Y’all, I’m on a roll with these simple, cozy, soup recipes! I had one extra ham hock left over from making Split Pea Soup a few weeks ago, so I decided to test a simple Navy Bean Soup recipe. I used dry, uncooked navy beans because they’re more economical than canned beans and you can infuse a lot of flavor into them. Then I just paired the navy beans with some vegetables, a smoked ham hock, and lots of herbs and spices. The results…a hearty, creamy, and absolutely delicious navy bean soup! Trust me, you’ll be blown away by how flavorful this soup is and just how easy it is to make!
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“My super picky husband LOVED this soup. We almost polished off the entire pot of it in one sitting. He couldn’t praise it enough which shocked me beyond measure. Well done, Budget Bytes! This will absolutely go into our regular rotation.”
Lee
Easy Navy Bean Soup
Ham and beans just go together like peanut butter and jelly!😄 The smoked ham hock I used infused a ton of smoky, salty flavor into the navy beans. I also tested this recipe with just regular diced ham, but it did not provide the same type of rich flavor as a ham bone. However, smoked turkey wings are a great alternative to use if you don’t want to use ham.
This soup does take some time to prepare, but it is so worth it in the end, believe me. Slow-simmered to absolute perfection, what you get is a creamy, smoky-flavored soup that tastes even better the next day.
Recipe Success Tips & Variations
- Start the day before you want to eat the soup. The beans need to soak overnight, so make sure to plan accordingly.
- Use good chicken broth. Make sure you use a good quality chicken broth as a lot of the soup flavor will come from the broth. We use Better than Bouillon for our broth.
- Use smoked turkey wings. The smoked ham hock we used infused a ton of smoky, salty, flavor into the navy beans. We also tested this recipe with just regular diced ham, but it did not provide the same type of rich flavor as a ham bone. However, smoked turkey wings (skin on) are a great alternative to use if you don’t want to use ham.
- Make a sausage and spinach version. Use 14 oz. smoked sausage. Slice it into medallions and add to a large soup pot along with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Saute over medium heat until nicely browned (about five minutes). Drain off the excess fat. Follow the rest of the recipe and then stir in 3 cups fresh baby spinach until wilted in step 7.
- Make it vegetarian. Omit the ham and add more smoked paprika (about 1 tsp total) or a dash of liquid smoke if you have it. It will likely need a bit more salt, and you can add some more olive oil or butter to get the same richness.
Do I Need To Soak Navy Beans Overnight?
Although it’s not mandatory, we did soak the navy beans overnight to help soften them and speed up the cooking process. You could also do a quick soak method if you are pressed for time.
To do the “quick soak method” start by giving the dry beans a quick rinse with cold water in a colander. Remove any stones or debris that you see. Next add the navy beans to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, continue to cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, remove the pot from the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and allow the beans to soak in the hot water for 1 hour. Drain and rinse well before cooking!
Navy Bean Soup
Cost $8.32 recipe / $1.38 serving
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dry navy beans ($1.28)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.58)
- 1 carrot ($0.11)
- 1 celery stalk ($0.10)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 ham hock ($4.39)
- ½ tsp dried thyme ($0.05)
- ½ tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- ½ tsp dried rosemary ($0.05)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)
- 6 cups chicken broth ($1.02)
- ¼ tsp salt (to taste, $0.02)
Instructions
- Start by soaking the dry navy beans overnight. Place the beans in a bowl, cover them with cold water, and place the bowl in the refrigerator. The next day, drain and rinse the beans.
- Dice the onion, carrot, and celery stalk. Mince the garlic cloves.
- Sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a large soup pot or Dutch oven with olive oil over medium heat, until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the soaked & drained beans, ham hock, dried thyme, dried oregano, dried rosemary, smoked paprika, black pepper, and chicken broth to the pot. Gently stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and begin to break down (approximately 1.5 hours). Flip the ham hock over once or twice, while the soup is simmering, so that it gets even exposure to the hot liquid.
- Once the beans are tender, remove the ham hock and pull the meat from the bone, then add the ham meat back to the soup.
- Now mash some of the beans against the side of the pot and stir the mashed beans back into the soup. Continue to simmer the soup uncovered for about 30 minutes to reduce some of the liquid and to thicken the soup further.
