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This ham and bean soup recipe is the definition of cozy comfort food – thick, hearty, and packed with smoky flavor. Perfect for using up that leftover holiday ham or just warming up on a chilly evening.

A rustic blue ceramic bowl brimming with a hearty ham and bean soup recipe, featuring succulent chunks of meat and diced carrots, is served with a spoon. The scene is completed by pieces of cornbread resting on a striped cloth atop the textured blue surface.


 

There is nothing better than warming up with this hearty soup on a cold day. Made with simple pantry ingredients like dried navy beans, carrots, onions, and chunks of ham, this soup develops incredible depth of flavor as it simmers away on the stove. The beans become tender and creamy while soaking up all that savory ham goodness.

While it does take a few hours to cook, most of that time is completely hands-off — just an occasional stir while you go about your day. Serve it with some crusty bread for dunking and you’ve got a satisfying meal that tastes like it came straight from grandma’s kitchen. Make a big batch and keep it in the freezer to warm up when the craving hits.

Table of Contents

A bowl of bean chili with a spoon rests on a blue-striped cloth beside cornbread pieces, reminiscent of a hearty ham and bean soup. In the background, the pressure cooker with labeled buttons stands ready for its next culinary adventure.

Why You’ll Love This Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

  • Ultimate Comfort: This ham and bean soup is comforting, delicious, and packed with hearty goodness thanks to the ham bone, beans, and vegetables.
  • Hands-Off Cooking: Once you’ve done the initial prep work, you can let your Instant Pot or slow cooker do all the heavy lifting while you tackle other things – the perfect “set it and forget it” meal.
  • Budget Winner: Despite being incredibly economical to make, this soup tastes great with its rich, developed flavors and satisfying texture.
  • Meal Prep Magic: Double the batch and freeze portions for later – this soup reheats beautifully and makes the perfect quick dinner on busy weeknights.
  • Versatile Base: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand or switch up the beans – this forgiving recipe adapts to what’s in your pantry while always delivering amazing results.

🍲 I have quite the collection of hearty cold weather soup recipes — I could probably make a different soup every day of winter without repeating!

Recipe Ingredients

  • Olive oil or butter
  • Onion
  • Hurst’s Hambeens Great Northern Beans — You can use another brand but it may not come with the seasoning packet used in this recipe.
  • Celery
  • Seasoning packet — That comes with the Great Northern Beans.
  • Broth — Either chicken or vegetable is best in this soup.
  • Carrots
  • Garlic
  • Ham bone — or ham hocks or shanks
  • Salt and pepper

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities 

Ingredients for ham and bean soup are laid out on a cutting board: packaged white beans, chopped onions, celery, whole carrots, and garlic. Nearby sit a plate with ham hocks, a bowl of broth, and an Instant Pot ready for action.

How to Make Classic Ham and Bean Soup in an Instant Pot

  1. Put your Instant Pot on the browning/sauté setting and sauté the onion in the butter or olive oil until the onion is tender. Then add the garlic and sauté for about a minute.
  2. Place the rest of the ingredients (except the salt and pepper) in the Instant Pot, lock the lid and seal the vent, and cook on high pressure for 40 to 50 minutes.
  3. Use the quick pressure release and remove the lid carefully. Take out the ham pieces, bones, and any extra meat.
  4. Toss any inedible pieces, return the ham meat to the pot, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

How to Make Classic Ham and Bean Soup in the Slow Cooker

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make the ham and bean soup in a slow cooker.

  1. Sauté the garlic and onion as directed in a pan on the stovetop.
  2. Then add everything to your slow cooker.
  3. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or until the beans are tender.

How to Make Classic Ham and Bean Soup on the Stovetop

  1. Sauté the onion and garlic as directed.
  2. Then add everything else to the pot.
  3. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
  4. Cook covered, stirring often until the beans are tender, about 4 hours.

Recipe FAQs

Do you have to soak the dry beans before using?

