This Navy Bean Soup Recipe is the epitome of comfort food, a timeless classic that promises to warm both body and soul. This deeply flavorful and hearty soup brings together creamy navy beans, savory ham, and a vibrant medley of aromatic herbs and fresh vegetables. Whether you’re looking to utilize leftover holiday ham, craving a nourishing meal for chilly evenings, or planning ahead with freezer-friendly options, this recipe is designed to be your go-to.

As the cooler seasons arrive, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a steaming bowl of homemade soup. This Navy Bean Soup delivers that perfect embrace, especially when paired with a slice of crusty bread, ideal for soaking up every last drop of the rich, savory broth. It’s a truly wholesome and filling meal that brings everyone to the table.

One of the best aspects of this recipe is its versatility, particularly for using up ingredients. If you find yourself with a surplus of ham from holiday feasts like Easter or Christmas, this soup is a fantastic and efficient way to transform those leftovers into another delicious family meal. The ham bone, if available, is especially prized for adding incredible depth of flavor to the broth, elevating the soup to new heights.

Planning meals has never been easier with this Navy Bean Soup. I often prepare a large batch, enjoying half for dinner and freezing the other half for future quick and easy meals. It reheats beautifully and, like many great soups, often tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld. For your convenience, this recipe includes detailed instructions for both stove-top and slow cooker preparation methods, allowing you to choose what best fits your schedule.

If you opt for the slow cooker, dried navy beans can be used without the need for overnight soaking, simply by adjusting the water content. For stove-top cooking with dried beans, however, an overnight soak is recommended to ensure proper cooking and texture. Bean soups are a personal favorite of mine; they are incredibly satisfying, packed with protein, and provide sustained energy, making them perfect for those cold, busy days.

For those who enjoy a variety of bean-based soups, this Navy Bean Soup with Ham fits perfectly into a rotation alongside other beloved recipes such as Tuscan Bean Soup, White Bean Soup with Ham, Slow Cooker Sausage Kale White Bean Soup, or a simple yet delicious White Bean Soup. If you’re looking for an even quicker option using a pressure cooker, be sure to try this Instant Pot Bean Soup recipe.

Why You Will Love this Hearty Navy Bean Soup:

• Effortless to Prepare: This soup is designed for minimal fuss. The active hands-on time is incredibly short, involving just a quick sauté of vegetables to build a flavor base. After that, you simply add the remaining ingredients and let the soup gently simmer on the stove, allowing the flavors to deepen and meld. It’s especially convenient if you’re repurposing delicious leftover ham from recent holidays, cutting down your prep even further.
• A Wholesome and Satisfying Meal: More than just a simple bowl of soup, this recipe offers a truly substantial and balanced meal in one pot. Packed with protein from the ham and beans, and rich in fiber and vitamins from the vegetables, it will leave you feeling completely satisfied and nourished. It’s a meal that the entire family will wholeheartedly enjoy, often without realizing how healthy it is!
• Perfect for Batch Cooking & Freezing: Given how wonderfully this soup freezes, it’s an ideal candidate for meal prepping. I frequently prepare a double batch, savoring half immediately and storing the other half in the freezer. This ensures you always have a quick, homemade, and delicious dinner ready for busy weeknights, saving you time and effort down the line.

Essential Ingredients for Your Navy Bean Soup:

Crafting this soulful soup requires a few simple, yet crucial, ingredients that come together to create a symphony of flavors. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:

• Aromatic Vegetables: The foundation of any great soup begins with a classic mirepoix. For this recipe, I use a fresh combination of finely minced garlic, diced sweet onion, chopped carrots, and celery. These ingredients are sautéed to create a fragrant and flavorful base, infusing the broth with essential sweetness and depth.
• Robust Seasoning: A carefully selected blend of dried herbs and spices is key to the soup’s comforting profile. You’ll need oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, a pinch of cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes for a subtle kick), and of course, salt and freshly ground black pepper. A bay leaf is also added to the pot to impart a gentle, herbaceous aroma throughout the simmering process.
• Navy Beans: The star of the show! This recipe calls for three 16-ounce cans of navy beans, which should be thoroughly drained and rinsed before use. If you prefer to use dried beans, you’ll need about 16 ounces. Remember, if cooking on the stove-top, dried beans require an overnight soak to soften them and ensure even cooking. For the slow cooker method, soaking isn’t strictly necessary, but extra water will be needed.
• Savory Ham: To achieve that classic, hearty flavor, I recommend a combination of both diced cooked ham and a smoked ham shank or ham bone. The ham bone is particularly important as it slowly releases incredible smoky, savory notes into the broth as the soup simmers. If you have a meaty leftover ham bone from holiday meals, it’s perfect here. Alternatively, you can easily find pre-cooked, diced ham at your local grocery store’s meat department to save time.
• Diced Tomatoes: Along with the chicken broth, a can of diced or petite diced tomatoes adds a touch of acidity and a bright counterpoint to the richness of the ham and beans. These help to round out the flavor profile and add a pleasant texture. If you’re not a fan of tomatoes, feel free to omit them without significantly impacting the soup’s core flavors.
• Flavorful Broth: The liquid base for our soup is low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock. Using low-sodium allows you to control the overall saltiness, adjusting it to your preference. For a vegetarian option, vegetable broth can be easily substituted. For an extra layer of homemade goodness, consider using my recipe for Homemade Chicken Broth.

