Navy Bean Soup

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This Navy Bean Soup delivers unbeatable flavor, expert technique, and foolproof results that has readers raving: “Wonderful!” “Best navy bean soup I’ve tasted,” “Fragrant and delicious!” “…Will go to the top of my soup list. My husband and son couldn’t get enough of it.”

Unlike bland or watery versions, this recipe creates a deeply flavorful broth layered with aromatics and herbs (+ my secret ingredient!), while slow-simmering creates a naturally thick and velvety texture. Follow along for expert tips on how to use dried or canned navy beans, ham or chicken + bacon, cook on the stove or slow cooker, and more!

PIN THIS RECIPE TO SAVE FOR LATER

up close of a bowl of easy navy bean and ham soup with bacon

Recipe for Navy Bean Soup

I’ve experimented with different cooking techniques, ingredients, ingredient ratios, etc., to bring you the ultimate tried-and-true recipe! Here’s why you’ll love it:

Infused with layers of aromatics: Sautéed onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and my secret ingredient—FENNEL!—builds a deep flavor base before the slow simmering begins.
Perfectly seasoned with a blend of herbs: In addition to aromatics, herbs, ground mustard, and paprika round out the tapestry of YUM.
Easy and slow-simmered for richness: A hands-off, low-and-slow cooking method allows the broth to absorb the smoky, meaty, and herby goodness over time for unparalleled complex flavor.
Deep, smoky flavor from ham or chicken: Choose between a meat ham bone, deli ham, or chicken + bacon for a rich, comforting soup with whatever you have on hand.
Perfectly textured: The navy beans break down slightly while cooking, becoming delightfully creamy, while the potatoes and veggies soften without becoming mushing thanks to soaking the beans, using the correct potatoes, and chopping the veggies as prescribed.

Navy Bean Soup Recipe Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

NAVY BEANS! You can use dried beans for their more creamy, pure bean flavor without becoming mushy, or use canned beans if you’re in a hurry. I’ve detailed them both below.
Ham: If using ham, you can use the leftover meaty ham bone from your Easter or Christmas ham (YAY for leftovers) or visit the deli and ask for ½ pound ham sliced into 1/4″ slices, then cut them the other direction to make cubed ham.
Chicken: I also LOVE this Navy Bean with chicken and bacon instead of ham. I usually use shredded rotisserie chicken but you can also use 1 pound uncooked chicken breasts or thighs.
Bacon: Use thick cut bacon for its meaty texture. I added bacon because I used chicken this particular go around, but you can skip it if you choose to use ham. But then again, bacon makes everything better! You will also use the bacon grease for its fabulous flavor instead of butter or olive oil.
Onion: One large yellow onion will do the trick!
Garlic: Use more or less depending on your garlic love.
Fennel: If you’ve never cooked with fennel, please don’t be intimidated. Your should be able to find it in the produce section of your grocery store, if not, specialty produce stores such as Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc. definitely have it. You will purchase the whole fennel but we are going to use just the bulb, so chop off the fennel stalks at their base where they join the bulb.
Celery and carrots: Chop the celery and carrots into about 1/4-1/2″ pieces. You can purchase pre-chopped carrots and celery if you would like to save time or chop them beforehand.
Potatoes: Use Yukon Gold potatoes for their soft, buttery flavor. Yukon Gold potatoes are waxy, so they retain their shape and don’t fall apart when cooked for prolonged periods of time, as opposed to Russet potatoes, which will fall apart and become mealy-tasting when overcooked.
Chicken broth: Use REDUCED SODIUM or your soup will be way too salty if you choose to add ham. You may use vegetable broth as well but chicken broth has more flavor.
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes are NOT spicy – the fire simply means they have been roasted. This gives them a delightful smokiness and more complex, less tangy flavor than traditional diced tomatoes.
If you can’t find fire-roasted diced tomatoes, then traditional diced tomatoes work just fine.

a spoon in white sup pot of old fashioned navy bean soup

WHAT SEASONINGS FOR NAVY BEAN SOUP?

Navy Bean Soup needs seasonings to come alive and not taste like a salty, one-note soup. After all, we are going for the BEST Navy Bean Soup here!
For the rich, multi-dimensional flavor, we need help from aromatic spices and herbs.

