Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup {With Dried Beans}

Kristen’s Keys for Ham and Bean Soup

A few small details are the difference between a good soup and why didn’t I make a double batch soup.

• Check your beans. Ensure your great northern beans aren’t expired, as believe it or not, dried beans DO expire and old beans won’t soften, no matter how long you cook them.
• No bone leftover from a holiday baked ham? Use a ham hock. Either works to deliver a smoky undertone that gives this ham bean soup its signature flavor.
• Use a combination of chicken stock and water. Using both prevents the soup from becoming overly salty and allows the beans to soften properly, while still adding plenty of flavor.
• Wait to salt! While the chicken stock and ham bone have a bit of salt, we don’t want to add any additional salt to the soup until after it cooks, as too much salt can interfere with the beans ability to soften.
• Plan for a natural pressure release. Letting the pressure come down naturally for at least 15 minutes ensures the beans fully cook and retain their texture. And prevents a starchy mess from spewing all over the kitchen.

Ingredients Needed

Below is a quick glance of what you need to make this Ham and Bean Soup with a few notes on substitutions.

• Dried Beans: Traditionally made with dried northern white beans. But feel free to replace them with cannellini beans. And see recipe modifications for notes on using canned beans or soaked beans.
• Tomato Sauce: A small amount of tomato sauce added helps to enrich and enhance the earthy flavors in the soup. Omit for brothier base or replace with tomato paste for a deeper, more classic bean and bacon style soup.
• Seasoned Salt: Seasoned salt is a blend of seasonings that adds just the right amount of flavor and salt to this soup. If you don’t have it on hand, use ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus ¼ teaspoon each onion powder and paprika.

How to Make Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup

This section will ensure your ham bean soup turns out perfectly, whether you are just learning how to use an Instant Pot or are a seasoned user.

Step One: Sauté Veggies

Use the sauté function to soften the onions, carrots, and celery in a little oil. When the onions look glossy, add the garlic and cook for just 30-60 seconds. Garlic burns fast, so you want to take care not to cook longer than a minute. Hit cancel to turn off the sauté function.

Step Two: Deglaze Inner Pot

Add in the chicken stock and use a spatula or spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot. This will prevent a burn notice from occurring. Not to mention, those browned bits help to flavor the soup!

Step Three: Layer Ingredients

Add the water, bay leaf, thyme leaves, and rinsed dried beans to the inner pot. Nestle the ham bone (or ham hock) into the broth. Pour the tomato sauce over the ingredients and resist the urge to stir!

👉🏻Don’t stir after adding tomato sauce! Keeping it on top helps avoid a burn notice and allows the Instant Pot to come to pressure without issue.

Step Four: Pressure Cook

Place the lid on the Instant Pot, ensure the vent knob is sealed, and set to cook for 45 minutes on high pressure. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes to allow the soup to finish cooking.

Step Five: Finish Soup

Remove the ham bone, bay leaf, and thyme stems. Shred any remaining ham and stir it back into the soup. Season with 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, taste, and adjust as needed.

More Easy Instant Pot Soup Recipes

You can browse all of my Instant Pot Soup recipes here or enjoy a few favorites below.