You don’t have to soak the dry beans with this recipe. But if you do, soak them in water overnight or for 8 hours before using. If you soak your beans, reduce the broth in the recipe to 7 cups.

How can I make ham and bean soup on the stovetop?

To make this recipe on the stovetop, sauté the onion and garlic as directed and then add everything else to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook covered, stirring often until the beans are tender, about 4 hours.

How do I make this soup in a slow cooker?

To make ham and bean soup in a slow cooker, sauté the garlic and onion as directed in a pan on the stovetop and then add everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or until the beans are tender.

What if I don’t have a ham bone?

You can use any ham or pork product of your choice such as ham hocks or shanks. Or the next time you make a ham, toss your ham bone in a zipper-topped freezer bag after dinner and keep it there until you’re ready to make soup.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yep! All the ingredients are all naturally gluten-free, including the seasoning packet that comes in Hurst’s Hambeens great northern beans. Just be sure to verify the ingredients you use are gluten-free.

An image of the cooked ham and bean soup in the Instant Pot with a soup ladle in it.

Expert Tips

  • Bean Prep: It’s important to sort and rinse dry beans before cooking, as they occasionally contain small rocks or debris that could ruin your soup.
  • Seasoning Success: This recipe was tested with and without seasoning packet, and it has a great smoky flavor with the packet.
  • Salt Control: If you’re sensitive to salt, start with half the seasoning packet and adjust to taste. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away.
  • Texture Tip: For a thicker soup, blend it for just a few seconds with an immersion blender or blend 2 cups of the soup in a traditional blender and then return it to the pot. This creates a perfectly thick broth while maintaining some texture.
  • Storage Smarts: Let the soup cool completely before storing and leave some headspace if freezing – the soup will expand slightly when frozen.
A bowl of hearty ham and bean stew with white beans and chunks of meat sits on a striped cloth. A spoon rests inside the bowl. Two pieces of cornbread lie beside it on a weathered blue surface, surrounded by scattered crumbs.

How to Store Leftovers

This hearty ham and bean soup keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container.

For longer storage, let the soup cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving about an inch of headspace for expansion. The soup will maintain its best quality in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.

Other Delicious Bean Soups To Try

If you love comforting, and hearty soups, you’ll definitely enjoy these flavorful recipes. Each one is packed with delicious ingredients and perfect for cozy nights.

  • Sausage Bean Soup with Spinach is a protein-packed dish with savory sausage, tender beans, and fresh spinach for a nutritious and satisfying bowl.
  • For an easy, hands-off meal, try Slow Cooker Vegetable Bean Soup, a wholesome, veggie-loaded option that simmers to perfection while you go about your day.
  • If you’re craving something classic, Italian White Bean Soup delivers rich flavors with garlic, herbs, and creamy white beans for a rustic, comforting experience.
  • Finally, for a unique fall-inspired dish, Sausage Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup blends smoky sausage, hearty black beans, and velvety pumpkin for a slightly sweet and savory delight.
A warm bowl of ham and bean soup sits invitingly in front of a pressure cooker, boasting white beans, succulent ham, and colorful carrots. Accompanied by two pieces of cornbread on a cloth napkin, this serves up pure comfort. Text reads, Classic Ham and Bean Soup.

More Soup Recipes to Consider

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A rustic blue ceramic bowl brimming with a hearty ham and bean soup recipe, featuring succulent chunks of meat and diced carrots, is served with a spoon. The scene is completed by pieces of cornbread resting on a striped cloth atop the textured blue surface.
4 from 3 votes

Ham and Bean Soup Recipe (Stove Top, CrockPot, or InstantPot)

By: Melissa Griffiths
This ham and bean soup recipe is the definition of cozy comfort food – thick, hearty, and packed with smoky flavor. Perfect for using up that leftover holiday ham or just warming up on a chilly evening.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8
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Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 ribs celery, diced
  • 3-4 carrots, diced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bag Hurst’s Hambeens Great Northern Beans, 20 ounces, rinsed and sorted
  • Seasoning packet that comes with the Great Northern Beans
  • 8 cups broth, chicken or vegetable is best
  • 2 pounds ham hocks, shanks, or leftover ham bone
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