Aromatics: Onions, garlic, and fennel sweat together to create a complex flavor base. The fennel imparts a subtle, sweet, bright, herby, slightly tangy flavor. Please don’t skip the fennel—it is one of my favorite flavors of this Ham and Bean Soup!
Spices: We add smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, pepper, and ground mustard to enliven the soup with their kickin’ flavors. The smoked paprika also adds a slight smokiness. I don’t think the red pepper flakes make the soup spicy, but you can add them to taste.
Salt: Ham can be very salty, so I have not included salt in the recipe, but everything needs salt to taste flavorful. I advise making the recipe without salt and salting to taste at the very end. Depending on your protein, you may need up to 1 teaspoon salt. Use a little at a time and proceed with caution.
Herbs: Dried parsley, basil, oregano, and thyme impart glorious earthiness. The fresh chives added to thesoup at the very end brighten the soup with their delicate onion-garlic flavor.

side far away view of a big pot of old fashioned navy bean and ham soup with bacon

How to make Navy Bean Soup

The EASIEST way to make this Navy Bean Soup is in the slow cooker! This is a great option because you don’t have to spend any time over the stove sautéing your veggies—just cooking bacon if that’s your thing—and bacon is always my thing.

Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

1. Soak the beans and add them to the slow cooker along with chicken broth, water, broth, onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, fennel, garlic, bay leaf, and all seasonings, as well as whatever protein you decide to use.
2. Give everything a good stir and cook until the beans are tender. This is about 5 hours on high or 7-9 hours on low. You’ll know your Navy Bean and Ham Soup is done when the beans and vegetables are tender.
NOTE: Every slow cooker is different, so always check your recipe on the early side of the time window when making it for the first time and allow some wiggle room.
I don’t think you can make a recipe for the first time when you need it done by a specific time. I had 13 crockpots cooking in my home for a dinner function, and everyone was done at different times! The moral of the story is that there is no hard line here. Make the soup and see what timing works for you.

Meal Prep

This Navy Bean Soup is mostly dump and simmer, but it does require some planning and chopping if using dried beans. To save you time, you can prep the following ahead of time:

•Soak Beans: Dried beans need at least 8 hours to soak. You can start them soaking the night before or first thing in the morning. If you forget to soak your beans, however, use the rapid soak method described.
•Protein:  If you choose hambone, rinse and scrape off fat; for chopped ham, chop your slices; for shredded chicken, separate it from the rotisserie chicken; for bacon, cook and chop.
•Chop Veggies:  Chop your onions, fennel, garlic, and carrots ahead and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also chop your potatoes and store them submerged in a bowl of water in the refrigerator or else they will turn brown.
•Store-Bought Mirepoix: (Pronounced “meer-wah”) is a French term for the combination of diced carrots, onions, and celery sautéed in butter/olive oil. You can buy mirepoix by the jar and keep it in your refrigerator for dinner shortcuts. I believe Trader Joe’s carries a good Mirepoix blend.
•Spices:  Measuring the spices doesn’t take long, but you can certainly do it beforehand and store the mix in an airtight bag or container.

top view of navy bean soup in a white pot

Navy Beans Soup Variations

Do I have to use ham? Nope! You can use chicken and bacon or just chicken or mix it up with turkey, smoked sausage, Italian sausage or ground beef!
Can I use different beans? Well, it won’t be Navy Bean Soup without navy beans, but this soup will still work with other beans or a mixture of a few.
Can I make it vegetarian? Absolutely! I would suggest adding some liquid smoke to give it a smoky depth. I would also add additional vegetables.
Can I use different vegetables? I would keep with the magic mirepoix trio of carrots, celery, and onions, but beyond that, use your imagination! You try sweet potatoes, zucchini, corn, mushrooms, green beans, peas, spinach, etc.
Can I use freezer veggies? For an easy shortcut, you can use frozen vegetable medleys and add to the soup with the potatoes. No need to thaw.
Can I add rice? Yes! Add 1 cup long-grain white rice (I recommend basmati for the best texture) during the last 10-12 minutes of cooking (it must be simmered on the stove). You will need to add additional broth to accommodate the rice. You may also stir in any cooked rice at the end of cooking.
Can I add pasta? Certainly! Add short pasta noodles to the pot while simmering on the stove the last 10 minute or so. Again, add additional broth to the Dutch oven as needed to compensate for the pasta.

