Ham and Bean Soup (Instant Pot)

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Ham and Bean Soup made in the Instant Pot with leftover ham and dried white beans. No soaking needed. This soup is flavorful and pure comfort food in a bowl!

I love using my Instant Pot to make soups, like my creamy white chicken chili or chicken and rice soup.

One of the easiest was to use leftover ham from your holiday dinner is to turn it into a flavorful soup. I pull out my Instant Pot pressure cooker so I can use dried beans, without soaking. If you have canned beans, just place everything in a large soup pot and cook for 15 minutes. You can add more vegetables (celery, carrots, even potatoes) and use chopped ham instead of a ham bone. Another great way to use the leftover ham is my Black-Eyed Peas and Ham recipe. It’s delicious!

Ingredients

• leftover ham shank
• great Northern beans
• onion
• garlic
• bell pepper
• olive oil
• Italian seasoning
• dried oregano
• Bay leaf
• water
• chicken stock

Instructions

• Press saute setting and add olive oil to the Instant Pot. Add chopped onion, pepper and garlic. Saute for a few minutes. Add seasoning and stir. This will create a flavorful base for the soup.
• Add 1/2 cup of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot (See recipe box for details).
• Add ham, beans and liquids to the Instant Pot.

• Close the lid, press “manual” or “pressure cook” setting and set timer to 40 minutes.
• Once done, let the Instant Pot release pressure manually. (see recipe box for details)
• Remove the ham bone onto a plate and remove all meat. Discard the bone and place ham back in the soup. Stir and serve.

Do I need to soak the beans?

If you are using the Instant Pot, there is no need to soak the beans prior to cooking. One of my favorite thing about pressure cooking is that I can cook beans in 30 to 40 minutes.

Can I freeze this soup?

Yes! This soup freezes perfectly. Make sure to cool it completely before placing it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Can I use chopped ham?

Absolutely! If you have a boneless ham, chop the leftovers and add them to the soup. The ham bone gives the soup more flavor but even without it, the soup will be very tasty.

Can I use canned beans?

If you are using canned beans, drain and rinse them before adding to the pot. Cut down the pressure cooking time to 7 minutes.

More Instant Pot soup recipes:

• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Hamburger Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

5 from 4 votes

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Ham and Bean Soup (Instant Pot)

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

natural pressure release

15 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

 

Ham and Bean Soup made in the Instant Pot with leftover ham and dried white beans. No soaking needed. This soup is flavorful and pure comfort food in a bowl!

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ham and bean soup, Instant Pot ham and bean soup

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 144 kcal

Author: Anna

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups white beans I used great Northern beans
• 1 ham shank
• 3 cups water
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Make sure the stainless steel insert is in your Instant Pot.
2. Press "saute" setting and wait until the display shows HOT.
3. Add olive oil. Add chopped onion and pepper. Stir in. Saute for 2 minutes.
4. Add garlic and stir in. Saute for 1 minute.
5. Add Italian seasoning and oregano. Saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Add 1/2 cup of water or stock to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot (this is called deglazing). This ensures all the flavor is in the soup and prevents burn.
7. Press "cancel/off" button.
8. Add remaining liquid to the Instant Pot.
9. Add beans and ham. Place bay leaf on top.
10. Close the lid and make sure the sealing valve is set to sealing (newer models do it on their own).
11. Press "manual" or "pressure cook" button. Make sure the Instant Pot is set to HIGH pressure.
12. Set timer to 40 minutes. The Instant Pot will beep after a few seconds.
13. It will start coming to pressure, which can take 10 to 15 minutes.
14. The Instant Pot will start the countdown, once the valve pin is up.
15. When the timer is done and the Instant Pot beeps, press "cancel/off" button and let the pot release pressure naturally. That means you should not touch the valve. It will drop by itself, once the pressure is released. It can take about 20 minutes.
16. Carefully open the lid away from your face (there will be remaining steam in the pot). Remove the shank onto a plate and remove all meat from the bone. Discard bone and add ham back to the soup.

Recipe Notes

1. If the beans are not soft, place the lid back on and pressure cook for 5 more minutes. I never had crunchy beans after 40 minutes of pressure cooking and natural release.
2. You can use 2 cups of chopped leftover ham instead of the ham shank.
   If using canned beans, cut the pressure cooking time to 7 minutes.
3. You can add 1/2 cup of heavy cream to make the soup creamy. Add it after pressure cooking, right before serving.
4. Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.

Nutrition Facts

Ham and Bean Soup (Instant Pot)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 144 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 253mg11%

Potassium 546mg16%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 92IU2%

Vitamin C 22mg27%

Calcium 78mg8%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.