For precise ingredient measurements and comprehensive instructions, please refer to the detailed recipe card located at the bottom of this article.

How to Make Hearty Navy Bean Soup (Stove-Top Method)

Creating this delicious and comforting soup on your stove-top is a straightforward process. Follow these simple steps for a perfect pot every time:

Step 1: Prepare Dried Beans (If Using): If your recipe calls for dried navy beans instead of canned, it’s crucial to soak them overnight. This softens the beans, significantly reducing their cooking time and ensuring a tender texture. Simply place them in a large bowl, cover with several inches of cold water, and let them sit overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly before use.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or a sturdy soup pot, begin by heating the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the minced garlic and sauté for about two minutes until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown. Next, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Continue to sauté these vegetables for another 3 minutes, allowing them to soften slightly and release their initial flavors.

Step 3: Bloom the Spices: This crucial step enhances the depth of flavor. Add the dried oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, cayenne red pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper to the sautéed vegetables. Continue to sauté for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. This process, known as “blooming,” helps to release the full aromatic potential of the spices, creating a richer, more complex flavor in the final soup.

Step 4: Combine Remaining Ingredients: Into the pot with the fragrant vegetables and spices, add the prepared navy beans (drained and rinsed if canned), diced cooked ham, the smoked ham hock or ham bone, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken or vegetable broth. Give everything a good stir to ensure all ingredients are well combined and submerged in the broth.

Step 5: Simmer to Perfection: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for at least 30 minutes, or longer for deeper flavor. During this time, the beans will soften further, and the ham bone will impart its rich, smoky essence. Before serving, carefully remove the ham bone, pick off any remaining edible pieces of ham, shred them, and return them to the soup. Discard the bare bone and bay leaves.

Step 6: Garnish & Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. For a burst of fresh flavor and color, garnish generously with fresh parsley, oregano, and thyme. A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese adds a delightful salty finish. Serve immediately and enjoy!

How to Make This Comforting Soup in the Crockpot

For those who appreciate the convenience of slow cooking, this Navy Bean Soup recipe is perfectly adaptable for your crockpot. This method allows the flavors to meld beautifully over several hours, resulting in an incredibly rich and tender soup with minimal effort.

To start, you have an optional but highly recommended step: briefly sautéing the vegetables and blooming the spices. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, then add your garlic, onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Next, stir in all the dried seasoning ingredients (oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, cayenne, salt, and pepper) and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the heat to awaken their full aromas. While you can skip this sautéing step and add all ingredients directly to the slow cooker, this initial quick cook significantly deepens the flavor profile of your finished soup. It truly makes a difference!

Once the aromatics and spices are ready (or if you skipped the sauté, just start here), transfer them to your slow cooker. Add the navy beans, diced ham, ham hock or ham bone, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Give everything a good stir to combine. Cover the crockpot with its lid and cook on the LOW setting for 6-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the beans are tender and the flavors have fully developed.

Before serving, carefully remove the ham bone and any bay leaves. If using a ham bone, pull off any delicious bits of ham that have fallen off and shred them, then return the shredded ham to the soup. Discard the bare bone. Ladle the warm, comforting soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, as desired.

Pro Tip for Dried Beans in the Crockpot: One of the fantastic benefits of using a slow cooker for bean soup is that you can often use dried navy beans without the need for overnight soaking. Dried beans, in my opinion, tend to offer an even deeper, more authentic flavor than their canned counterparts. When using dried beans in the crockpot, simply ensure you add an additional 2 cups of water or broth to the recipe to account for the liquid the beans will absorb as they cook and soften. This allows them to become perfectly tender right in the pot, infusing maximum flavor into your soup.

Creative Ways to Modify Your Navy Bean Soup:

This Navy Bean Soup recipe is wonderfully versatile, making it easy to adapt to your preferences or what you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to get creative and make it your own!