up close of a bowl of easy navy bean and ham soup with potatoes

Best Navy Bean Soup Recipe Tips

How do I thicken Navy Bean Soup? The soup should be quite thick after simmering but if you would like it even thicker:
Mash some of the beans and potatoes directly in the soup pot
Or make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup beef broth or water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Whisk it into the soup and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Consistency: This soup is on the thick side—just how I like it, but if you would like it less “chunky” simply add additional water to thin to desired consistency at the end of cooking.
Can I half this recipe? Absolutely! This recipe makes quite a lot of soup so feel free to halve it to meet your needs.
Is Navy Bean Soup gluten free? Yes! We are not using any flour, pasta, etc. so as long as your leftover ham is gluten free (the glaze), then your entire soup will be gluten free.
Can I make it ahead of time? Yes! The soup only tastes better the next day as the flavors have time to build so this soup is a fantastic make and reheat option.

Using Canned Beans

You can make this Navy Bean Soup with canned beans—and it will take you less than 30 minutes! Here are a few things to look out for:

You will need three (15 oz.) cans of navy beans. They are often labeled “white beans” at the store.
If you can’t find navy beans, you can use your favorite beans, such as cannellini beans, great Northern, pinto, etc., or a mix.
Rinse the beans very well to remove excess salt.
You will not need to add water to the recipe because the canned beans will not absorb water like dried beans.

Cooking with Ham Bone

Transforming Navy Bean Soup into Navy Bean and Ham Soup is a fantastic way to reinvent the holiday favorite. Here are a few things to look out for when cooking soup with hambone:

Start with a meaty hambone. The meat left on the bone will be all that’s left once you remove the bone so don’t trim it too much before using.
Remove fat: You will want to scrape off excess fat so your soup isn’t swimming in grease or so no one bites into an unappetizing chewy piece of fat.
Rinse hambone. If you’re using an Easter ham, it is likely coated in a sweet glaze. It is essential to rinse the hambone to remove any glaze, leaving you with pure ham flavor.
salt: ham can be incredibly salty. Rinsing off the salt allows you to salt to taste instead of of your soup being too salty.

Serving Suggestions

This Navy Bean Soup is hearty and comforting full of protein, carbs and veggies, so it doesn’t need much as far as sides go. I love serving it with crusty bread, dinner rolls, or cornbread along with big green salad, or wedge salad ,and fruit salad.

a big white pot of navy bean soup with canned beans

NAVY BEAN SOUP STORAGE

Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

How to Freeze Navy Bean Soup

The potatoes in this soup do not freeze well. They break down and become unpleasant, mealy. So, if you are planning on freezing this soup, I would omit the potatoes.

TO FREEZE:

1. Cool: Allow soup to cool completely before freezing to preserve the integrity of the ingredients and to prevent bacteria growth.
2. Package: Transfer soup to an airtight freezer safe container or freezer bag. You can even use sandwich size plastic bags for individual soup portions. Squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn and label.
3. Freeze. Freeze soup for up to 3 months.
4. Thaw/Reheat. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave, crockpot, or stove according to thebelow instructions.

To Reheat:

You will likely need to add additional water or broth in every method to thin soup:

• Crockpot: Heat on low for 1-2 hours.
• Stove: Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed (heated to 165 degrees F).
• Microwave: Transfer soup to a microwave-safe dish and cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel. Microwave for 90 seconds, stir, then microwave for 15-second intervals, if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHY MAKE NAVY BEAN SOUP WITH DRIED BEANS?

You can make Navy Bean Soup with dried beans or canned beans, but if you have the option – go for dried!
• Dried navy beans have a better texture. They emerge wonderfully creamy without becoming mushy, falling apart or losing their skins.
• Dried navy beans boast a more authentic, pure flavor because they haven’t been sitting in cans for months.
• Dried beans absorb the soup liquid as they cook so they become flavorful through and through.
• Dried navy beans are more economical.
• Dried navy beans reduces sodium.

