You're going to love this from scratch Navy Bean Soup Recipe! With classic flavors it's an affordable soup that tastes even better on day two! Big meaty flavor from the ham and creaminess with perfectly cooked beans. This is an easy meal the whole family will enjoy!
This recipe is easy to make on the Stove Top, Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker!
Next time try Tailgate Chili Recipe.
Love a great bowl of soup? Click here for the best soup recipes ever on the blog - these are my favorites!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Ham and Bean Soup is a staple in our home. When it's bubbling away on the stove, the beans slowly soften and become soft and creamy, the ham is fall-off-the-bone tender. It's hearty and so flavorful and costs less than $1.00 per serving, talk about value!
Bean soup has been a go-to meal of mine for years. When I was single and dollars were tight I would purchase a ham and eat it for days.
Packed with protein and vegetables that delicious ham and bean soup was the best meal I could afford and is still one of my favorites. The big bonus the next day, it tastes even better!
When the ham was gone I'd take the bone and make soup and eat that for days. (For more recipes using ham click here!)
🗒️ Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Navy beans, cannellini beans or great northern beans - they are small white beans sold in one pound bags in the dried bean section. You'll need one pound of beans.
- onion, carrots, celery - an aromatic flavor base for this stew.
- leftover ham bone, chopped ham (optional) - the bone adds loads of flavor, if you have extra meat great, if not - no worries! You should still make this soup. You can substitute with smoked turkey legs or wings as well.
- water - if you have low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, that will add even more flavor!
- bay leaves, pepper, red pepper flakes - all seasoning you have in your spice cabinet.
- olive oil - to sauté the vegetables
- salt - if needed at the end of cooking
- lemon and parsley (optional) - the addition of lemon and parsley brightens the flavor of the soup. I highly recommend it!
⏲️ Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
Soaking Beans
Follow the instructions below to sort and rinse the beans. Soaking is not absolutely necessary, but it will reduce the cooking time.
Be sure to discard the soaking liquid and rinse beans prior to boiling the beans.
Stove top method
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat add the olive oil.
- Add the vegetables, season with the black pepper and red pepper flakes & sauté until tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Next add the bay leaf, ham bone and beans to the pot. Add enough water to cover the beans and simmer covered for 1 ½ hours, until the beans are tender.
- When the beans are tender, taste for seasoning. Now's the time to add salt!
If the beans are presoaked cooking will take about an hour.
Instant pot navy bean soup
- Turn the pressure cooker to sauté.
- When hot add the olive oil and sauté the vegetables. Season with black pepper and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Next add the remaining ingredients and 7-8 cups of water. Do not overfill the pressure cooker.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual and high pressure. Set the timer to be 45 minutes. Add the lid and seal.
- Natural release at the end
If the beans are presoaked, reduce cooking time to 10 minutes
Slow cooker directions
Slow Cooker Navy Bean Soup is so simple. It makes the texture of the beans super tender and when I have a busy day, this is the method I use.
- Omit the olive oil.
- Add all of the ingredients to the crockpot. Cook for 8-10 hours on low until the beans are tender.
- Check for seasoning - add salt as needed.
If the beans are presoaked, reduce cooking time to 5-6 hours.
Video
Click on the image to watch this fun video and see me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
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Equipment
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You'll need a large soup pot and there are a ton of great choices available. You'll want one that is at least 6 quarts, up to 10 quarts.
There are so many choices for soup ladles as well. Some of them are so pretty! What I look for in a ladle is one that's heat resistant, because after it sits in the soup on the stove, it can get hot in a hurry!
🙋♀️ FAQ's
I like to think of this as everything you want to know about the bean recipe but were afraid to ask! Seriously though I have a post dedicated to making the BEST Homemade Soup.
Have you made bean soup from scratch? This Navy Bean Soup Recipe is easy to make and it's a great way to stretch a buck. Here's the low-down on beans!
Sort beans - Start by picking through the dry navy beans and sorting them. It's not unusual to find small stones and/or dirt clods mixed in.
Rinsing the beans thoroughly in cold water will ensure the dust and debris is rinsed away.
