Navy Bean Soup with Ham

Creamy navy bean soup with shredded ham in a red bowl, served with golden cornbread muffins.

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Tender white beans, smoky ham, onion, celery, and garlic simmer together in a rich, savory broth for a hearty Southern-style soup. Serve with warm cornbread muffins or spoon over rice for a comforting, homemade meal.

Cook Time3 5

Bean Soak1

Total Time4 5

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: Great Northern beans, ham and bean soup, navy bean soup, Southern comfort food, white bean soup

Servings: servings

Author: Aaron Brown

Equipment

1 Large soup pot with lid
1 Colander
1 Cutting board
1 Chef’s knife
1 Wooden spoon
1 Tongs

Ingredients

16 ounces dried navy beans or Great Northern beans
6 cups water for soaking; drain before cooking
1 ham bone
1-3 pounds ham shank
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock plus more as needed to cover the meat
1 medium yellow onion chopped
2 celery stalks split lengthwise and chopped
2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke optional

Instructions

Sort the dried beans, removing stones and damaged beans. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, turn off the heat, add the beans, cover, and soak for 1 hour.
Drain the soaking water and rinse the beans. Transfer the beans to a soup pot.
Add celery and onion, then some chicken broth. Add the smashed garlic, black pepper, thyme, parsley, and optional 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke.
Add the ham bone and ham shank. Pour in enough broth to cover the meat completely, starting with 8 cups available and adding more as needed.
Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 3 hours, until the beans are tender and the meat pulls easily from the bone. Stir gently as needed.
Carefully remove the bones and meat. Discard bones and unwanted unrendered fat. Shred the meat, check for bone fragments, and gently return the meat to the pot.
Serve in bowls with cornbread muffins or spoon over cooked rice.

Video

Notes

Beans: AB uses Great Northern beans in the video; dried navy beans also work.
Ham: Use 1 ham bone plus 1–3 pounds ham shank. The exact shank weight used in the video is not specified. Remove bones and unwanted fat before returning the meat to the soup.
Broth: Start with 8 cups available and add more as needed to cover the meat. The final amount depends on the pot and the size of the ham.
Seasoning: Taste before adding salt because the ham contributes salt. Liquid smoke is optional; use 1/2 teaspoon if desired.

Nutrition