Hearty Navy Bean Soup Recipe

A big soup pot filled with ham and bean soup, with a ladle scooping up a serving.

Hearty Navy Bean Soup Recipe

Navy Bean Soup with Ham is a slow-cooked delicious meal. With rich flavors, it's an easy-to-make, affordable meal that tastes even better on day two! Your entire family will love this old fashioned navy bean soup recipe.

Course Soups and Stews

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 45

Servings servings

Calories 271kcal

Author Deb Clark

Equipment

Stock Pot

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)

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!

Video

Notes

If you're buying beans in bulk you'll need about 2 ½ cups of dried beans.

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

If the beans are presoaked, reduce cooking time to 10 minutes

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.

For additional flavor use chicken stock in place of water.

Adding a squeeze of lemon and minced parsley at the end of the cooking process will brighten the flavor of the soup!

If you prefer a creamier soup, remove a few cups of beans and process until smooth in a food processor or blender and add back to the stockpot.

Also, anytime you’re cooking beans, salt when the beans are tender. If you add salt in the beginning the beans will be tough.

Storage

Refrigerate/Free - Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition