One of the best (and easiest) soups you'll ever make, this Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup is sure to warm your soul on cold winter nights.
I fell in love with Navy Bean Soup back when my mom and dad owned their bar and restaurant (Smokies) and my dad made it as a lunch special often. I had never had it before, but I remember my husband, Scott, telling me that my dad's Navy Bean Soup was incredible and I had to try it. So when I finally did, that was all she wrote! I had to find out how to make it, and luckily I knew the owner so I could get the recipe easily. Of course, when you ask older people for a recipe they made up, they rarely have it written down. It's "a little of this, a little of that" and that's basically how I eventually made it myself.
I knew, though, if I wanted to share it with y'all, I'd need more precise measurements, so I got to work on figuring those out. And I also really wanted to make it in the Instant Pot since making bean soups from dried beans takes quite a long time. The magic of the Instant Pot allows for this whole pot of soup to be done, dried beans and all, in just 90 minutes!
You Only Need 2 Ingredients and Some Spices
Dried Navy Beans
A bag of dried beans is a pantry staple at my house. They're SOOOOO cheap, they last forever, they take up little space, and there are so many uses for them. It used to be, before the invention of the Instant Pot, we had to soak dry beans overnight or do a quick soak. And quite often, no one has time to think ahead like that. But thanks to the Instant Pot, we can cook beans in under 2 hours with no pre-soaking.
Ham
Ham comes in many forms and you may actually use two or three different types in this one soup. If I add a ham hock in my soup, I'll always add more ham, maybe in the form of diced. There's not enough meat on a ham hock to offer enough for the whole pot of soup. On the other hand, a ham shank has plenty of meat on it that will fall off the bone. It can be shredded and added back to the pot. In this case, I won't add anymore diced ham because there's plenty from the ham shank. Don't skip some form of ham on a bone, though. It really makes all the difference in the world in getting that amazing flavor into the soup. You can even add them in frozen and they'll be good to go!
The Spices
When we used to get a bag of dried navy beans, there would be a small packet of "ham seasoning" that came with it. This was perfect as the base flavor and then we'd add more spices to it. But I haven't been able to find the bag with the seasoning in it for years, so I asked my dad what spices he puts in his. Here are what he adds:
- Montreal steak seasoning -- sounds unusual, but my dad uses this in almost everything he cooks and it really makes a difference.
- Cayenne pepper -- all it takes is ¼ to ½ teaspoon and it's plenty spicy.
- Garlic powder
- Crushed red pepper -- my dad likes his soup extra spicy. Sometimes it's too spicy for me, so adding just a shake is perfect for me.
- Salt & pepper -- I wait to add salt & pepper until after the Instant Pot time and I can taste it. Sometimes the ham is plenty salty enough.
So Easy, You Won't Believe It!
This soup is literally one of the easiest soups you'll ever make. But don't let the easiness fool you because it's also darn tasty, too!
- Rinse beans, picking out any rocks.
- Pour beans into Instant Pot and add water to cover (usually about 8 cups, but this amount can be a little more or less for personal preference).
- Add ham hock, ham shank, and/or chopped ham to taste.
- Sprinkle in all spices and put lid on.
- Seal lid for pressure cooking and set to pressure cook on high for 90 minutes (1 ½ hours).
- Allow to naturally release.
- Remove the ham hocks/shanks and shred any meat. Add it back to the soup and stir.
more gluten free soups
Give this Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup a try. Once you taste it, you'll wish you would have known about it sooner!
Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 16-24 ounces dried navy beans I like more beans, so I add the larger amount. For more liquid to bean ratio, add the smaller amount.
- 1 ham hock and/or ham shank
- 1 cup (240 g) sliced and diced ham, if desired Ham hocks don't have much meat on them, so you'll need to add more ham if you only use a ham hock. If you use a ham shank, you most likely won't need to add more ham.
- 1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
- ¼-½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8-10 cups (1.9-2.4 l) water
Instructions
- Rinse beans and pick through for any rocks or other debris.
- Pour beans into inner pot of Instant Pot. Add the rest of the ingredients, making sure the water doesn't come above the fill line for pressure cooking.
- Close lid and seal shut. Set to pressure cook on high for 90 minutes (1½ hours). Allow to naturally release pressure.
