Description
Navy bean soup brings warmth and comfort to winter meals with hearty flavors from smoky ham and tender legumes. Home cooks can easily prepare this classic American dish for a satisfying and nutritious lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried white navy beans or 3 (15 ounces) cans navy beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 ounces bacon, finely chopped (optional)
- 2.5 cups chopped ham or shredded chicken
Vegetables:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bulb fennel, chopped
- 1.5 cups chopped celery
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 4–6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 0.5-inch cubes
- 1 (14.5 ounces) can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
Liquids & Seasonings:
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.25 teaspoon pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 0.25 cup finely chopped chives
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak dried navy beans in cold water for 8-24 hours, then drain and thoroughly rinse to remove any impurities.
- In a Dutch oven, render bacon until golden and crisp. Remove bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons of rendered fat. If not using bacon, substitute with butter and olive oil.
- Sauté diced onions, fennel, celery, and carrots over medium heat until softened and translucent, approximately 8-10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Incorporate navy beans, ham or ham bone, chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add cubed potatoes to the soup and continue cooking for 30-45 minutes until beans and potatoes are tender and creamy.
- Remove ham bone, shred any meat, and return to pot. Adjust liquid consistency with additional water if needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with crispy bacon bits and freshly chopped chives. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Notes
- Soak beans overnight to reduce cooking time and improve digestibility, ensuring a smoother texture and easier absorption of nutrients.
- Render bacon fat slowly for maximum flavor infusion, creating a rich base that elevates the entire soup’s depth and complexity.
- Chop vegetables uniformly to guarantee even cooking and consistent texture throughout the soup, preventing some pieces from becoming mushy while others remain undercooked.
- Consider gluten-free options by using tamari instead of traditional seasonings and verifying broth ingredients for celiac-friendly preparation.
- Prep Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 20mg