This creamy, smoky Ham and Navy Bean Soup is an easy “dump soup”: add the ingredients to the pot and let them cook until the beans are tender. Make it on the stovetop, in the oven, or in a slow cooker—whichever works for you.
Why You’ll Love This Ham and Navy Bean Soup
- It’s an easy “dump” soup. Add the beans, vegetables, herbs, and ham bone to the pot, cover with water, and let it cook.
- You can cook it your way. Make it in the oven, on the stovetop, or in a slow cooker.
- It makes good use of a leftover ham bone. Meaty smoked ham hocks work, too.
- It’s smoky, hearty, and full of ham. Like the bean soup you loved as a kid, only homemade—and with plenty of ham in every bowl.
- You can make it as thick as you like. Blend some of the beans for a creamy soup while leaving plenty whole.
My INSPIRATION
When I was a kid, I loved Campbell’s Bean with Bacon Soup. I loved its smoky flavor and creamy broth, though I sometimes found myself wondering, “Where’s the beans and bacon?”
Years later, with a leftover ham bone in the kitchen, I realized how easy it would be to make that soup myself—and make it better. Navy beans, a few vegetables, herbs, and the ham bone go into the pot and simmer until the beans are tender. Blend some of the beans to give the broth that familiar creaminess, then stir in plenty of chopped ham.
It has everything I remember loving about the canned soup, only now there are lots of beans and no need to go looking for the ham
Jump to:
Easy Ham and Navy Bean Soup
Equipment
- Blender or
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion about 1 large
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup chopped celery use some leaves as well
- 2 bay leaves torn
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large meaty ham bone
- 1 – 2 cups chopped ham meat set-aside until soup is finished
- 1 pound Navy beans or other mall white bean
- water as needed
Instructions
Prepare the beans
- Pick over and rinse the beans. If desired, soak them overnight in the refrigerator, or quick-soak them: cover with water, boil for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and let stand for 1 hour. Drain.
Fill the pot
- Put the beans in a large Dutch oven or slow cooker. Add the ham bone, onion, carrot, celery, thyme, and bay leaves. Add fresh water to cover the beans by about 1½ inches. Hold back the chopped ham until the end. Don’t add salt yet; the ham bone may provide plenty.
Choose your cooking method
- Oven: Heat to 325°F (165°C). If using a Dutch oven, bring the soup to a boil on the stove, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beans are tender, about 2 to 3 hours.Stovetop: Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cover. Cook for about 1½ hours, then uncover and simmer until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes more.Slow cooker: Cover and cook on high for about 4 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours, until the beans are tender.Check occasionally during cooking and add hot water if the beans are no longer submerged. Bean age and whether you soaked them can change the timing, so let tenderness be your guide.
Finish the Soup
- Remove the ham bone and bay leaves. When the bone is cool enough to handle, pull off any meat and chop it. Purée about half the bean mixture, then stir it back into the pot with the meat from the bone and the reserved chopped ham. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes to bring the flavors together. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Video
Ingredients and Why They Matter
Water: The ham bone and vegetables make their own flavorful broth as they cook.
Navy beans: These small, mild white beans turn tender and creamy as they cook. Blending some at the end thickens the broth while leaving plenty of whole beans in the bowl. Great Northern beans or another small white bean will also work.
Cook's Note: Stick with white beans here. Pinto, kidney, or black beans will change both the flavor and the look of the soup—and honestly, the color gets a little yucky.
Ham bone: It gives the soup its smoky, savory flavor. A meaty ham hock works if you don’t have a leftover bone.
Chopped ham: Stirring it in near the end means there’s plenty of ham in every serving.
Onion, carrot, and celery: A simple vegetable base that adds flavor and a little sweetness.
Thyme and bay leaves: They round out the broth without taking over.
Ways to Soak Navy Beans
Overnight soak: Cover the beans with several inches of cold water and refrigerate overnight. This takes the least hands-on time and helps the beans cook faster.
Quick soak: Cover the beans with water, bring to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse before cooking. It’s handy when you didn’t plan ahead.
No soak: You can skip soaking. Pick over and rinse the beans, then cook them until tender. They’ll take longer, and cooking time can vary depending on how old the beans are.
Soaking shortens the cooking time, but it’s optional. For this soup, tenderness is the best guide—whichever method you choose.
How to Blend Hot Liquids
- With a countertop blender: Let the soup cool slightly. Fill the blender no more than halfway, remove the center cap from the lid, and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel. Hold the lid in place and blend in batches, starting on low. Hot soup expands as it blends, so don’t seal the lid tightly.
- With an immersion blender: Take the pot off the heat. Keep the blender head fully submerged, then blend about half the beans right in the pot until smooth. Move it slowly to avoid splashing.
FAQs
Ham hocks vary. If yours doesn’t give you enough meat, add some finely chopped or shredded ham. I prefer smaller pieces rather than big cubes in this soup.
Yes. Leave out the ham and use vegetable broth instead of water. Add a little liquid smoke to bring in a smoky flavor; start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
Yes. Let the soup cool, then freeze it in airtight containers. Freeze individual portions for easy lunches or quick meals, or larger amounts for family dinners. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat gently, adding a little water or broth if the soup has thickened.
Joan Caruso says
Excellent soup. I use thick ham slices cut into cubes and double the recipe so that there's plenty left to freeze. It's very comforting in the winter.
Chris Geriman says
This is a great soup for the Autumn/Winter, hearty, warm, delicious! I'm going to make some of this today and eat it throughout the week. Makes great leftovers!
LindySez says
It is a great fall/winter soup for sure and freezes well. Enjoy it and thanks for the comment. Cheers