This delicious, hearty navy bean soup it’s cheap and easy to make, plus leftovers are even better the next day! Cook it on the stove or in your Instant sweat or slow cooker.
There’s a chill in the air this week, putting me in soup mode. It also makes me want to curl up with a book under a cozy duvet while dinner simmers in kitchen mode – ya feel me? This navy bean soup is perfect for cold weather and uses staples like canned beans and stock. (This 16 Bean soup and Macaroni grains have similar vibrations.)
Why I love this bean soup recipe
- Delicious bacon. Bacon makes everything better and adds a lot of flavor to this navy bean soup. If you don’t eat pork, turkey bacon would be great here too.
- Three cooking options. Make this soup on the stovetop, cook it low and slow in your crockpot, or speed things up in your Instant Pot. I have directions for all three methods in the recipe card below!
- Hearty and filling. The fiber and protein in the beans help fill up this soup so you won’t be hungry later!
What will you need?
The ingredient list for this recipe is short and sweet! Scroll down to the recipe card below for accurate measurements.
- Nfrom beans – Using canned beans instead of dried means this soup cooks quickly.
- Bacon – I use center cut bacon. As mentioned above, you can substitute turkey bacon if you like.
- Onion, carrot and celery – A classic trio used to make aromatic soups.
- Tomato puree – I love the addition of tomato puree to add depth to the stock.
- Chicken broth – Use reduced sodium broth so you can season the soup to your liking.
- Bay leaves and rosemary – They add flavor to the bean soup as it simmers.
- Border the spinach – An easy way to add some nutrients to the soup as it doesn’t need to be cooked and it wilts into the soup at the end of the cooking time.
How to make bean soup
See recipe card below for printing instructions. There you will also find the instructions for making this soup in your slow cooker or Instant Pot.
- Mix the beans and water. Add a can of beans and a cup of water to your blender and process until smooth.
- Crisp the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large pot, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Boil the vegetables. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot and cook in the bacon drippings until soft.
- Let it simmer. Stir in the tomato puree, then add the mashed beans, whole beans, stock and herbs. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let it simmer for 25 minutes.
- Puree. Transfer 2 cups of soup to your blender and puree. Stir this back into the soup.
- Finish. Stir the spinach into a pot of soup. Once wilted, divide the soup into bowls and top each with the cooked bacon.
Tips and variations
- Don’t miss the pass. To thicken the soup, I pureed 1 can of beans with water before cooking, then once cooked, pureed 2 cups of the cooked soup and mixed it all together, leaving the rest a bit lumpy. This really makes this soup hearty!
- Use an immersion blender. If you like, you can use an immersion blender to puree the navy bean soup a bit instead of transferring 2 cups of soup to the blender at the end of the cooking time.
- Try another bean. This recipe will work well with a variety of canned beans. Cannellini beans or Great Northern beans would be excellent.
Proper storage
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover bean soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can stir the bacon into the soup, store it separately, or cook fresh bacon just before reheating the soup.
- Freezer: Freeze this soup for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat it according to the instructions below.
- To reheat: Heat the soup in a pan on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave.
More classic soup recipes
Production: 6 Portions
Serving Size: 1 1/3 cups
Instant sweat
-
In a blender, mix 1 can of beans with 1 cup of water.
-
Press the Sauté button, then cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside on paper towels.
-
Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, then add the mashed beans, broad beans, stock, rosemary and bay leaves.
-
Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release, remove the rosemary and bay leaves. Place 2 cups of the soup in the blender and puree to thicken, then add back to the soup along with the spinach and blend until soft. To serve, divide into 6 bowls and top with bacon.
Stove top
-
In a blender, mix 1 can of beans with 1 cup of water.
-
Fry the bacon in a large pot until crisp. Set aside on paper towels.
-
Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, then add the mashed beans, broad beans, stock, rosemary and bay leaves.
-
Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low until the beans and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Place 2 cups of the soup in the blender and puree to thicken, then add back to the soup along with the spinach and blend until soft. To serve, divide into 6 bowls and top with bacon.
Slow cooker
-
In a blender, mix 1 can of beans with 1 cup of water.
-
Fry the bacon in a pan until crispy. Set aside on paper towels.
-
Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker with the tomato purée, mashed beans, canned beans, stock, rosemary and bay leaves.
-
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the rosemary and bay leaves. Place 2 cups of the soup in the blender and puree to thicken, then add back to the soup along with the spinach and blend until soft, adjust salt to taste. To serve, spoon into 6 bowls and top with bacon.
Last step:
please leave a rating and comment let us know how you like this recipe! This helps our business thrive and continue to provide free, high-quality recipes for you.
Serving: 1 1/3 cups, Calories: 211 kcal, Carbohydrates: 39 g, Protein: 15 g, fats: 1.5 g, Saturated fats: 0.5 g, Cholesterol: 2 mg, sodium: 1150 mg, Fibers: 12 g, sugar: 4 g
