When you are craving some old-fashioned soup, navy bean with ham really delivers. It's the kind of soup my grandmother would have simmering for hours on a stove top to get it ready for dinner.
What's even better is making this soup with new-fashioned methods. Enter the Instant Pot, my very favorite appliance for getting all the flavor in a fraction of the time!
Using a pressure cooker delivers tender and delicious bean soup, without all the simmering, stirring, and sticking to the bottom of the pot!
Why I love this Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup
Navy bean soup is such a classic! It provides healthy plant-based protein to fuel your day. The ham and chicken broth helps to punch up the flavor in what would otherwise be quite bland soup.
I also love that there are some surprising vegetables in it! The onion and celery are barely noticeable after a 45-minute cycle, and by shredding the carrots before cooking you pretty much guarantee that they will dissolve into the broth.
The carrots' natural sweetness provides balance to the fire-roasted tomatoes so that no single flavor dominates.
Navy Bean Soup Instant Pot Ingredients
**Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for detailed quantities and directions**
How to Make Instant Pot Navy Bean and Ham Soup
Start with the veggies and cook them a little using the sauté function. I also add the ham in with the veggies because I feel like a brief sauté helps bring out the ham's flavor and lets it mingle with the veggies a little.
Then, turn off the Instant Pot and add the chicken broth, tomatoes, and dried navy beans. The only spices needed are dried thyme and smoked paprika. Stir to combine, then cover and lock the Instant Pot.
Set the cooking cycle to 45 minutes on high pressure. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to build pressure before the cycle begins.
Once the cycle has finished, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for at least 20 minutes before manually releasing the rest.
Give the soup a stir, and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. I typically find it salty enough from the ham, but a little pepper is a common addition.
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Expert Tips
- Place your dried navy beans in a colander and check them. Sometimes small stones, etc. will end up in the bag. Then, give the beans a quick rinse before using.
- I use dried thyme, which looks like tiny little leaves. If using ground thyme, you will need a lot less as it will be more concentrated, and the taste can overwhelm in the soup.
- Leftover ham works great for this soup. When I don't have leftovers, I purchase the pre-diced ham which is so convenient!
This Navy Bean Soup is so warming and satisfyingly healthy! I found some more meals to make with beans to keep those healthy vibes going strong!
More Deliciously Warming Soups
📖 Recipe
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Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup with Ham
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 carrots shredded
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 4-5 cloves
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 16 ounces dried navy beans rinsed
- 8 ounces cooked ham diced
- 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes diced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Turn on Instant Pot to sauté function. Add the oil, then the onion, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ham, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 3 more minutes. Add garlic and stir a few times. Turn off sauté mode.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 8 ounces cooked ham, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and beans to the pot, plus the paprika and thyme. Stir, then add the lid and lock/seal.4 cups chicken broth or stock, 16 ounces dried navy beans, 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Set the cycle to cook for 45 minutes at high pressure. Allow about 15 minutes for the pressure to build before the cycle will begin.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for at least 20 minutes before manually releasing the rest. When pressure has fully vented, open the lid and stir the soup. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.Salt and pepper
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Donna
Is this recipe made for a 3 quart instant pot? This is my first time using the instant pot
Sula
This is for a 6 quart Instant Pot. It might work in a 3 quart if you halved everything, but I've never tried it. Good luck!
Deb L
I love this recipe for bean and ham soup! My family cannot get enough of it! I' d like to comment on the way you write out your recipe with the measurements and / or quantity of things listed with directions! It's ingenious, so helpful when using a phone to follow the recipe. No more flipping back and forth! Thank you so much!
Sula
Thank you for your kind review, and also for the appreciation of the recipe structure. I also use my phone and I agree, it is such a pain to flip back and forth!
Candi
Hello! I would love to double this recipe. Do I cook it for the same amount of time with double the ingredients? I can't wait to serve this tonight!
Sula
Yes the same cooking time should work, but will double fit in your Instant Pot? Maybe if you have an 8-quart Instant Pot? - Let me know how it turns out!
Shawn
my grandkids don't care for the tomatoes so I omit that and add a little extra vegetable broth or tomato juice. BUT when the hubster asks for a batch to take to work, I make it with the tomatoes. he and his coworkers beg for a batch now every week. today, I am throwing in the bone from our Thanksgiving ham along with some rendered bacon I need to use up. I can't wait - it smells so good!
Sula
Oh yum, I'm just about to make a batch myself, Perfect comfort food for cooler days!
Audrey
Turned out great and was so easy to make in my instant pot
Sula
I LOVE my Instant Pot, especially for making soup!