Old Fashioned Navy Bean Soup With Ham
If you like your soups hearty and filling, this Old Fashioned Navy Bean Soup with Ham is going to be a WIN. It’s smoky, meaty, and full of flavor!
This Navy bean soup recipe is made for this time of year, it’s soup season. Could you eat it in the spring? Sure. Can you enjoy a bowl al fresco on the patio in the summer? Okay. But in the coldest days of winter, THIS is the soup you want in your bowl.
Made with tender navy beans, smoky ham, bacon, and a medley of aromatics like onions, carrots, and celery, this is a classic comfort food recipe that’s been keeping people warm and cozy for decades. It’s delicious and hearty, with a rich, smoky flavor. Satisfying? You betcha! How could it not be with all that ham and beans?!
Navy bean soup is also ridiculously easy to throw together, plus, it’s economical (hello, pantry staples!) and a great way to stretch out leftover ham or a whole ham bone if you have one on hand. We always make this after the holidays with our leftover holiday ham. It’s almost like a tradition following the holiday traditions. Bonus points, it’s even better the next day.
It’s freezer-friendly too, so you might just want to double the recipe and have some on hand for the next time you’re snowed in for the weekend!
Simple Ingredients for Navy Bean Soup
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Bacon – Bacon adds bacon, but it also gives you glorious bacon grease for cooking the veggies and infusing the soup with extra flavor.
- Aromatics – Carrots, celery, yellow onion, and garlic build the flavor of this soup.
- Leftover Ham – Or if you don’t have leftovers (this Crock Pot Ham with Pineapple Brown Sugar Glaze is my favorite), you can use two ham steaks.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Stock – I love the flavor and richness of homemade chicken stock but you can use your favorite store bought chicken broth. You can also use vegetable broth if you have it on hand.
- Navy Beans – Navy beans are small white beans. You can use another type of white bean, like cannellini beans or great northern beans, if you can’t find them. I used canned beans to save cooking time but you can use dry navy beans, if you prefer. Just be sure to soak the dried beans overnight before making the soup.
- Bay Leaf – To infuse the soup with flavor.
- Parsley – For a fresh finish.
How to Make Navy Bean Soup
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full printable instructions.
- Cook the bacon. Crisp the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, then transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
- Soften the veggies. Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the pot and cook them over medium heat until they’re softened. Stir in the garlic and cook until it’s fragrant.
- Simmer. Stir in the ham meat and seasonings for 2 minutes, then add the broth, rinsed beans and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let the soup cook for 15 minutes.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and serve with chopped parsley with crusty bread on the side.
Tips for Making Navy Bean Soup With Ham
These tips will help you make sure your navy bean soup turns out perfect!
- Rinse the navy beans well. Let’s face it, the liquid in canned beans is high in sodium, so drain it off and rinse the beans well. This also helps keep the sodium in check.
- Cut the vegetables into evenly-sized pieces. This ensures that they’re all softened at the same time.
- Don’t forget to reserve some of the bacon fat. It really helps make the soup delicious!
- Make it creamier and thicker. If you’d like, you can ladle some of the beans and broth into a blender, puree the mixture until smooth, and then stir it back into the soup to make it thicker.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Transfer leftover navy bean soup to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen soup before reheating, then warm it up on the stovetop or in the microwave. If needed, you can add some extra chicken broth to adjust the consistency if it’s too thick.
What to Serve With Navy Bean Soup
- The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Homemade Garlic Bread
- Winter Citrus Salad
- Easy Brioche Rolls
- No Knead Sourdough Bread
- Irish Brown Bread
- Easy Ranch Oyster Crackers
More Hearty Soup Recipes
- The Best Braised Beef Noodle Soup
- Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
- Easy Savory Lentil Soup
- Best Hamburger Soup Recipe
- Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Italian Sausage Soup
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Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy Navy Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups chopped leftover ham or two ham steaks, diced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 15.5 ounce cans Navy Beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate using a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat.
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are translucent and slightly softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute or until fragrant.
- Stir in the ham, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, beans and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Serve warm with fresh chopped parsley.