Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup is a delicious and hearty soup that is not only made for pennies but also cooks up in record time thanks to the pressure cooker. Made with dried beans, a rich stock, and a leftover ham bone, this soup is filled with incredible flavor and comes together effortlessly.
Whenever you have a leftover ham bone from Baked Ham, this comforting soup is a MUST make!
After every holiday, my mom or my grandpa would make a big batch of Ham and Bean soup from our leftover ham bone. It would simmer on the stove for hours, tempting our taste buds all day long.
I use the same recipe for Ham and Bean Soup passed down through generations, but I have sped up the process of making this soup by using the pressure cooker. It is just as tasty as the original, but SO much faster.
Tender white beans and chunks of ham swimming in a rich, smoky broth--this Instant Pot Ham and Bean soup truly is comfort food.
It also happens to be a super frugal meal. Dried beans and a leftover ham bone are the base of this soup. And those humble ingredients turn into something quite spectacular when married together with a few herbs and vegetables.
Ingredients for Ham and Bean Soup
- Dried White Northern Beans--This recipe is for unsoaked dried beans, but there are modifications included for making this soup with soaked beans and canned beans.
- Water and Chicken Stock--Because ham bones can be very salty, you only want to use both stock and water or simply water in this soup recipe.
- Ham Bone/Ham Hock--a leftover ham bone is perfect for this soup, but you can purchase a smoked ham hock to make Ham and Bean soup as well. Tip: If using a bone from a Honey Baked Ham, be sure to remove any pieces of ham with glaze-or your soup will end up on the sweeter side.
- Celery, Onions, Carrots--This trinity of veggies is a classic base to most soup recipes. Feel free to omit one if you have picky eaters. And both red and yellow onions work!
- Fresh Herbs--Bay leaves, fresh thyme, and garlic add the perfect herbal tones to the soup. adds an herbal tone to this soup.
- Seasoned Salt--a perfect blend of seasonings that adds just the right amount of flavor and salt to this soup recipe.
How to Make Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
- Turn Instant Pot to saute and let heat up.
- Add in oil and carrots, onions, and celery and saute until onions begin to soften.
- Add in garlic and saute for 30 seconds and then turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add in stock and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot to avoid a burn warning.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except for the salt, into the pressure cooker.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and be sure vent knob is pointed to sealed.
- Set cook time by pressing pressure cook or manual (be sure pressure is set to HIGH) and use the +/- keys to adjust the time to 45 minutes.
- It will take 10-15 minutes for pressure to be reached.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally--resist the urge to do a quick release, as the instant pot is filled with starchy liquid that may spew all over your kitchen and you risk burning yourself. It usually takes 10-20 minutes for pressure to fully release.
- Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
- Remove ham bone/ham hock and if desired, pick off meat from ham bone and stir into soup.
- Add seasoned salt to taste and enjoy!
Storing Ham and Bean Soup
This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Freeze Ham and Bean Soup, be sure to let the soup cool completely. Once cooled, place in 4-8 cup portions and place in freezer-safe bags or freezer-safe containers. Defrost slowly in the fridge overnight and heat to serve. Add a bit more stock or water to thin out the soup if it seems thick.
Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup
- Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
If you enjoyed this Ham and Bean Soup made in the Instant Pot, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon canola or olive oil
- ½ cup diced onions
- 2 stalks celery thinly, sliced
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups chicken stock or additional water
- 2 cups dried white northern beans
- 4 cups water
- 1 ham bone or smoked ham hock
- 6 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute and let heat up for a minute or two.
- Add in oil, onions, celery, and carrots and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until onions have become soft and translucent. Add in garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Turn instant pot OFF.
- Add in the chicken stock into the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of inner pot.
- Rinse the dried beans and look through beans to be sure there are no stray rocks.
- Add water, ham bone, beans, carrots, onions, celery, tomato sauce, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper to Instant Pot.
- Place lid on pressure cooker and turn vent knob to sealed. Set cook time to 45 minutes on HIGH pressure. (Hit manual/pressure cook button and then use +/- keys to adjust time to 45 minutes).
- After cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally. This can take 15-20 minutes.
- Open lid and remove ham bone, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs.
