{"id":15191,"date":"2026-01-30T23:24:04","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T23:24:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/how-to-cook-pulses-and-grains\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T06:43:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T06:43:58","slug":"how-to-cook-pulses-and-grains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/how-to-cook-pulses-and-grains\/","title":{"rendered":"How to COOK PULSES and GRAINS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Pulses<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0grains<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0are among the healthiest and most nutritious foods in nature and can be the base for extremely original and tasty recipes: in the summer, they are great in fresh salads together with colourful seasonal vegetables, and in long winters they become the main ingredient in heart-warming soups.<\/p>\n

In order to preserve the nutritional properties that make them a\u00a0superfood\u00a0<\/em>that is so good for our health, they\u00a0need to be cooked in the right way<\/strong>. Cooking them correctly not only makes them\u00a0easier to digest<\/strong>\u00a0but also lessens the likelihood of intolerances favouring more frequent consumption.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at\u00a0how to cook pulses and grains<\/strong>\u00a0by getting to know some practical tips and see the different ways to cook them.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How to cook pulses<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Besides being very easy to cook,\u00a0pulses\u00a0<\/strong>are also healthy, natural and nourishing.1<\/sup><\/p>\n

Before cooking:<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Visual inspection<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The first thing you should do is take some time to look at them and make sure that there are no process residues (stalks or pod pieces);<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Washing<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 They need to be washed in order to remove dust, microorganisms and impurities.\u00a0Rinse them\u00a0<\/strong>under running water, preferably at room temperature, in a glass container and until the water runs clear.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Bear in mind that if you buy a traditional packaged product, you only need to rinse them (in this case they have already been visually checked and washed).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Soak<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Dried legumes<\/strong>\u00a0need to be soaked for 10\/12 hours in water that is at room temperature making sure that they are covered by at least 3 centimetres of water. This will rehydrate them, thus reducing the cooking time.\u00a0Lentils<\/strong>, instead, do not need to be soaked and can be cooked immediately.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Cooking pulses<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Dried pulses<\/strong>\u00a0need to be cooked at a temperature that is not too high and for a period of time that is not too long in order to avoid the creation of protein structures that are not easily digestible.<\/p>\n

When cooking<\/strong>\u00a0pulses, it is best to use a saucepan or a deep\u00a0terracotta pot\u00a0<\/strong>with a thick bottom, the water needs to be twice the volume of the pulses to\u00a0avoid a thermal shock<\/strong>\u00a0that could harden them if the right temperature is not reached gradually. Make sure to keep the lid on, stirring from time to time and adding\u00a0salt only at the end of the cooking time<\/strong>, so that the skin does not harden.\u00a0Gently boil pulses at about 80\u00b0<\/strong>\u00a0so that they are almost stewed: this allows for the liquids to continuously evaporate while concentrating the\u00a0mineral salts\u00a0<\/strong>in the pulse.<\/p>\n

Aside from the absorption process, an\u00a0easier way to cook<\/strong>\u00a0pulses is to put them in a stainless-steel pot in which the water is already boiling. As soon as the water starts to boil, lower the temperature to a minimum, cover the pot and wait for them finish cooking: then drain the water, just as you would do with rice and pasta.<\/p>\n

If you want to cook them in half the time, use a\u00a0pressure cooker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How to cook grains<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Wheat, corn, spelt, millet, oats (and many others) are rich in complex carbohydrates which should be at the centre of a healthy diet, so they need to be cooked in the right way.2<\/sup>\u00a0Proper cooking not only permits the\u00a0preservation of all their main nutritional properties\u00a0<\/strong>but also facilitates their\u00a0complete assimilation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Before proceeding, remember that\u00a0the best way to cook grains\u00a0<\/strong>is\u00a0\u201cby absorption\u201d<\/strong>, using a specific quantity of water in order to maintain all the precious nutrients that otherwise would be left behind in the cooking water. An easier and\u00a0more classic way\u00a0<\/strong>of cooking grains is to boil and then drain them.<\/p>\n

Here are the\u00a0preliminary steps\u00a0<\/strong>to follow:<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Washing<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Before cooking,\u00a0grains must be washed well<\/strong>\u00a0as they can be dusty and sometimes contain tiny stones. The best way is to wash them in a glass bowl filled with water instead of a strainer, leaving the water run until it is clear (keep in mind that if you buy a packaged product which has already gone through the washing process you can simply rinse them).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The right pot <\/strong>\u2013 when it is time to cook them, the right pot is fundamental; it should have a thick bottom suitable for long cooking times.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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When it comes to\u00a0cooking grains using the absorption method<\/strong>, you need to use a\u00a0deep pot\u00a0<\/strong>suitable for long cooking times. Start by adding the grains to cold water (the grains\/water ratio varies between 1:2 and 1:3 depending on the grain); add coarse salt once the water starts boiling and\u00a0cook over a low flame\u00a0<\/strong>with the lid left slightly ajar. Now just stir, set the timer and that is it: they are ready to be eaten immediately or stored in the fridge once cool and after having separated the grains with a bit of oil.<\/p>\n

As with pulses, you can cook grains in a\u00a0more traditional way<\/strong>\u00a0similar to how you would cook pasta: bring the water to a boil and then set on low heat, cook the grains for the time needed and add salt just before draining.<\/p>\n

These are all steps that take time, a commodity that not everyone has. This is why we at\u00a0Pedon\u00a0<\/strong>have created a range of\u00a0pulses and grains<\/strong>\u00a0that require little preparation time.\u00a0Steamed\u00a0<\/strong>and prepared with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to bring out their already delicious flavour, the pulse and grain products of the\u00a0I Pronti<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0range maintain all their organoleptic and nutritional properties. They are\u00a0ready to eat\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0easy to use<\/strong>; moreover, thanks to the resealable pouch, they are microwavable and extremely convenient to transport and store. Besides\u00a0Pulses\u00a0<\/strong>(such as\u00a0Lentils<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Mixed Pulses<\/em>) and\u00a0Grains\u00a0<\/strong>(such as\u00a0Spelt<\/em>,\u00a0Bulgur<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Quinoa<\/em>), the range has original\u00a0Pulse and Grain Mixes<\/strong>\u00a0(among which you will find\u00a0Lentils and Ancient grains<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Sorghum and Chickpeas with Pumpkin Seeds<\/em>) and the highly beneficial\u00a0Mixes with Vegetables\u00a0<\/strong>(Quinoa and Peas with Corn and Carrots<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Spelt and Beans with Peas and Carrots<\/em>).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Bibliography<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  1. \u201cCome cuocere i legumi e le tecniche per renderli pi\u00f9 digeribili\u201d, Macrolibrarsi Alternativa Naturale \u2013 Rachele Giorgetti esperta di cucina naturale, macrobiotica e di alimentazione ed integrazione in campo sportivo,\u00a0Source<\/em>\u00a0macrolibrarsi.it<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. \u201cCome cuocere i cereali e i tempi di cottura\u201d- Macrolibrarsi Alternativa Naturale, Rachele Giorgetti esperta di cucina naturale, macrobiotica e di alimentazione ed integrazione in campo sportivo.\u00a0Source\u00a0<\/em>macrolibrarsi.it<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Pulses\u00a0and\u00a0grains\u00a0are among the healthiest and most nutritious foods in nature and can be the base for extremely original and tasty recipes: in the summer, they are great in fresh salads together with colourful seasonal vegetables, and in long winters they become the main ingredient in heart-warming soups. In order to preserve the nutritional properties that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[108],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-we-surprise-you"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15191"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15228,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15191\/revisions\/15228"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}