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Readers have been making Granny’s navy bean and ham soup from this recipe for more than ten years. Canned navy beans simmer with smoked ham hocks and diced ham until the broth turns smoky and rich, and crispy crumbled bacon tops it off. This is old-fashioned ham and bean soup made the easy way, with canned beans straight from the pantry. One pot makes eight generous bowls.
I have never had any success making bean soup. I must have tried a hundred different recipes. This recipe, WOW. It is easy to make and the taste is exceptional. Everyone I gave some to raved about it. I highly recommend it.
Pat
As a fourth-generation Southern cook, I’ve been making some version of this soup for decades. The ingredients may change slightly based on what’s in the fridge or pantry, but the soup’s essence stays the same. Our family secret: canned beans!
You’ll love how easy it is to make this soup without soaking beans overnight. If you prefer dried beans, you can adapt the recipe.
If you’ve been saving a ham bone since Thanksgiving, now’s the time to pull it out and make this hearty Navy Bean Soup with Ham. This is one of my favorite cold-weather soups because it sticks to your ribs and warms you from the inside.
Cook’s Tip: If you don’t have a ham bone lurking about in your freezer, you can buy a couple of ham hocks at the grocery store or your local butcher.
Testing results for navy bean and ham soup
- I’ve made this soup with both dried and canned navy beans, and I prefer using canned beans. I don’t have to soak them, so they go straight from the pantry into the pot.
- Smoked ham hocks can make the soup salty, so I hold off on adding more salt until the very end and taste first. Unsalted canned beans help, too.
- Our tasters liked this soup best with crispy bacon crumbled over each bowl.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Canned beans and hocks for navy bean soup
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Navy beans: You’ll need four cans, rinsed and drained. The ham adds plenty of salt, so buy unsalted canned beans if your store carries them. If you can’t find navy beans, Great Northern or cannellini beans work as a substitute. A one-pound bag of dried navy beans works too, as long as you soak them first according to the package.
Ham hocks or a ham bone: Smoked ham hocks give the broth its smoky flavor, and a leftover ham bone does the same. Ham bones freeze well. Wrap the bone from your next holiday ham and tuck it in the freezer, and that ham turns into a pot of soup a few weeks later.
Diced ham: I buy the packet of diced ham in the meat department unless I have ham saved. Once the soup is done, you can dice some of the meat from the ham hocks and stir it in as well.
Related 📖 ➡️ Best tools for soups
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Cornbread on the side
A bowl of bean soup needs cornbread next to it, and I usually make Southern buttermilk cornbread with a crispy golden crust. If your family likes a little heat, honey jalapeno cornbread with cheddar and sweet corn is a good change of pace, and a loaf of crusty bread works too. The soup is hearty enough that I don’t serve anything else with it. Leave the pot on the stove over low heat and let everyone ladle their own.
There’s always room for dessert, though. An old-fashioned cream cheese pound cake with a tender crumb is easy to make ahead, and our family’s favorite is a fudge pie that’s ready in 45 minutes.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Navy Bean and Ham Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped or sliced
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2-2 quarts chicken stock
- 4 (15.5 ounce) cans navy beans, rinsed and drained (unsalted if you can find them)
- 2 large smoked ham hocks or 1 ham bone
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup diced cooked ham (I buy the packet of diced ham in the meat dept. unless I have ham saved)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6-8 bacon strips, cooked crispy and crumbled
Instructions
- In large Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium onion, chopped, 1 carrot, chopped or sliced, and 1 celery rib, chopped and saute for 5 minutes. Add 1 clove garlic, minced and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add 1 1/2-2 quarts chicken stock, 4 (15.5 ounce) cans navy beans, rinsed and drained (unsalted if you can find them), 2 large smoked ham hocks or 1 ham bone, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 2 bay leaves, and 1 cup diced cooked ham (I buy the packet of diced ham in the meat dept. unless I have ham saved). Add a little freshly ground black pepper.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You may need to add additional stock.
- Remove ham hocks or ham bone and allow to cool enough to handle, then cut the meat off the bones and add to the pot. Discard the bones.
- If you want to thicken the soup, remove about 2 cups of beans and puree in a blender then add back to the soup.
- Taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper. The ham is usually salty so I don't add much salt until I taste the soup. Serve with crumbled bacon on top.
Notes
- Timesaver: Pre-chopped onions, carrots, and celery from the grocery store.
- Use canned navy beans because they’re easy and convenient. You can also substitute one pound bag of dried navy beans for the canned beans. Soak the beans according to the package instructions.
- Use a package of diced ham from the meat department of your grocery store.
- To thicken the soup, take out some of the beans and puree them, then add them back to the pot. You can also use an additional can of beans to thicken the soup. Mash the entire can of beans and stir it into the soup.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
The easiest way to thicken navy bean and ham soup is to take some of the beans out and mash them with a fork, then stir them back into the soup.
We’ve had readers tell us that they used an additional can of beans and mashed them before adding them to the pot.
If you want it even thicker, you can always add a little cornstarch slurry.
No words!!! So good and so easy!!!!
This is a GREAT bean soup recipe. I’ll probably make it without the ham hock, b/c it came out a little salty. But, even so, best bean soup recipe I’ve tried.
Thx
Yes I need new recipes. Because I became a widower 2 years ago. And she took all her recipes to her grave.
I made this yesterday . It is delicious . I used the immersion blender in the whole pot of soup to thicken it still leaving some whole beans and ham in chunks. Great with a crusty bread loaf.