*I like to soak my beans overnight, covered amply in cold water since they expand to more than double the size. The next morning, rinse the beans with cold water, add them back to your pot, cover them with water, add salt, ,and cook them till tender, for about an hour or so. 2½ cups dry beans will give you 5½ to 6 cups cooked beans, which will be a good amount for this recipe, since soups aren't really particular. I usually soak more than I need. That way I can freeze them in zip-lock bags to use later.