Convert dried beans to cooked beans, or work backwards to find out how much dried beans you need for a recipe. Enter your amount and choose US cups, grams or deciliters. The converter gives an approximate result for cooked, drained beans.
Dried to Cooked Beans Converter
Convert between dried beans and cooked, drained beans.
All results are approximate. Cooked beans means cooked and drained, without the cooking liquid.
How this conversion works
For weight, we estimate that 1 g of dried beans makes 2.5 g of cooked, drained beans. For volume, we estimate that 1 cup of dried beans makes 3 cups cooked; the same 1:3 ratio applies to deciliters. Reverse conversions divide by the corresponding factor.
Yield varies with the bean variety, soaking and cooking time. This is a general guide for common dried beans, rather than lentils or split peas. One US cup is approximately 237 ml. The result stays in your selected unit; this tool does not convert between weight and volume.
How the Dried Beans to Cooked Beans Converter Works
Beans absorb water during soaking and cooking, increasing both their weight and volume. This converter uses two general estimates: dried beans yield approximately 2.5 times their weight or 3 times their volume once cooked and drained.
Enter an amount, select your unit and choose the direction of conversion. The result updates automatically. To convert cooked beans back to dried beans, the tool divides by the corresponding factor.
For example, 200 grams of dried beans yields approximately 500 grams cooked. One US cup of dried beans yields approximately three US cups cooked.
When to Use This Converter
The converter is useful when a recipe calls for cooked beans but you have a bag of dried beans in your cupboard. It helps you estimate how much to prepare before you start soaking or cooking.
You can also use it for meal planning, preparing larger batches or dividing cooked beans into portions for freezing. If you regularly cook beans from scratch, estimating the finished amount makes it easier to prepare enough without filling your fridge with leftovers.
It can also help when replacing canned beans with home-cooked beans. Use the can’s drained weight, rather than its total contents, as your starting point.
Common Dried to Cooked Bean Conversions
These estimates refer to cooked beans after draining.
| Unit | Dried beans | Approximate cooked beans |
|---|---|---|
| US cups | ¼ cup | ¾ cup |
| US cups | ½ cup | 1½ cups |
| US cups | 1 cup | 3 cups |
| US cups | 2 cups | 6 cups |
| Grams | 100 g | 250 g |
| Grams | 200 g | 500 g |
| Grams | 250 g | 625 g |
| Grams | 400 g | 1,000 g |
| Deciliters | ½ dl | 1½ dl |
| Deciliters | 1 dl | 3 dl |
| Deciliters | 2 dl | 6 dl |
| Deciliters | 5 dl | 15 dl |
Why Weight and Volume Use Different Factors
Weight and volume measure different things. Grams measure mass, while cups and deciliters measure the space beans occupy, including the gaps between them.
As beans absorb water, their size, shape and arrangement change. Their weight and measured volume therefore do not necessarily increase by the same proportion.
Use the same unit for the starting amount and result. This tool does not convert directly between grams and cups, because that requires an additional estimate of the beans’ density.
What to Keep in Mind
The result is a starting estimate rather than an exact cooking yield. Bean variety, age, soaking method and cooking time can all affect the final amount. How thoroughly you drain the beans also changes their measured weight.
Measure dried beans before soaking, and measure cooked beans after draining away the cooking liquid. For volume measurements, fill your measuring cup consistently without pressing the beans down.
The cups option uses US cups, approximately 237 ml each. A deciliter equals 100 ml.
For recipes where the quantity matters, cook a little extra and measure the finished beans before adding them. Follow cooking instructions suitable for your bean variety; the converter estimates quantity, not cooking time.