- Taste the soup and add salt, if needed. I ended up adding ¼ tsp of salt after tasting. The amount of salt needed will depend highly on the type of broth used. Serve hot with some crusty bread for dipping and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Navy Bean Soup Step-by-Step Photos
Soak the beans: Place 1 lb. dry navy beans in a bowl, cover with cold water, and then place the bowl in the refrigerator. The next day, drain and rinse the beans.
Chop the veggies: Dice one onion, one carrot, and one celery stalk. Mince two cloves of garlic.
Sauté the veggies: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, until the onions are soft and translucent.
Combine all the ingredients: Add the soaked & drained beans, 1 ham hock, ½ tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried rosemary, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 6 cups chicken broth to the pot. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
Cook: Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and begin to break down. This usually takes me about 1½ hours.
Shred the meat: Once the beans have softened, take the ham hock out of the pot and pull the meat from the bone.
Return the meat: Add the ham back to the pot.
Mash beans and simmer: Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them back into the soup. Continue simmering, uncovered, for about 30 minutes to reduce some of the liquid and to thicken the soup further.
Taste test: Taste the soup and add salt, if needed. I ended up adding ¼ tsp of salt after tasting. The amount of salt needed will depend on the type of broth used.
Garnish and serve: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley (optional). Then enjoy a big bowl of this cozy navy bean soup with some crusty bread for dipping and soaking up all that yumminess! Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
There’s nothing I love more than chowing down on a steaming hot bowl of soup and something warm and bready alongside it. These pillowy Hawaiian rolls or these crisp, airy popovers are both perfect for dipping in the broth to soak up every last drop of goodness. And if I don’t have either of these, a few slices of soda bread do the trick just as well. If I’m feeling especially hungry, I love pairing this soup with a refreshing cucumber sandwich, as the coolness of the cucumber pairs nicely with the rich, smoky flavor of the soup.
Storing Leftovers
This navy bean soup recipe makes a big batch, so save the leftovers for lunch the next day or freeze for later. You can store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Or freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
More Bean Recipes To Enjoy
- These Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice are rich, flavorful, and loaded with protein.
- These delicious Not Refried Beans have an incredibly complex flavor due to the addition of the jalapeño, chili, and other spices.
- This easy Black Bean Chili is loaded with warm chili spices and quick enough to whip up on a busy weeknight.
I’ve made this soup a couple of times now, and it’s wonderful! A few weeks ago we served it to guests at our local emergency cold-weather shelter, who loved it. I’ll note that the first time I personally thought it was a bit on the salty side, so the next time I used only half the amount of Better Than Boullion concentrate recommended on the jar label to make up the chicken broth.
I would love the sausage version too for when I don’t have a ham hock!
Just sent it!
I would love to save the sausage recipe, too. I love options!
Emailed it to you!
Can you email me the original sausage version? Thanks!
Just sent it!
Echh. Poorly balanced. Way too much herbs. Wouldn’t give it to my dog.
Good Afternoon, this version sounds awesome! But can the sausage version be emailed to me please?
Just sent it for you!
Another request for the sausage version…though I plan to make this version too.
Just sent it to you!
I’d like the original version with sausage, please. Can you email that to me?
Could I get the original version with the sausage please
Just sent it!
Hey, where’d the original version with sausage go? That one rocks, you should put it back up
I just emailed you that version to keep!
Hi, I would like a copy of that version also!
Just emailed it to you!
Hi can I get a copy of the original soup Sausage, bean and spinach?
Just emailed it to you!
Me too, recipe please 😋
Just sent it to you!
Hey could you please send me the og recipe too?! One of my all time favorites
I just sent it to you!
Hi, can I get it too?
Just sent it to you!
Hi! May I please have original recipe as well!! Going to try this one too
Just sent it!
Hello! May I please have the sausage version too? Thanks so much!
Just sent it!
Tasted great, but the hamhock never really rendered down much. Pull it off the bone but was left with a lot of chewy fat and not a lot of actual meat. I think I would choose a pork roast/shoulder next time… or modify this to cook in a crock pot where it might render down better.
My super picky husband LOVED this soup. We almost polished off the entire pot of it in one sitting. He couldn’t praise it enough which shocked me beyond measure. Well done, Budget Bytes! This will absolutely go into our regular rotation.
I made this for my mom who’s recovering from back surgery. She really enjoyed it. I will add some fresh herbs next time I make it and I saw another cook added a bay leaf – great idea. Thanks for the super recipe and making my mom really happy!
Maybe a dumb question, but if you did end up using smoked turkey wings instead of a ham hock, would you keep the skin on the wings while cooking or no?
I would!