HOW DO YOU SOAK NAVY BEANS FOR SOUP?

The method and ingredients for making Navy Bean Soup with dried beans is similar to canned beans. The main difference is you need to soak the dried beans and they take longer to cook. Here is how to soak dried navy beans:
• Pick through beans: make sure you give the beans a good comb through to remove any pebbles or rocks.
• Soak navy beans: dried beans should be soaked in about 3 inches of water for 8-24 hours.
• Rapid soak: if you don’t have time to soak your beans for hours, or simply forgot, you can use the rapid soak method which cuts the soaking time down to one hour. To do this, add dried beans to a large saucepan and cover with with triple their volume of cold water. Bring to a boil then set your timer for 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, cover, and proceed to let the beans soak in the same pan for one hour.
• Rinse beans: after the beans have soaked, give them a good rinse in fresh water.
• Add water: we need to add additional water to the soup when using dried beans because they will soak up water as they cook as opposed to canned beans.

up close of a spoonful of navy bean soup with canned beans

LOOKING FOR MORE SOUP RECIPES WITH BEANS?

Creamy Ham and White Bean Tortellini Soup
White Chicken Lasagna Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Italian Vegetable Soup
BBQ Chicken Chili
White Chicken Chili
Minestrone Soup

WANT TO TRY THIS NAvy Bean Soup RECIPE?

PIN IT to your recipe BOARD TO SAVE FOR LATER!

FIND ME ON PINTEREST FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES! I AM ALWAYS PINNING :)!

©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Best Navy Bean Soup Recipe

This Navy Bean Soup recipe is hearty, comforting and the best way to use up leftover ham! It can be made with hambone, chopped ham or even shredded chicken and bacon (like pictured here). It is loaded with navy beans, ham (or chicken), potatoes, carrots, celery, fennel, onions, garlic and chives for complex, rich, satisfying spoonfuls. This Navy Bean and Ham Soup can be made with dried navy beans or canned navy beans and it can be made on the stove or in the crockpot – I’ve included directions for both; now there is no reason not to enjoy this wonderfully savory, smoky, salty Navy Bean and Ham Soup recipe!

Servings: -10

Total Time: 2 15

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 2

Save This Recipe To Your Recipe Box

You can now create an account on our site and save your favorite recipes all in one place!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. dried white navy beans OR 3 (15 oz.) cans navy beans, rinsed and drained
8 oz. bacon, finely chopped optional (recommend if using chicken)
1 large onion chopped
1 bulb of fennel chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
3 carrots chopped
4-6 garlic cloves minced
1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups Yukon gold potatoes chopped into 1/2” cubes
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
water in directions
1 tsp EACH ground (dried) mustard, dried parsley
1/2 tsp EACH dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika
1/4 tsp EACH pepper, red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 meaty ham bone OR 2 ½ cups chopped ham or shredded chicken
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
salt to taste will depend on if using salty ham or chicken

Instructions

DIRECTIONS FOR NAVY BEAN SOUP WITH DRIED BEANS

Add dried beans to a large bowl cover with three inches of water. Soak the beans 8-24 hours (easiest to do overnight). When ready to use, drain beans in a colander, rinse and remove any debris.
Optional: Heat a large Dutch oven/soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, approximately 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pot.
If not using bacon, melt 1 tablespoon butter with one tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven/soup pot over medium heat.
Add onions, fennel, celery and carrots and cook at medium-low until translucent and tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes (we are sweating the vegetables- they will not turn golden). Increase heat to medium high and add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Reduce heat to low and add beans, hambone or chicken/ham, chicken broth, 2 cups of water, diced tomatoes and all seasonings. Bring the soup to a full boil then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 60 minutes, removing the lid to stir and replacing it occasionally.
After 60 minutes, add potatoes and continue to gently simmer, covered, for an additional 30-60 minutes or until beans and potatoes are tender. Add additional water if it evaporates too much.
Once tender, if using a hambone, remove it from the soup and chop off any ham and add the meat back to the soup.
Add additional water to reach desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt to taste (this will depend on how salty your ham is). If using chicken, you will definitely want to add salt. Top with bacon and chives.

