Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup (No Soaking Required!)

Overhead view of homemade Instant Pot ham and bean soup with Great Northern beans, diced ham, carrots, and tomatoes in a cream bowl.

Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup (No Soaking Required!)

This hearty Instant Pot ham and bean soup combines tender Great Northern beans, smoky ham, carrots, celery, and tomatoes in a savory broth. Made with dried beans and no overnight soaking, it's an easy, comforting meal that makes 8 generous servings.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword great northern beans, ham and beans, instant pot, small batch

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Natural Pressure Release 10

Total Time 1 25

Servings

Calories 311kcal

Author Bobbie McGraw

Equipment

1 Instant Pot - 6-quart

Ingredients

1 lb dried Great Northern beans
3 cups diced ham
4 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
1 onion diced
2 carrot diced
2 celery stalk diced
2 garlic clove minced
1.5 teaspoon black pepper
2 10 ounce can RO*TEL diced tomatoes any variety
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf optional, and remove before serving

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the olive oil and diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 3–5 minutes.
Add the dried Great Northern beans, diced ham, chicken stock, water, carrots, celery, garlic, black pepper, bay leaf, and RO*TEL tomatoes. Stir to combine.
Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (High) for 60 minutes.
When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then carefully release any remaining pressure using the manufacturer's instructions, or let the pressure release naturally completely.
Once the pressure has fully released and the float valve has dropped, carefully open the lid. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir the soup. For a thicker broth, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in. Serve warm.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezing: Cool completely, then portion into freezer-safe bags or containers. Freeze bags flat to save space. For best quality, use within 3 months.

Reheating: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of water or broth if the soup has thickened.

Thicker soup: Mash a few spoonfuls of beans and stir them back into the broth.

Bean substitutions: Navy beans can be used instead of Great Northern beans. Cooking times may vary with other bean varieties.

Nutrition