- Remove the ham hocks/shanks and shred the meat from the bones. Discard any bones. Add the meat back to the soup and stir. Serve.
CEJ says
Made this recipe and loved the twist of using the Montreal steak seasoning. It eliminated the need for a bunch of other seasonings. This recipe was great!
Kim says
Thanks so much! My dad was the one who developed this recipe. He was such a great savory cook 🥰
Charles Funn says
I always dice carrots, celery, onions and garlic to mine. Boosts the flavor up to another level
Patty says
I do the same thing! That is how I remember this soup when my mom made it so that is how I do it too!
Dottie says
Hi Kim
I am making your recipe rght now for blackeyes bean soup, I am assuming they cook the same as navy beans (my father called navy beans Army beans since he was in the Army in WII). Anyway I chose your directions etc. because they sounded like therecipe I made on the stove but I was unsure of the instant pot timing etc. I get really nervous with the buttons and timing of the instant pot. Fifty years of cooking on gas under my belt and now we have the instant pot and the microwave and the instant fryer!!!! I'm still trying to learn this computer and my cell phone.
Just the other day we got You Tube on the tv and I get sooo frustrated trying to remember all the channels etc and then I don't remember how I got there etc. It's so much fun going crazy.
Anyway, thanks for the directions.
PS Please don't email me 'cause I'm not sure how to find it let alone open it. thanks
Kim says
Oh my gosh, Dottie! If you ever manage to get back on here and see this, just know I feel your pain! I'm no spring chicken and learning all this stuff can be so daunting. Luckily, I have my own live-in computer whiz (my son) who is often called downstairs to help my husband and I with a TV or computer issue, haha!!!
Joni says
My family loves your recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it. I have even freeze dried and it is amazing to bring camping with us. So easy and a great comfort food to have on a cold wet day!
Kim says
Awe, thank you so much! So glad y'all like it 🥰
Karen Smith says
Are you sure you are supposed to pressure cook these beans for 90 minutes? Other recipes say to cook unsoaked beans about 34 minutes. Soaked beans about 10 minutes. I saw one recipe for stove top cooking for 90 minutes. I think if you pressure cook this 90 minutes you will have mush at the end. Not trying to be a Karen....I am going to try making a bean soup but I am going to try the 34 minutes. I can let you know if the beans are done.
Steve says
How did they turn out?
I was thinking the same thing that 90 minutes was a long time
Deb T says
90 minutes in instapot with quick release is perfect . . . not mushy!
BobM says
Good recipe, but 90 minutes is WAY too long for navy beans. With fresh beans, 31 or 32 minutes is plenty, unless you want complete mush..:
Kim says
Okay, if you'd like to only cook them for 30, do what you'd like. We like the texture of this soup because the beans are actually quite soft and they turn it into a thick, creamy soup. My mom and dad used to serve this recipe at their restaurant and it was a favorite of their customers. Curious question though, if you already know how to cook them, then why are you even looking at my recipe?
Diana says
Am actually trying to respond to the host who said why are you even looking at my recipes now that is rude. I will no longer be looking at their recipes
Kim says
That is certainly your choice. However, what I feel is rude is that 3 people were reading my recipe, which is actually a family recipe from years ago, and stating that it was wrong. So my question to them was if they already knew how to cook it, why were they reading my recipe and not just cooking it like they thought it should be cooked? Or cooking it in accordance with the other recipes they looked up? I'm sorry if you feel my response was rude. I do not. I wish you well in life.
Rachael says
I'm excited to try this recipe. I have a 6-qt instant pot. Is that an ok size for this recipe?
Kim says
Yes!
Mars says
So easy!! Just dump everything in and leave it alone for awhile. I love the fact that the ham bone can be frozen before adding it, no waiting for it to thaw. This turned out great! Thanks Kim 😊
Kim says
Thanks, Mars! It's one of our favorite soups and I'm so glad it works in the instant pot 🥰
D. Wellington says
We had navy bean soup several times in a year growing up and I still do the same. I had never thought to add the spices like your Dad.
Ours was ham, beans, onions and some carrots. Well going to have a wedding at our house and marry yours and mine. Can't wait.
Kim says
I should have added that you can add onions and carrots and/or celery. I can't stand onions and don't like cooked carrots so I often forget about those things, but I know most people love them (I think my dad actually adds onions to his when he's making it at home).