Everyone loves a healthy, hearty homemade bean soup recipe that can comfort and soothe your soul!
I
t’s easy to make, reheats well and this bean soup is perfectly freezer friendly.
A Hearty, Healthy, and Comforting Bowl of Navy Bean and Ham That’s Healing for Your Soul
-Navy Bean and Ham Soup is the best recipe for a simple weeknight dinner
-This soup has simple ingredients and herbs with tons of health benefits including beans that are low fat and high in fiber
– Navy beans that cook beautifully and pair perfectly with leftover ham.
-This soup will free up extra some time from cooking in the kitchen to do more of the things you love or simply to relax and unwind from a busy day.
-This soup can be cooked on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or the Crockpot.
-It’s the perfect meal planning recipe to add to your recipe book!
Why is Navy Bean and Ham Soup a great recipe for a simple dinner idea?
After you’ve had a busy day, sometimes the mere thought of what’s for dinner is just agonizing. It’s just one more thing to think about when
you already are feeling like, you can’t even think or see straight because you’re so worn out. At times, you are just feeling burnout and
stressed and all you want to do is sit yourself on the couch, kick your feet up, and chill especially on Sunday evenings. Does that sound
familiar?
What happens when you need a moment to check in on yourself, to rest and relax, and your kids and family are looking at you like what’s
for dinner? Well, in walks the best ever and tastiest recipe for navy beans: Navy Beans and Ham Soup! Maybe not walking, but you get the idea.
Parent Pro “Me Time” Tip for Navy Bean and Ham Soup: If you still think that your kids are probably going to have fit at the mere thought of eating a bean or vegetable from the Navy Bean Soup you can always woo them with a little ice cream and sprinkles for dessert or let them choose a dessert of their choice for a happy, clean plate… or bowl in this case.
Recipe notes:
Soup Additions: You can also add 2-3 chopped carrots, and 2-3 chopped celery stalks to the soup for additional veggie goodness. They are
not necessary, but do add a bit of extra color and deliciousness!
Make ahead: To soak the beans overnight, rinse the beans and discard any broken or discolored pieces. Place in a large heavy pot or Dutch
oven, then add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight, and continue with Step
2 the next day, skipping the quick boil.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. To freeze navy bean soup, let the soup cool completely, then
freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop.
Tips! Navy Bean and Ham Soup is the ultimate one pot dish that you can cook on the stove or in a crock pot. It is the perfect go to meal when you want to save time and try your hand at meal planning too. Meal planning is actually the best time saving hacks. Meal planning is simply deciding meals in advance. Take a look at these 8 meal ideas using navy beans too!
Meal Planning with Navy Beans Too!
8 Meal Idea with Navy Beans for a Super Easy Meal Prep! (click to see each recipe)
- British Beans on Toast
- Hearty White Bean Chili
- Vegan Lemon and White Bean Pasta
- Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas
- White Bean Burgers
- Kale and White Bean Pizza
- White Bean Tacos
- Easy White Bean Salad
Navy Bean and Ham Soup Recipe
Ingredients/cook time: prep time: 10 MINUTES cook time: 2 HOURS total time: 2 HOURS 10 MINUTES
⦁ 1 lb presoaked dried navy beans or substitute with canned navy beans
⦁ 8 cups water
⦁ 1 lb chopped ham (include ham bone if you have one)
⦁ 1 large onion, chopped
⦁ 3 cloves garlic, minced
⦁ 1 bay leaf
⦁ 1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried cumin
⦁ Salt and pepper to taste
Tip: You can also add carrots and celery for extra vegetables in this easy dish!
How to make navy bean and ham soup?
Instructions:
The night before, (if using dry beans) place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with three inches of water. Soak the dried beans overnight. ( skip this tip if you are using canned beans) (up to 24 hours) to soften. Drain when ready to use.
⦁ Rinse navy beans in cool water
⦁ In a large pot or crockpot, combine the beans, water, ham (ham bone if you have one), onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, cumin, salt, and pepper.
⦁ Bring the mixture to boil over a medium flame, then lower the heat to low and cook for 2 hours or until the beans are tender.
(If you are using a crockpot, cook on medium with the lid until the beans are tender.) Cook time will vary based on your crockpot.
⦁ Serve the soup hot with crusty bread, crackers, or even whip you up a batch of quick cornbread muffins.
Enjoy!