- Remove ham from bone and stir into soup along with the seasoned salt. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- In place of fresh thyme sprigs, use 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves.
- If using a bone from a Honey Baked Ham, be sure to remove any pieces of ham with glaze-or your soup will end up on the sweeter side.
- If you use soaked dried beans, decrease the water to 3 cups and cook time to 35 minutes.
- If you use canned beans, decrease the water to 2 cups and adjust cook time to 20 minutes. Decrease the seasoned salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze Ham and Bean Soup: Cool completely. Once cooled, place in 4-8 cup portions and place in freezer-safe bags or freezer-safe containers. Defrost slowly in the fridge overnight and heat to serve. Add a bit more stock or water to thin out the soup if it seems thick.
JB
I decided to try a different bean soup recipe instead of my grandmother's that I've used for over 50 yrs. I think your recipe needs some editing for health conscious people. I've always used better than bouillon reduced sodiums for years and followed recipes adding additional salt, but cut that amount by ½. Your recipe should state if using seasoned salt you may need to adjust the amount, especially if on low sodium diet. I put ½ the amount SS because ham & bone is usually salty. We were so looking forward a great tasting soup for this cold winter's day, it is so salty. I am now cooking a second batch of beans in plain water, more carrots & onions, no additional salt. I hope adding this to 1st batch I can salvage all the ham flavors, fingers crossed. My husband that adds more salt & pepper even made comment how salty it is.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi JB! I am so sorry you found this soup so salty, but I do believe it would be from using the better than bouillon, which even when reduced sodium is extremely high in sodium. Using 1/2 teaspoon of my homemade seasoned salt would only be adding in less than 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Debbie Stokes
Best Ham and Bean Soup recipe we have ever experienced. Due to our situation, we had a lot of leftover Ham so we did use diced pieces of ham along with the bone and we used Great Northern Beans rather than Navy Beans. Because the GN Beans are larger, the 45 minutes of cook time was not long enough, so we doubled it. Bottom line, it really was/is very good tasting.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you found this recipe to put that ham to use. Enjoy!
Phil
Really great recipe that I have made many times, the family loves it and it is so easy. Thanks!!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing Phil! Love hearing this is a staple!
Shelli Roldan
I'm making this right now! However, i didn't measure the broth and water..lol! I will rate and post a pic when finished! (Fingers crossed 🤞🤞)Thanks for the inspiration!😊💜✌
Janis Doyle
This is now the ONLY way I make ham bean soup!! The flavor is incredible and it’s so easy!! My whole family tells me it is better than my MIL’s and hers was the “gold standard” prior to this! ☺️
Kristen Chidsey
What a compliment! Thank you Janis for sharing!
Joanne
Delicious! I had navy beans and it turned out great. I took about a cup of beans out after it was cooked and mashed them. It made the soup a bit thicker. Will definitely make this again!
Robin
I'm so excited to try this recipe but I do have a question. I've always heard that tomatoes should be added after beans have softened because the acid binds to the beans shell and makes it harder for water to permeate them to cook them. Is this not a problem with the instant pot?
Thank You for any help you can give.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Robin. That is correct--tomatoes and salt can interfere with the cooking time. This recipe accounts for that and the cooking time allows the beans to get soft 🙂
Babs
You have been inspiring me to use my Instant Pot more and more with your recipes. This recipe for ham and bean soup became the best I’ve ever made! Great flavor even though I left out the thyme, pepper, bay leaf and salt (salty enough). The family prefers simple tastes and the taste of the ham really came through and the beans were soft with a creamy texture. I used my Easter ham bone, chopped leftover veggies from my crudités platter, and the white northern beans. Timing of 45 minutes was perfect. Quick and delicious meal! Especially since the beans didn’t need an overnight soaking. Thank you for a delicious recipe. It’s a keeper!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing my recipes are inspiring you and I am so glad you enjoyed the soup! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment.
Beth
Really delicious. Love that there is no need to pre-soak beans. (I used the dry Goya 15 beans). Used vegetable broth for fluid. Did not sauté veggies. Threw everything in the pot and waited to cut the ham off the bone. Threw it in and “bam”, about an hour later soup was ready to eat. Thanks for this recipe. The soup was ready before we finished Easter dinner!