Cooking navy beans in a crock pot will make it easy for you to serve a thick and hearty soup for dinner, a casual dinner with friends, or a quick make-ahead meal for a busy day.
It’s a fail-proof recipe that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Our Family’s Favorite Crock Pot Navy Beans Soup
Raising six kids on a tight grocery budget, beans have always been on my list of easy, fill-up-the-teenagers meals. This classic navy bean soup was on the menu several times during the winter.
It always seemed perfect to make our first pot full of beans around Thanksgiving, when we had the treat of a spiral ham. The leftover holiday ham was used to make this big pot of soup.
The little bits of ham and the thick broth were a welcome winter time meal. When serving this slow cooker navy bean soup a big chunk of homemade cornbread and freshly diced onions on top was our favorite way to enjoy this soup.
Such a simple recipe and a very tasty pot of beans, I served southern style with a pan of cornbread.
— Deborah P.
✝️ Biblical Reflections Table Talk:
Cooking navy beans in a crock pot is a slow, nourishing process that transforms simple ingredients into a hearty meal. This process reminds us of how God nourishes our souls, often through patience and time. In John 6:35, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Just as these beans slowly absorb flavors and become tender, our faith grows as we patiently wait on God’s provision and care. As you prepare and enjoy this meal, consider how God is nourishing your soul and how you can offer that same spiritual nourishment to others through your hospitality and service.
Ingredients Needed Navy Beans In Crock Pot
This navy bean soup in the crock-pot calls for only a few simple ingredients that you might already have in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dried navy beans: You can find these at your local grocery store in the dry beans aisle. You can also use Great Northern beans or cannellini beans if you can’t find them.
- Diced onion: You can use any onion that you have on hand. I like to use yellow onion, but white or red onion would work fine.
- Celery: Celery adds a hint of fresh flavor, but feel free to omit it if you’re not a fan.
- Garlic: For the best flavor, use fresh minced garlic.
- Chicken stock: Choose your favorite brand of chicken stock or chicken broth.
- Spices: You will only need a few pantry staple spices, dried thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and sea salt.
- Ham: When I make navy bean soup I normally use left over ham pieces; however, I also make the beans with leftover ham bone from a spiral ham, or a ham hock. The ham and bean soup is always fantastic!
📝 Note: You can find the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
How To Cook Navy Beans In A Crock Pot
Do I need to soften the beans before cooking?
No, navy beans do not need to be softened by soaking them before cooking. However, rehydrating them will help them cook faster and make them more digestible if you have the time.
- Overnight soak: To soak navy beans overnight before using them in a slow cooker, simply place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover them with water. Allow them to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. This process helps to soften the beans and reduce cooking time. If you choose to soak them, be sure to drain and rinse them before adding them to the slow cooker.
- Preboiling: To save time you can preboil the navy beans for 15 minutes before cooking them in the crock pot. This helps to remove some of the indigestible sugars that can cause digestive discomfort. You know the saying, beans beans the more you eat them……. It also helps to jumpstart the cooking process, resulting in softer beans in a shorter amount of time in the crockpot.
Step-By-Step Instructions For Easy Crockpot Navy Beans
Making this crock pot navy beans recipe is easy! Simply add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and let it do the work for you. Here’s how to make it.
Prep Navy Beans
- Boil the dried navy beans for 15 minutes (skip this step if you did an overnight soak).
- While boiling, prep the onions, celery, and garlic.
- Drain the beans, checking for bad beans or debris, and then pour them into a crock pot.
Add Seasonings
- Place the seasonings into the crockpot with the beans.
Cook The Beans
- Pour the vegetable broth into the crockpot and stir everything.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 8 hours or on the high setting for 5-6 hours, or until the beans are soft.
How do you know when navy beans are done?
Navy beans are done cooking when they are soft and can be easily pierced with a fork. If the beans are not quite ready, continue cooking them until they reach the desired consistency.
Why are my navy beans not getting soft?
There are a few reasons why your navy beans might not get soft. One possibility is that the beans are too old and have gone bad. Another possibility is that you’re not using enough water or broth. You will not have very soft beans if you do not cook with enough liquid.
If you are using old beans or do not have enough liquid, try buying a bag of fresh, dried beans and adding more liquid. This should help them to soften up. You may also need to cook the beans for longer than the recipe states if they are particularly stubborn.
How To Make Creamy Navy Bean Soup
- This step is optional if you want a creamy bowl of navy bean soup. When cooked, remove ⅓ of the bean mixture to a pan. Use an immersion blender to cream the beans.
- Add the creamed beans back to the rest of the mixture and stir.
