How to Soak and Sprout Your Nuts and Beans
How to soak nuts, seeds, grains and beans
- PLACE in a large glass bowl or mason jar and cover with warm, filtered water (about a 2:1 ratio.)
- ADD about ½ tsp. of Celtic sea salt.
- COVER with a light cloth
- SOAK for desired time (see times below.)
- RINSE food thoroughly and drain.
FOR Nuts you can…
DEHYDRATE in a food dehydrator at no higher than 118º F for 12 to 24 hours, and store in sealed glass containers in the fridge.
Note: If nuts are not completely dry, they will develop mold.
How to sprout nuts, seeds, grains and beans
Supplies:
- 4 cups nuts, beans, or seeds
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- filtered water
- half gallon glass jar
- sprouting lid
Directions:
- Put the water and salt into a non-reactive bowl or a half-gallon glass canning jar. Stir to dissolve salt. Add nuts and stir. Cover with a cheese cloth or sprouting screen.
- Soak for different amounts of time, depending on the nut. Generally, just soak overnight, 12-24 hours.
- When the soaking time is over, drain the jar of all it’s water, either by pouring the contents through a sieve, or by using a sprouting lid. Rinse the nuts or seeds well by running filtered water over them a few times and draining.
- Place the jar, sprouting lid side down, to drain into a glass pie plate. This way the air can circulate and allow the seeds and nuts to sprout. Rinse 2-3 times per day until you see the desired amount of sprouting.
- Use as fresh sprouts as is, or now continue with dehydrating to return to a crispy state, if desired.
- Lay the nuts and seeds in a single layer on either a parchment-lined cookie sheet, or a dehydrator tray. If using a dehydrator, set to 120 degrees and dehydrate until crispy (usually overnight or 24 hours). If using an oven, heat to the lowest possible setting (usually 170 on most ovens; but go down to 150 degrees or lower if you can), and dehydrate until crispy (usually overnight or so.)
If you are a beginner, start with Almonds, they are the easiest to sprout and dehydrate.
Food Soaking FOOD SOAKING TIME (hours) SPROUTING TIME (days)
- Almonds: soaking 8-12 hours, sprouting 3 days if truly raw (they won’t sprout if pasteurized)
- Adzuki Beans: soaking 8-12 hours, sprouting 4 days
- Amaranth: soaking 8 hours, sprouting 1-3 days
- Barley: soaking 6 hours, sprouting 2 days
- Black Beans: soaking 8-12 hours, sprouting 3 days
- Brazil Nuts: soaking 3 hours, no sprouting
- Buckwheat: soaking 6 hours, sprouting 2-3 days
- Cashews: soaking 2-4 hours, no sprouting
- Chickpeas/Garbanzo: soaking 8 hours, sprouting 2-3
- Flaxseeds: soaking ½ hour, no sprouting
- Hazelnuts: soaking 8-12 hours, no sprouting
- Lentils: soaking 7 hours, sprouting 2-3 days
- Macadamias: soaking 2 hours, no sprouting
- Millet: soaking 5 hours, sprouting 12 hours
- Mung Beans: soaking 8-12 hours, sprouting 4 days
- Oats: soaking 6 hours, sprouting 2-3 days
- Pecans: soaking 6 hours, no sprouting
- Pistachios: soaking 8 hours, no sprouting
- Pumpkin Seeds: soaking 8 hours, sprouting 3 days
- Radish Seeds: soaking 8-12 hours, sprouting 3-4 days
- Sesame Seeds: soaking 8 hours, sprouting 2-3 days
- Sunflower Seeds: soaking 8 hours, sprouting 12-24 hours
- Quinoa: soaking 4 hours, sprouting 2-3 days
- Walnuts: soaking 4 hours, no sprouting
- Wheat Berries: soaking 7 hours, sprouting 3-4 days
- Wild Rice: soaking 9 hours, sprouting 3-5 days
PLEASE NOTE: Sprouts can be subject to contamination which can result in bacterial growth such as E. coli, leading to food-borne illnesses. Always purchase organic fresh products from a reputable source, wash your hands thoroughly before handling foods, and keep sprouting equipment and all kitchen surfaces clean to avoid cross contamination. Always consume sprouts within a few days, fresh and straight out of the fridge. Some health organizations also recommend consuming them cooked to reduce the risk of infection. I certainly consume raw homemade sprouts, and have never had an issue. Decide what is a responsible choice for you and your family.