DIRECTIONS FOR NAVY SOUP WITH CANNED BEANS

Optional: Heat a large Dutch oven/soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, approximately 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pot.
If not using bacon, melt 1 tablespoon butter with one tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven/soup pot over medium heat.
Add onions, fennel, celery and carrots and cook at medium-low until translucent and tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes (we are sweating the vegetables- they will not turn golden). Increase heat to medium high and add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Reduce heat to low and add hambone or chicken/ham, chicken broth, potatoes, diced tomatoes and all seasonings. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add canned beans and heat through.
Meanwhile, if using a hambone, remove it from the soup and chop off any ham and add the meat back to the soup.
Add additional water to reach desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt to taste (this will depend on how salty your ham is). If using chicken, you will definitely want to add salt. Top with bacon and chives.

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS

Add dried beans to a large bowl cover with three inches of water. Soak the beans 8-24 hours (easiest to do overnight). When ready to use, drain beans in a colander, rinse and remove any debris.
Add beans and all ingredients EXCEPT bacon to a 6-quart slow cooker including 2 cups of water; stir to combine.
Cover and cook on HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 7 to 9 hours or until beans are tender.
If using a hambone, remove it from the soup and chop off any ham and add the meat back to the soup.
Optional: Meanwhile, cook bacon until crispy, approximately 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
Add additional water to reach desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt to taste (this will depend on how salty your ham is). If using chicken, you will definitely want to add salt. Top with bacon and chives.

Notes

Tips for Using Hambone:

Start with a meaty hambone. The meat left on the bone will be all that’s left once you remove the bone so don’t trim it too much before using.
Remove fat: You will want to scrape off excess fat so your soup isn’t greasy and so no one bites into an unappetizing chewy piece of fat.
Rinse hambone. It is important to rinse the hambone to remove:
- glaze: If you’re using an Easter ham, it likely coated in a sweet glaze. You want to rinse the glaze off so you’re left with pure ham flavor.
- salt: ham can be incredibly salty. Rinsing off the salt allows you to salt to taste instead of of your soup being too salty.

How to Soak Dried Navy Beans

Pick through beans: make sure you give the beans a good comb through to remove any pebbles or rocks.
Soak navy beans: dried beans should be soaked in about 3 inches of water for 8-24 hours.
Rapid soak: if you don’t have time to soak your beans for hours, or simply forgot, you can use the rapid soak method which cuts the soaking time down to one hour. To do this, add dried beans to a large saucepan and cover with with triple their volume of cold water. Bring to a boil then set your timer for 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, cover, and proceed to let the beans soak in the same pan for one hour.
Rinse beans: after the beans have soaked, give them a good rinse in fresh water.
Add water: we need to add additional water to the soup when using dried beans because they will soak up water as they cook as opposed to canned beans.

Fennel: I am a huge fennel fan and love it in this Navy Bean Soup. If you’ve never cooked with fennel, please don’t be intimidated. Your should be able to find it in the produce section of your grocery store, if not, specialty produce stores such as Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc. definitely have it. You will purchase the whole fennel but we are going to use just the bulb, so chop off the fennel stalks at their base where they join the bulb.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs

Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!

leave a review Cancel reply

26 Comments

Nicole says

at

I made your Brown Sugar Ham again for Easter and it was wonderful! Now I know just what to do with the leftovers. Thank you for all the wonderful details. Your recipes never disappoint!

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Thanks Nicole! I’m so pleased you loved the ham and now it will keep giving with this Navy Bean Soup! I hope you love it as much as us!
  
  Reply
Vivian says

at

I would like to make this wonderful-sounding soup in my Instant Pot…any ideas?

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Sorry Vivian, I am not a instant pot expert yet – working on it!
  
  Reply
Lauren says

at

I love the detailed explanations of your recipes! My leftover Easter ham needed to be used and I was tired of ham sandwiches. I went with the crockpot method and the house smelled wonderful. Fortunately, the soup tasted as good as it smelled! Followed your instructions and everything turned out great. Thank you!

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Thank you so much for your kind words Lauren! I’m thrilled this Navy Bean Soup was a winner!
  
  Reply
Jenna says

at

I have made so many of your recipes, and they have all turned out fabulous…except this one! I made it last night using the slow cooker method – it cooked on high for probably 7-ish hours, the beans were crunchy, and it did not have much flavor, all we could taste was the thyme. I don’t know if I did something wrong, or what happened! HELP!

