Instant Pot Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

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This Instant Pot Creamy Ham and Bean Soup is the perfect healthy and flavorful way to use leftover holiday ham. With just 15 minutes of active time, this soup is easy to make, inexpensive, and comforting. 

What You’ll Love About This Instant Pot Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

• Simple to make – This soup requires just 15 minutes of active time and is made entirely in the Instant Pot for a super easy weeknight meal. 
• Hearty and satisfying– This soup is loaded with protein from the beans and ham and has 4 grams of fiber per cup, making it incredibly satiating.
• Great way to use up leftovers – This recipe can be made with leftover ham or even ham bones, so nothing goes to waste!

Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions

• Olive Oil – Any neutral-flavored cooking oil can be used to sauté the vegetables.
• Onion, Carrot, and celery – These veggies are important for the development of flavors in this soup, and most soups, so, I do not recommend omitting or replacing these ingredients. 
• Sea Salt – Because ham can be very salty, I would recommend salting to taste if you are sensitive to salt or are using regular table salt instead of sea salt.
• Dried Parsley – Feel free to use 1 tablespoon of finely minced fresh parsley in place of dried parsley.
• Chicken Broth – Almost any type of broth or stock can be used in this recipe including vegetable broth, beef broth, or even homemade ham stock. 
• Dried White Navy Beans – This recipe will work with a variety of small white beans. You can also use canned white navy beans. You will need about 2 15-oz cans, rinsed and drained. Add them to the soup after it has cooked for 30 minutes in the Instant Pot. If added to the Instant Pot with the other ingredients, most of the beans will burst.
• Ham – I tested both ham hocks/ham bones and diced ham in this recipe. I preferred the diced ham, but you could use either. Using ham bones adds additional flavor and collagen, but make sure to select one that has plenty of meat on it. After cooking, you will have to remove the bones from the soup, separate the meat, and chop it before adding it back to the soup.
• Fresh Thyme – Use 4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp of dried thyme in this recipe. If using fresh thyme, be sure to remove the sprigs before serving. 
• Heavy Cream – Heavy cream is optional but makes this soup super creamy and satisfying; however, the soup is delicious with or without it. You can also substitute coconut cream for a creamy but dairy-free alternative. If you want to try using half and half, let it come to room temperature and allow the soup to cool a little before mixing it in to prevent it from curdling. 

How to Make Instant Pot Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

1. Prepare the vegetables. Peel and finely dice the onion, peel and dice the carrot, dice the celery, and mince the garlic. If your ham is not already diced, cut against the grain, and dice it into bite-sized cubes.
2. Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function and add the oil to the basin. Once warm, add the onion and sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes, stirring throughout. Add the garlic, carrot and celery and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Season the vegetables with salt, parsley, and black pepper, and stir. Pour in the broth and stir to combine. Add the dry beans, ham, and sprigs of thyme, and replace lid. Set the valve to seal and cook for 30 minutes on high. 
4. Once the timer goes off, release the pressure, and remove the lid. Remove the sprigs of thyme, running your fingers along the stem to release the tender leaves. Pour in the cream and gently stir. Serve warm with fresh herbs or Parmesan cheese. 

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Absolutely! This recipe can easily be made dairy-free by substituting coconut cream for heavy cream. You can purchase coconut cream or refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk and separate the cream from the liquid to get 1/2 cup of cream. Simply mix in the cream the same step where the heavy cream is added to the soup.

Can I use ham bones in this soup?

Yes, this soup can be made with just ham bones or ham bone and diced ham. The bones add additional collagen and nutrients to the broth and adding a ham bone is a great way to lessen food waste by using something that may otherwise be discarded.

If using a ham bone instead of a diced ham, you will want to select a really meaty bone or 3-5 smaller ham hocks to ensure there is enough meat in the soup.

After cooking, remove the bones from the soup, separate the meat, chop it, and then add it back to the soup. Keep in mind that a soup made with bones will gelatinize when refrigerated, simply heat it to make the broth liquid again.

Is this soup gluten-free?

This soup should be gluten-free without modification, but verify that the ham and broth used in the soup is certified gluten-free as these can occasionally be sources of gluten-containing additives. 

How to Store Instant Pot Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

Store this soup in the fridge in an airtight container and consume it within 3-4 days. The soup may separate some when stored. Simply reheat it, stir it, and serve. 

For longer storage, this soup freezes well. Allow the soup to cool and then transfer to a freezer-safe, airtight container. Leave a little room in the container for the soup to expand. Place the container in the freezer and store it for up to 1 month. Allow the frozen soup to thaw for 24 hours in the fridge before reheating.

Recipe Tips

• When dicing the ham, the first cut you make should be against the grain as you would if you were just slicing it. This allows for the best texture.
• Add the beans first and then the ham to the basin of the Instant Pot. This will help keep the beans submerged so that they cook evenly.
• Ham and broth can both be very salty. Keep this in mind when adding additional salt. Hold the sea salt and salt to taste after the soup is cooked if needed.
• For a thicker soup, you can use a potato masher to mash about 1/3 of the beans once cooked.