There are several varieties of white beans and they are very common. Navy beans are a small white bean and have an oval, slightly flattened shape.
Soaking them overnight will shorten the cooking time. Rinse them well first, then add the beans to a large bowl covered with water. Refrigerate them overnight or they could ferment.
No, drain beans and discard the soaking liquid. The water can be dirty and contain anti-nutrients. Rinse the beans until the water runs clear.
This method shortens the cooking time. Pick thru the beans and rinse them well, add the beans to a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a hard boil for one minute. Remove from heat, leave covered for one hour. Drain and rinse the beans well.
Check in the meat department, though often times I'll find the smoked meat in the freezer section. If you can't find this ingredient, just ask the butcher and they'll point you in the right direction!
👍 Tips
No leftover holiday ham? No problem! Use a ham shank, ham steak, thick cut bacon, a chunk of ham meat or a smoked ham hock - all work for this Navy Bean and Ham Recipe.
Want to take your homemade soup to the next level? Add a squeeze of lemon and minced parsley at the end of the cooking process. It brightens and freshens the flavor of the soup!
Also, anytime you're cooking beans, salt when the beans are done cooking. If you add salt in the beginning the beans will be tough.
Wait until the end of the cooking time to taste and adjust flavors. Often times between the ham hock and the ham, there’s plenty of salt – when this slowly cooks, the salt distributes into the broth. It just might be salty enough!
Whatever you do, don't skip the bay leaf! The bay leaf adds a subtle layer of flavor and brings the soup together.
What are the best soups on the blog? Click here to find out! Best Soup Recipes Ever!
You'll definitely want to give this simple recipe a try!
📓 Variations
There are several variations of bean soup recipes
- 15 Bean Soup with Ham - grab a bag of assorted beans at the grocery store and a ham hock and make this soup! It's a mixture of lentils, pinto, black, kidney beans and more. Another hearty delicious meal!
- Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup - super creamy and easy this one uses canned beans and is ready in a snap!
- White Bean and Turkey Chili Recipe - I make this ALL the time! It's a great pantry meal.
- Navy Bean Vegetable Soup - all the goodness of Navy Bean Soup but stuffed with your favorite vegetables!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container. This soup will last in the refrigerator 3-5 days.
It freezes GREAT! And will last frozen, up to 3 months.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Related recipes
If you love a great bowl of navy bean soup, here are more soups from the blog. In fact I have a full category devoted to just to soup! You can check out the Soup Category here!
Still hungry? Here are more hearty soup recipes!
- Lamb Stew Recipe - tender meat and vegetables, this soup is savory and delicious!
- Homemade French Onion Soup - comforting on a chilly and topped with a thick slice of toasted bread, loaded with melty Gruyere.
- Moroccan Chicken Stew - Tender chicken flavored with fragrant spices cooked with vegetables and dried fruit.
- Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe - just like your favorite pan of lasagna, this soup is cheesy and hearty!
- Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup - quick and easy to make in your pressure cooker, this is a family favorite!
Serving suggestions
My favorite side with this bean soup is this recipe Skillet Corn Bread. It is the best combination. Serve a fresh garden salad as well, wow - what a feast!
Fresh baked bread is another great combination. These easy dinner rolls are so simple! Made with frozen bread dough, but you still get that yummy aroma of baking. You can't beat that!
I love making this Cuban Sliders recipe to serve as well. It's great if you're looking for a heartier meal or perfect for feeding a crowd!
This is the BEST Navy Bean Soup Recipe, I hope you give it a try soon!
Best Navy Bean Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound package dried navy beans or great northern beans
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ham bone
- 2 cups chopped ham optional
- 8 cups water
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste salt if needed at the end of cooking when the beans are completely tender.
- juice of ½ lemon and 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley (optional)
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Instructions
- Pick thru the beans, checking for small rocks, blemished beans, etc and remove.
- Prepare the beans by following product directions by either soaking the beans overnight, or using the quick soak directions. Set aside.