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Hi Jenna, I’m not sure what happened! I have been working my way through a backlog of comments and see yours somehow got lost in the mix! I appreciate you and hope you’re well! I’m sorry the soup didn’t work for you. I hope you found some other recipes to enjoy!
  
  Reply
Eileen says

at

I made this today using smoked kielbasa and canned navy beans in my crock pot. Followed your recipe exactly except did not have any fennel. Even so, the soup is very fragrant and delicious! Best navy bean soup I’ve tasted. Thank you.

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  I’m thrilled this is the best Navy Bean Soup you ever tasted! Thanks so much Eileen!
  
  Reply
Monica says

at

If using a crockpot, do I have to soak the beans ahead of time?
In one part of the description it says if I use a crockpot, I don’t need to and then in another part it says I do. Would you mind clarifying?

Thank you so much

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Hi Monica, I originally stated dried beans didn’t need to be soaked for the crockpot but I had a reader end up with crunchy beans (no!) so I have since changed the instructions to state dried beans should be soaked prior to using in the crockpot. Sorry for the confusion!
  
  Reply
  - Staci says
    
    at
    
    I have always made your recipe in the slow cooker without soaking the beans and it came out delicious and perfect every time. This is my favorite comfort food recipe that we eat with crusty garlic bread. Is it possible that you still have the no soak option recipe instructions? It made things so much easier. I also used my instapot on slow cook mode when making it.
    
    Reply
    - Jen says
      
      at
      
      Hi Staci, I removed that option because a reader said their beans came out crunchy without soaking first – I’m happy you didn’t have that problem. You can just skip the soaking and proceed with the recipe.
      
      Reply
Ann says

at

This soup was excellent and will go to the top of my soup list. My husband and son couldn’t get enough of it. Thanks!

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Thank you for your awesome comment Ann, I’m thrilled it’s a new favorite!
  
  Reply
Jennette Spader says

at

I made this soup with just ham for meat, using 3 cups ham broth and 3 cups water. I omitted the canned tomatoes. It was delicious. I also served it over mashed potatoes instead of adding potatoes at the last hour. I’m looking forward to making this again with shredded chicken and bacon and tomatoes next time. This recipe is great, has a good amount of wiggle room for customization.

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Thanks so much for your awesome review Jenette, I’m so pleased it was a winner! I love your idea of serving it over mashed potatoes – yum!
  
  Reply
Stephanie says

at

Wow this was a delicious navy bean soup & more flavorful with the range of ingredients/spices used! Had everything on hand except the fennel, made this in a slow cooker using un-soaked dried beans and they were cooked perfectly tender in 4 1/2-5 hrs and all the veggies still held their shape as well. I did add 2 cups of water half way thru (in addition to the original 6 cups broth) because the beans needed it. Scrumptious, hearty soup perfect for a winter day and a definite do-over. Thank you!

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Thanks Stephanie, I’m so pleased this navy soup was a winner! It’s definitely cozy soup weather!
  
  Reply
Jim says

at

I have tried the bean ,ham soup
OUTRAGEOUS to my taste i
LOVE it
Thank You

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  You’re so welcome Jim, so pleased you loved it!
  
  Reply
Dayna says

at

Made this last night with a few changes. Didn’t have a fennel bulb so I used crushed fennel seed. I also used hot Italian sausage and omitted the tomatoes. Turned out fabulous. Thank you so much for the recipe. Definitely a keeper.

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  I am so happy it’s a keeper! Your addition of the hot Italian sausage sounds delicious! Thank you for taking the time to comment Dayna!
  
  Reply
Mike in Texas says

at

It’s delicious! But spicy! Great for me, but too spicy for our family. We made it a second time without the red pepper flakes and it was perfect. We use 2 lbs smoked ham hocks and remove the skin before adding to the pot. Then remove meat from the bone, dice, and add back to the pot when adding the potatoes. And we added a bit of corn starch to thicken it up.

Reply
- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Hi Mike! I’m so glad that you were willing to try it again with your spice adjustments and that you all loved it! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with this dish!
  
  Reply