Variation Options
This Crockpot navy beans recipe is very versatile. Here are a few ideas for how you can change it up:
- Bone broth: Use chicken bone broth vs regular chicken stock.
- Add other vegetables: Feel free to add additional diced vegetables, such as carrots, celery, or potatoes.
- Change up the spices: If you want to change up the flavor of these beans, try adding different spices as cumin.
- Use a different type of bean: If you can’t find dried navy beans, you can also use Great Northern beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans.
- Use Ham hock, meaty ham bone, ham shank, or leftover ham: This will add flavor and depth of flavor to your beans. If you don’t have any ham on hand, you can also use a smoked turkey leg or some slices of bacon.
Navy Beans For A Crowd
If you are feeding a big crowd or taking these navy beans to a potluck, then here is a suggestion on how many cups of cooked navy beans you will need per person.
Making this navy bean soup is a great way to feed a crowd. It’s economical and a filling, delicious dinner. On average, you can figure a serving is 1 cup of cooked beans per person.
1 pound of dried beans = 3 cups of dried beans = 6 – 7 cups of cooked beans.
What To Do With Leftovers
This recipe for slow cooker navy beans makes a lot of servings. If you have leftovers here are some tips for keeping them fresh and ready for another great meal.
Storing Navy Bean Soup in the Fridge
- Allow the navy bean soup to cool to room temperature. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than two hours to prevent bacterial growth.
- Use an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag to store the soup. Ensure it’s properly sealed to prevent odors from permeating the soup.
- Label the container with the date when the soup was made. This helps you keep track of its freshness.
- Store the soup in the refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C). Navy beans can be stored for 3 to 4 days.
Storing Navy Bean Soup in the Freezer
- If you want to store the navy bean soup in the freezer for a longer period, make sure it has cooled down to room temperature.
- Use a container suitable for freezing, leaving some headspace to allow for expansion as the soup freezes.
- If using a resealable plastic bag, remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
- Label the container with the date and contents for easy identification.
- The beans can be frozen for 2 to 3 months. After this period, the quality may start to deteriorate, but it will remain safe to eat for a longer time.
Storage Tips
- If you have a large batch of soup, consider dividing it into smaller portions before freezing. This way, you can thaw and reheat only what you need, reducing waste.
- For longer storage, you can use a vacuum sealer for airtight packaging in the freezer. This helps preserve the quality for an extended period.
I Want To Answer Your Questions & Hear Your Comments
Do you have a question about this recipe❓ I will answer in the comment form below👇🏼 the recipe card. Did you make this recipe? If so, could you be a gem and leave a comment and rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below? This helps others find yummy 😋 recipes to make for their family and friends.
How To Cook Navy Beans In A Crockpot
Note: Be sure to read through the recipe’s post for tips and details about this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound navy beans, dried
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion , diced into small pieces
- 4 stalks of celery , chopped into small pieces
- 1 ham hock
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Rinse dried beans and pick out any bad beans or debris. Place dried navy beans in a pan of boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes.1 pound navy beans
- While boiling beans, chop onions, celery, garlic1 medium onion, 4 stalks of celery, 4 cloves garlic minced
- Drain beans. Check for any bad beans or debris.
- Put all ingredients in the crockpot.1 ham hock, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1½ teaspoon sea salt, 6 cups chicken stock
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low or on high for 6 hours or until the beans are soft.
- Remove ⅓ of the soup to a pan. Use an immersion blender to cream the beans. Return to other beans. Stir. This makes gives you a creamy bean soup.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Equipment
Notes
- Bone broth: Use chicken bone broth instead of regular chicken stock
- Add other vegetables: Feel free to add additional vegetables, such as carrots, celery, or potatoes.
- Use a different type of bean: If you can’t find navy beans, you can also use Great Northern beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans.
- Use Ham hock, meaty ham bone, ham shank, or leftover ham: This will add flavor and depth of flavor to your beans. If you don’t have any ham on hand, you can also use a smoked turkey leg or some slices of bacon.
🫘 If you are a bean lover, then be sure to try my Easy Seasoned Tender Crock Pot Pinto Beans (Vegetarian), Vegan White Bean Chili, Slow Cooker Bacon and Bourbon Baked Beans Recipe, Easy Seasoned Tender Crock Pot Pinto Beans (Vegetarian), or my family favorite, The Best Homemade Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans Recipe.
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I always use fatback in my beans. I use onion, beans, fatback, salt, pepper.
Yum, I know using fatback makes them good!
Such a simple recipe and a very tasty pot of beans, I served southern style with a pan of cornbread.
Thanks for sharing Deborah. I added your comment at the top of the post in my reader’s star review.