Simple Instant Pot Ham and Navy Beans

If you ask me, a steaming bowl of ham and navy beans from the Instant Pot is pure comfort food magic.

This hearty, home-style dish takes me back to those slow-simmered beans my mom used to make, but thanks to the pressure cooker, it’s ready in a fraction of the time. Tender navy beans cook alongside chunks of smoky ham, creating a rich, flavorful broth.

The combination of aromatics – onions, carrots, and garlic – adds depth to the beans while they cook, and a touch of fresh thyme brings everything together. It’s the kind of meal that fills your kitchen with those wonderful, homey aromas.

It’s a simple, satisfying dish that’s perfect for chilly evenings, and even better the next day.

What Kind of Navy Beans Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to start with dried navy beans, which you can usually find in the bulk section or with other dried beans at your grocery store. While they might look similar to great northern beans, navy beans are smaller and cook up extra creamy, making them perfect for this hearty soup. Make sure to sort through your beans before cooking, removing any stones or damaged beans, and give them a good rinse. Though you might be tempted to use canned beans to save time, dried beans are the way to go here – they’ll hold their shape better during pressure cooking and soak up all those delicious ham flavors. If you’re buying from the bulk section, look for beans that are uniform in color without any signs of moisture or cracking.

Options for Substitutions

This cozy bean dish is pretty adaptable – here’s what you can switch up if needed:

• Navy beans: While navy beans are traditional, you can use great northern beans, small white beans, or even cannellini beans. Just keep in mind that larger beans might need a few extra minutes of cooking time.
• Ham: No ham? Try using smoked turkey, bacon, or even smoked sausage. If using bacon, cook it first and use the rendered fat instead of vegetable oil.
• Chicken stock: Vegetable stock works fine here, or you can just use water plus an extra teaspoon of salt. If you have a ham bone, throw it in for extra flavor!
• Vegetable oil: Any neutral cooking oil will work – canola, grapeseed, or even olive oil are good options.
• Crushed red pepper flakes: You can use cayenne pepper (start with ¼ teaspoon), hot sauce, or simply black pepper if you prefer less heat. Feel free to skip it altogether if you don’t like spicy food.
• Fresh vegetables: The onion, carrot, and celery base (also known as mirepoix) can be adjusted based on what you have. No celery? Double up on carrots. You can even add bell peppers or garlic for extra flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when cooking beans in an Instant Pot is skipping the salt soak – soaking your navy beans in salted water for at least 8 hours helps them cook evenly and prevents tough, chewy beans. Another common error is adding acidic ingredients like tomatoes too early in the cooking process, which can prevent the beans from softening properly – stick to the basic ingredients first and save any acidic additions for after the beans are tender. To avoid mushy vegetables, don’t add the carrots and celery at the beginning of cooking – instead, wait until the beans are almost done, then use a quick pressure release, add the veggies, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. For the most flavorful results, don’t forget to sauté the ham and onions before adding the other ingredients – this simple step creates a rich foundation of flavor that makes all the difference in your final dish.

What to Serve With Ham and Navy Beans?

This hearty bean dish calls for some simple, down-home sides that’ll make your meal complete. A pan of warm cornbread is my go-to choice – it’s perfect for soaking up all that tasty broth at the bottom of your bowl. For some green veggies, try serving a side of collard greens or a simple mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette dressing. If you want to keep things super casual, a chunk of crusty French bread or some hot buttered biscuits work great too. And don’t forget to put out some hot sauce or pepper vinegar on the table – lots of folks like to add an extra kick to their beans!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This hearty ham and bean soup is perfect for leftovers! Just put it in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge – it’ll stay good for up to 5 days. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two as everything mingles together.

Freeze: These beans freeze like a dream! Let them cool completely, then portion them into freezer-safe containers or bags. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months in the freezer. I like to freeze them in meal-sized portions for easy weeknight dinners.

Reheat: To warm up your beans, just pop them on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until they’re heated through. You can also use the microwave – just heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each. If the beans seem a bit thick after storage, add a splash of water or broth while reheating.

Preparation Time	15-30 minutes
Cooking Time	40-60 minutes
Total Time	600-780 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1400
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 40-50 g
• Carbohydrates: 160-180 g

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried navy beans
• 8 cups water
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound diced ham
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 5 cups chicken stock (either homemade or store-bought low sodium)
• 1½ teaspoon sea salt (if using homemade stock or water)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Step 1: Prepare and Soak the Navy Beans

Start by spreading the navy beans on a rimmed baking sheet.

Carefully discard any stones, dirt, or broken beans.

Rinse the cleaned beans thoroughly.

Choose your soaking method: cover the beans with 8 cups of water and add 1 tablespoon of salt.

You can either leave the beans to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight for an overnight soak, or opt for a quick soak.

Once soaked, drain the beans and discard the soaking liquid.

Step 2: Pressure Cook the Beans

Place the prepared beans into an Instant Pot or another pressure cooker along with 8 more cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt.

Pressure cook the beans at high pressure for 1 minute using the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” mode.

Allow the pressure to naturally release for a full 30 minutes.

If there’s any remaining pressure after 30 minutes, you can quick release it.

Drain the beans and discard the cooking liquid.

Step 3: Sauté the Aromatics

Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode adjusted to high, or use medium-high heat if using a stovetop pressure cooker.

Add vegetable oil to the pot and heat until shimmering, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the ham, onion, carrot, and celery, then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt.

Sauté the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, around 5 minutes.

Add in the red pepper flakes and sauté for an additional minute.

Step 4: Combine Ingredients and Cook

Pour the chicken broth into the pot.

If you’re using homemade broth or water, stir in 1½ teaspoons of salt.

Use a flat-edged wooden spoon to scrape and loosen any stuck bits from the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the drained navy beans and then place bay leaves on top.

Lock the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.

For a stovetop pressure cooker, cook for 8 minutes at high pressure.

Afterwards, let the pressure naturally release for 20-30 minutes.

If you’re pressed for time, you can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

Carefully remove the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid the hot steam.

Discard the bay leaves and stir in some freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls, serve, and enjoy your hearty navy bean dish!

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