trader Joe’s “quick cook”)…
I’ve searched high and low, and can’t find out if I should:
soak per usual
soak shorter (a couple of hours?)
rinse only
other?
can you help me figure this out at time I’m reticent to deplete ANY vitamins/minerals?
thanks!
Sharon
Hi, Sharon.
I’m happy to help. 🙂
With the bran being removed, some of the anti-nutrients are as well, so that’s a good thing. It also cooks up faster and has a lighter taste.
The downside it, it has less fiber to balance the meal. It still benefits from soaking (texture and reduction of anti-nutrients). You can soak for the same amount of time. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Does pearl barley need to be soaked? All the information I’ve found is for regular barley. Plus which barley is better for you? Thanks in advance!
Hi, Sharol,
We prefer whole grains such as regular barley, with pearled barley the outer hull has been removed. Here Wardee explains it in more detail: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/recipes/a-grain-primer/?swcfpc=1
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team