Navy Bean Soup

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5 from 8 votes

Homemade navy bean soup is filled with bite-sized ham and veggies for a flavor-packed soup to enjoy year-round!

Prep Time4

Cook Time1 20

Total Time5 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package dried navy beans, cleaned and sorted
water to cover
6 cups chicken stock
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ pound bacon, chopped
½ pound ham, chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 bay leaf
2-3 cups water
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Place beans in a large bowl and cover with water 3-4 inches above the beans. Soak for at least 4-6 hours.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the drained beans and chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
While beans are simmering, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic, carrots, and celery and saute for 10 minutes. Add the veggies to the pot.
In the same skillet over medium-high heat, saute the bacon for 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Drain the grease and add it to the pot.
Add the remaining ingredients: chopped ham, diced tomatoes, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, dried parsley, garlic powder, water, garlic salt, black pepper, and bay leaf.
Continue to simmer the soup over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the beans are tender and the soup has thickened. This should take about 45-60 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Allow the beans to soak for at least 4-6 hours, but 8-10 hours is best. Do not exceed 12 hours.
Hard water can inhibit the beans from absorbing the water, so use filtered or distilled water to soak them in.
You can use 4 (15-ounce) cans of navy beans in place of the 16 ounces of dried navy beans in this recipe. Drain the canned beans and rinse them before adding them to the soup.
Cut bite-sized veggies that are similar in size. This will make it easier to eat as well as ensure that the pieces are all evenly cooked.

Crock pot directions. Soak the beans overnight, drain them, and add them to the slow cooker along with the broth. Sauté the vegetable aromatics and cook the bacon. Add them along with the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on LOW heat for 7-8 hrs or on HIGH heat for 3-4 hrs.

Store. Let the soup cool before pouring it into an airtight container(s). It can last for 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Reheat. Let the soup thaw if needed and reheat it on the stovetop or crock pot. Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave.

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