• Add More Vegetables: Enhance the nutritional value and texture by incorporating extra vegetables. Consider adding green beans, sweet peas, diced bell peppers (red or yellow for color), or even fire-roasted tomatoes for a smoky depth. Frozen vegetables work beautifully too – simply add them during the last 15-20 minutes of simmering.
• Boost with Leafy Greens: For an extra dose of vitamins and a vibrant touch, stir in a generous handful of fresh leafy greens towards the end of the cooking time. Spinach, kale (de-stemmed and chopped), cavolo nero (black kale), or chard are all excellent choices. Allow them to wilt into the hot soup for a few minutes before serving.
• Alternate Ham Options: While cooked ham and a ham hock provide fantastic flavor, you have alternatives. A ham bone leftover from a holiday roast is ideal. For a different smoky note, you could render some diced smoked bacon or pancetta at the beginning of the recipe, using the rendered fat to sauté your vegetables.
• Experiment with Other Proteins: If ham isn’t your preferred protein, or you’re looking for a different flavor profile, this soup can be adapted. Try adding shredded rotisserie chicken, browned ground turkey, savory ground pork, or lean ground chicken. Ensure any raw meat is fully cooked before adding the broth.
• Swap or Mix Beans: Navy beans are classic, but feel free to explore other white beans like Great Northern beans or cannellini beans for a similar creamy texture. For a bolder, heartier soup, consider incorporating black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans. Sometimes, I enjoy using a mixture of beans – perhaps a can of navy, a can of cannellini, and a can of pinto – for a diverse texture and flavor.
• Dried Bean Preparation: While canned beans are a fantastic time-saver, using dried beans can offer a richer, more authentic flavor. If you’re cooking on the stove-top with dried beans, remember that they absolutely need to be soaked overnight before you begin the recipe. If you’re using the slow cooker method, refer to the “Pro Tip” above for guidance on cooking dried beans without pre-soaking.

Expert Tips for the Best Navy Bean Soup:

Achieving the perfect bowl of Navy Bean Soup is easy with these helpful tips:

• Maximize Leftover Ham: This recipe truly shines when you use leftover ham from a holiday roast. The rich, salty flavor of a previously cooked ham (especially if you have the bone!) will infuse your soup with unparalleled depth. If you’ve recently made a delicious Apple Cider Glazed Ham, its remnants are absolutely perfect for this dish. Don’t discard that ham bone – it’s a secret weapon for flavor!
• Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Always taste your soup before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed. The saltiness from the ham can vary, so it’s important to add additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper gradually until the flavors are perfectly balanced to your liking. A truly flavorful soup comes from attentive seasoning.
• Enhance Spicy and Smoky Flavors: For an extra layer of smoky depth, consider adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika along with your other dry seasonings. If you crave more heat, increase the cayenne red pepper, or add a few slices of fresh jalapeño during the sauté stage. A dash of your favorite hot sauce stirred in at the end can also provide a wonderful spicy kick.
• Achieve a Thicker Soup: If you prefer a richer, creamier consistency, there’s an easy trick. Once the soup has finished simmering and the beans are tender, carefully remove about 1-2 cups of the cooked beans (and a little broth). Blend them into a smooth puree using an immersion blender or a regular blender (be cautious with hot liquids!). Return the pureed beans to the pot and stir through – this will naturally thicken the soup without needing any flour or starch.

Storage Tips for Your Navy Bean Soup:

This soup is excellent for making ahead and enjoying later. Here’s how to store it properly:

• Refrigeration: Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. To reheat, simply place the desired portion back into a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it’s piping hot. Alternatively, you can microwave individual servings for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Freezing: Navy Bean Soup freezes beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep. Once cooled, transfer the soup to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving some headspace for expansion. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until heated through.

What to Serve with Your Hearty Navy Bean Soup:

This comforting Navy Bean Soup is a meal in itself, but it pairs wonderfully with a variety of side dishes to complete your dining experience:

• Crusty Bread & Chips: A warm, crusty loaf of bread is almost essential for soaking up every last drop of the delicious broth. Think a rustic sourdough, a classic baguette, or even a simple buttermilk cornbread. For a lighter crunch, try homemade Baked Pita Chips or quick Air Fryer Pita Chips on the side.
• Fresh Salads: A crisp, refreshing salad provides a lovely contrast to the richness of the soup. Consider a light and zesty Lemon Arugula Salad with Parmesan Cheese, a hearty and nutritious Apple Kale Quinoa Salad, or a simple yet flavorful Arugula Salad with Capers.
• Roasted Vegetables: Complement the soup with a side of perfectly roasted vegetables. Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables add a delightful medley of flavors, Balsamic Roasted Carrots offer a touch of sweetness, and Roasted Balsamic Mushrooms provide an earthy, umami depth.