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Square overhead shot of a bean soup recipe in a white bowl
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5 from 12 votes

Bean Soup {Slow Cooker, Stovetop or Instant Pot}

Thick, smoky, and satisfying, this ham and bean soup recipe is a perfect meal for a chilly day!
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword 10 bean soup recipe, bean soup, bean soup recipe, ham and bean soup, healthy soup recipe, leftover ham recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Soaking Time 8 hours
Total Time 10 hours 45 minutes
Servings 12 cups
Calories 186kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried beans (I used a 15-bean mix, but any variety will work. You can use just navy beans or just pinto beans, if you prefer)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated (about 1 tablespoon total)
  • 8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 lb. cooked ham, diced (about 3 cups total)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

STOVETOP:

  • Place beans in a large pot or bowl. Cover with water 2 inches above beans and soak for 8 hours (or overnight). Drain beans.
    Soaked 15 bean mix in a colander
  • Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until oil shimmers. Sauté carrots, celery, onion and garlic until starting to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in drained beans, broth, ham, salt, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; cover; reduce heat to low, and simmer (covered) for 2 - 2 ½ hours (or until beans and vegetables are tender). Remove bay leaves; serve.
    Square overhead shot of a bean soup recipe in a white bowl

SLOW COOKER:

  • Place beans in a large pot. Cover with water 2 inches above beans and soak for 8 hours (or overnight). Drain beans.
  • Transfer soaked beans to slow cooker insert.
  • Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until oil shimmers. Sauté carrots, celery, onion and garlic until starting to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker.
  • Stir in broth, ham, salt, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or on LOW for 8-10 hours, or until beans and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves; serve.

INSTANT POT:

  • Place beans in a large pot. Cover with water 2 inches above beans and soak for 8 hours (or overnight). Drain beans. Set aside.
  • Turn the Instant Pot to “Sauté” function. Add oil and heat until oil shimmers. Sauté carrots, celery, onion and garlic until starting to soften. Turn off the pot.
  • Add soaked beans, broth, ham, salt, diced tomatoes, and bay leaves. Cover with the lid and seal to lock. Press the manual pressure cook button and set the timer to 20 minutes.
  • Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then move the valve to “venting” to release the rest of the pressure. Remove the lid; remove bay leaves; serve!

Video

Notes

  • If possible, make this soup 1-2 days in advance. It just gets better as it sits in the refrigerator, and it will thicken up a lot as it cools!
  • This recipe calls for a very small amount of salt, since ham is often salty on its own. Feel free to season the soup with additional salt and pepper at the end of cooking. You can always add more, but you never want it to be too salty!
  • Spicy: add a dash of cayenne or garnish with crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs or add extra herbs and seasoning to the pot. Good options include parsley, thyme, oregano, basil and rosemary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 1282mg | Potassium: 675mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3530IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3.1mg