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot, season with the black pepper & red pepper flakes & sauté until tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the bay leaf, ham bone, diced ham (if using) and beans to the pot & add enough water to cover the beans and simmer covered for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed and cook until the beans are tender.
- When the beans are tender, taste for seasoning. You may need to add a teaspoon or two of salt.
- You can also remove the hambone and pick the meat off it and add the meat back to the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- When you turn off the heat add in the lemon juice and fresh parsley, mix well and serve!
Notes
Instant pot directions
- Turn the pressure cooker to sauté.
- When hot add the olive oil and sauté the vegetables. Season with black pepper and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Next add the remaining ingredients and 7-8 cups of water. Do not overfill the pressure cooker.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual and the timer to be 45 minutes. Add the lid and seal.
- Natural release at the end
Crock pot instructions
- Omit the olive oil.
- Add all of the ingredients to the crockpot. Cook for 8-10 hours on low until the beans are tender.
- Check for seasoning – add salt as needed.
Nutrition
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Don't worry, we'll never share your email.First published May 17, 2016 - Last updated October 12, 2021
Aliza H
Wonderful! Love the stove + slow + IP instructions. We don't do pork, but I had corned beef "broth" I didn't want to waste. Great with that! Added garlic & liquid smoke since no ham. (If that hadn't worked, I'd blame myself not the recipe; but DELICIOUS so hope this helps if anyone else has corned beef broth to use up 🙂
Bowl Me Over
Oh that is so smart Aliza! I love repurposing leftovers. Thanks for the tip!!!
Del
Did you add 8 cups of liquid in your video? The chicken broth boxes i thought where 4 cups and then it looked like you added about two more cups. Just wanting to know exactly how much broth and how much water to use. I like using chicken broth as it adds flavor but wondering if adding the water helps in some way?
Bowl Me Over
Adding water just makes it less expensive. If I have enough chicken stock, I will certainly use that. Initially I will add six cups of liquid. Then as it cooks (and cooks off) I will add more liquid. Totally about 8 cups. Enjoy the soup Del.
Sarah A Martin
I made this soup awhile ago and it was delicious. I ended up freezing the leftovers. We ate them 2 months later and this soup was still really good. I would definitely recommend this recipe.
Debbie Lockwood
Looking forward to trying this soup. When cooked in a slow-cooker for 8-9 hours, is that on low or high?
Bowl Me Over
It will take 8-10 hours on low. I usually put it in first thing in the morning at 7 and it's ready by 5pm. Best to give it a little extra time, than not enough. Enjoy the soup, it's one of our family's favorite recipes!
Vickie
Recipe looks great...question, says if presoaked reduce cooking time by 10 minutes. Does that mean I do not have to presoak? I know my pot will cook the beans without presoaking, etc. I have done it with other recipes. If I don't have to presoak I do not want to.
Bowl Me Over
you don't have to presoak at all Vickie - enjoy the recipe!
Janet
Best Navy Soup I've ever eaten, husband loved it. Thank you!
Bowl Me Over
Yay!! It's my favorite too - always a great meal. Thanks Janet - have a great day!!
MICHAELA KENKEL
My hubby said my bean soup recipe is out the door after making this one of yours!! It was really good!
Sandra Shaffer
This is one hearty soup! Send leftovers to my folks and they loved it too. Thanks for a great recipe!
Nikki
Perfect recipe and perfect comfort food!
Julie Menghini
This is our favorite ham and bean recipe. I got a super big ham for Easter just so we can make this soup with the leftovers!
Sandra Shaffer
Bean soup can really stretch to multiple meals, plus they’re so filling! Love this recipe and the cooking method options you share. I’m on an IP kick lately! Thank you.
Michelle Turner
Looks delish. I love soup in the summer too. Great combo.
Bowl Me Over
Soup is such a comforting meal, I agree!
Audrey Busike
Mmmmmmmm... A classic favorite!
Bowl Me Over
Ham and Bean soup is the classic soup, one of my fav's! Thanks for stopping by Audrey!
Lois
This is so good.
Bowl Me Over
Love a great soup and Bean Soup is just so easy, affordable and delicious! Thanks Mom!!