Instant Pot Instructions:

  • Select browning/saute to preheat the pressure cooker. Add the olive oil or butter and onion, celery, and carrots. Saute until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add washed and sorted Great Northern beans to the pot, add the seasoning packet, and the broth. Stir to combine.
  • Add the ham hocks, shanks, or ham bone to the pot.
  • Lock the lid in place, make sure the vent is set to seal, and select high pressure and 40 minute cook time.
  • When the cooking time ends, use the quick pressure release. When the valve drops, remove the lid carefully.
  • Remove the ham pieces and bones and place them on a plate. Remove any extra meat and discard the non-edible pieces. Return the ham meat to the pot and stir to combine.
  • Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve hot

Slow Cooker Instructions:

  • To make ham and bean soup in a slow cooker, sauté the garlic and onion as directed in a pan on the stovetop and then add everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or until the beans are tender.

Stovetop Instructions:

  • To make this recipe on the stovetop, sauté the onion and garlic as directed and then add everything else to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook covered, stirring often until the beans are tender, about 4 hours.

Video

Notes

  • The 40-minute cooking time lends to beans that still have plenty of structure and chew. If you like a softer cooked bean, cook for 50 minutes.
  • A quick release after cooking in the Instant Pot is the fastest way to make this recipe. If you have the time, feel free to let the Instant Pot do a “natural pressure release” at the end of the cooking time.
  • The seasoning packet adds great flavor (and I have tested this recipe without it and preferred the soup with the seasoning packet). 
  • If you are sensitive to salt, start with using only half of the seasoning packet and add more if needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 8 servings, Calories: 438kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 124mg, Sodium: 1283mg, Potassium: 649mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 4510IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 155mg, Iron: 5mg
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4 from 3 votes

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Recipe Rating




10 Comments

  1. S Marsh says:

    3 stars
    OY! Beans were too hard at 40 minutes. So, I turned it back on for 3 minutes, knowing that I had to run to take care of my grandson for a few hours. I figured it would just go to warm and be just fine. I set it for 3 HOURS. It still had an hour to go when I got back. Needless to say, it’s overdone. It’s not bad, it’s just not what I wanted. I think I probably got all the marrow out of that ham bone. 😉

    Reply
  2. Emily Johnson says:

    4 stars
    So the first time I made this, it worked fine. Second time, beans were too hard (45 min on high). Any ideas?

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      That is SO weird. I’m going to think about this. If that is an issue for you though, I’d let them cook for 45 minutes and then let them sit 10 or 15 minutes at the natural pressure release before moving the valve to release the pressure. That few extra minutes should fix it.

  3. Jesper says:

    I’m concerned About lectines and antinutrients present in the beans. Usually you soak dried beans and then cook them for 15-20 min and then change the cooking water and then cook until water doesn’t foam anymore. How is the thought process with the instant pot way?

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      I’d soak your beans like you normally do and reduce the cooking time in the instant pot by half and see where that gets you! And I’d only drop the water/liquid by a cup or two, you’ll still need quite a bit.

  4. Victoria says:

    I’ll be using an instant pot. Thank you so much!!

    Reply
  5. Victoria says:

    5 stars
    I’d like to add rice to this recipe. Any suggestions on the best way to do that?

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      Are you making it in the IP or slow cooker? For the slow cooker I’d just add extra water (enough for the right amount of rice) at the beginning and then add the rice an hour or so before it’s done. For the IP I would cook it 5 minutes shy of the time listed, open it up, add the water and rice and cook for an additional 4 minutes with a 15 minute NPR. Does that help? Holler if you have more questions!

  6. Denise Browning says:

    The soup looks hearty and so delicious, Melissa! Cornbread would be a must for me to have with this soup.

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      Ooh, yes. That would be delicious with this soup. My cornbread recipe would be perfect with this!