Beans are one of the easiest foods to keep on hand, dry or canned, and cooked beans keep for several days in the refrigerator. The storage times and safety checks below come from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), with dry-bean and freezing advice from the University of Maine and University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension services.
Dry beans in the pantry
The University of Maine advises keeping dry beans in a cool, dry place, away from heat and humidity. Once a bag is opened, it suggests moving the beans into a resealable plastic bag or a tightly covered non-metal container, and using them within one year. Moisture is the main thing to keep out: dry beans are shelf-stable because they are dry.
Canned beans on the shelf
FSIS groups canned beans and peas with other low-acid canned goods, a list that also includes canned soups (other than tomato), stews, corn, carrots and potatoes. Its shelf-stable storage chart gives low-acid canned goods 2 to 5 years on the shelf. High-acid canned foods such as tomatoes and fruit have a shorter shelf life in the same chart.
FSIS explains that commercial canning is done under tightly controlled conditions, but that cans still have limits: they can rust, be dented or crushed in shipping, and slowly corrode. Its storage advice is practical:
- FSIS says storage temperatures below 85°F (29.4°C) are best.
- Avoid storing cans under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or anywhere exposed to very high or very low temperatures.
- Check the pantry every few weeks and use the cans that have been there longest.
Cans to throw away
FSIS advises not buying bulging, rusted, leaking or deeply dented cans, and gives clear rules for cans already at home.
| What you see | What FSIS says |
|---|---|
| A small dent, can otherwise in good shape | The food should be safe to eat. |
| A deep dent, one you can lay a finger into, often with sharp points | Throw the can away. |
| Any deep dent on the top or side seam | Throw the can away; a damaged seam can let bacteria in. |
| Surface rust that rubs off with a finger or paper towel | Not serious; the food can be kept. |
| Heavy rust | Throw the can away; it can have tiny holes. |
| Rust inside the opened can | Do not eat the food. |
| Bulging, leaking or swollen can | Throw it away without tasting. |
Why damaged cans matter
The reason for these rules is botulism. FSIS describes it as a rare but deadly form of food poisoning, caused by a toxin made by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which grows best without oxygen. Canning forces air out of food, so canned food that has been processed incorrectly, or whose can has been damaged, can give the bacteria a place to grow. FSIS names low-acid vegetables, including peas, among the foods at risk, which is why canned beans are handled with the same care.
FSIS lists warning signs that mean a container should never be used: leaking, bulging or badly dented cans; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; a foul smell; liquid that should be clear but looks milky; and any container that spurts liquid when it is opened. Its advice is not even to taste the food, and to throw suspect cans away carefully, double-bagged in tightly closed plastic bags, in a trash container outside the home, where children and animals cannot reach them.
After the can is opened
FSIS gives opened low-acid canned goods 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. It says unused canned food can be refrigerated in the can, but that moving it into a covered glass or plastic container keeps its quality and flavor better.
When a recipe gives an amount of cooked beans rather than a number of cans, the extension services measure cans drained: about 1¾ cups of cooked beans from a can of about 15 ounces.
Cooling and refrigerating cooked beans
Cooked beans are a perishable food. FSIS's general rules for leftovers apply:
- Within 2 hours. Refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the air is above 90°F (32.2°C). The range from 40°F to 140°F (4.4°C to 60°C) is what FSIS calls the danger zone, where bacteria grow most rapidly.
- In shallow containers. FSIS advises dividing large amounts into shallow containers so they cool quickly. FSIS gives the example of a big pot of soup, which takes a long time to cool as a whole; the same applies to a big pot of beans.
- For 3 to 4 days. FSIS gives refrigerated leftovers 3 to 4 days. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Maine give cooked beans the same 3 to 4 days.
Freezing cooked beans
Cooked beans freeze well, which makes cooking a large batch worthwhile. The University of Maine suggests freezing them in freezer-grade containers in 1-cup and 2-cup portions, keeping them for up to 6 months, and thawing them in the refrigerator before use. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln advises freezing extra beans within 4 days of cooking, so they go into the freezer while they are still within their refrigerator time.
Example: one pot, a week of beans
A cook simmers a pound of dry beans on a Sunday, which by the extension figures makes about 6 cups. Two cups go into the refrigerator in a shallow covered container for meals in the next 3 to 4 days. The other 4 cups are cooled, packed in 1-cup containers and frozen the same day, then thawed in the refrigerator the night before they are needed. This example describes no real household.
Reheating
FSIS advises reheating leftovers to 165°F (73.9°C), checked with a food thermometer, and bringing sauces, soups and gravies to a rolling boil. A pot of beans in their liquid can simply be brought back to a boil and stirred so it heats evenly.
Home canning
Home-canned beans carry a higher botulism risk than commercial cans. FSIS says low-acid foods must be canned with a pressure canner, because the bacterial spores take even higher temperatures to destroy than the bacteria themselves, and it recommends following the procedures in the National Center for Home Food Preservation guide from the University of Georgia. This site does not give home canning instructions. If you want to can beans at home, follow that tested guidance exactly rather than a recipe from an untested source.
Storage times in one table
| Beans | Where | How long | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry beans | Cool, dry pantry, sealed container | Up to 1 year | University of Maine |
| Canned beans, unopened | Pantry, below 85°F (29.4°C) | 2 to 5 years | FSIS |
| Canned beans, opened | Refrigerator | 3 to 4 days | FSIS |
| Cooked beans | Refrigerator, shallow containers, within 2 hours of cooking | 3 to 4 days | FSIS, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Maine |
| Cooked beans | Freezer, 1 or 2 cup portions | Up to 6 months | University of Maine |
When in doubt about any can or container, throw it out. None of the sources here suggests tasting food to decide whether it is safe.
Next from the pantry: What is in cooked beans: nutrition facts from USDA data