My Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup recipe is packed with high protein broth, nutritious green vegetables, and flavorful, robust beans.
Beans are incredibly economical when it comes to sources of cheap protein, they’re also packed with fiber, and all in all, make a hearty, satisfying soup that’s both healthy and filling.
Healthy Recipe for Navy Bean Soup
This Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup recipe is made with a base of onions, carrots, and celery, sautéed in olive oil, along with bone broth, kale, and of course, beans.
Bean Soup Recipe
It’s also versatile –you can make it with navy beans, cannellini, or great northern beans, all of which are low glycemic foods that are high in iron.
I hope you love this healthy comfort food as much as we do!
Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried navy beans, soaked 8 hours
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 6 cups beef Kettle & Fire Bone Broth or vegetable broth
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, then coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Primal Kitchen ketchup
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Drain and rinse beans, then set aside
- Set Instant Pot to sauté and heat oil
- Add onion and cook, stirring frequently 5-10 minutes, until soft and browned
- Stir in celery, carrots, beans, and broth
- Lock lid into place and set Instant Pot to high pressure for 20 minutes
- Allow pressure to come down naturally or reduce with quick release method
- Stir in kale, primal kitchen ketchup, then salt and pepper
- Mix ingredients well, then simmer 2-3 minutes
- Serve
Equipment
Did you notice that I use ketchup in this tomato white bean soup recipe?
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That’s because I tend to have a bottle of Primal Kitchen Ketchup open in our refrigerator, while that is not the case for tomato paste.
Using ketchup helps me avoid opening a jar of tomato paste and using one tablespoon. This prevents food waste and is far more economical.
How to Make Navy Bean Soup
While we adore this Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup recipe with spinach (baby spinach works too) you can also make it with kale.
I’ve tried it both ways, and it’s fantastic with either of these nutritious green vegetables.
How to Prepare Instant Pot Beans
If you’re excited about making my Instant Pot Navy Bean soup recipe, but worried about the anti-nutrient enzymes found in beans called lectins, I’ve got you covered.
My special soaking and lengthy high pressure cooking method greatly reduces lectins, making the beans in this soup safe for me.
Soaking Dry Beans
All you need to do is soak the beans overnight, then drain and rinse prior to cooking. Quick note –different types of beans cook at different rates.
I choose to consume beans that are easily smashed between my fingers because I can digest them with ease.
Why Do Beans Cause Gas and Digestive Distress?
If your beans are old, they tend to be harder and may need more cooking time. You can test the beans after they’ve pressure-cooked before you add the greens and seasoning.
As I mentioned, I like a bean that I can easily smash between my fingers because less cooked, chewy beans are much harder to digest and cause me gastric distress.
How to Cook Navy Beans
Not all beans pressure cook at the same rate and even the same types of beans may need more or less cooking time.
When I made this Instant Pot soup with beans that weren’t as fresh, I had to cook the soup an extra 10 minutes on high pressure before I added the kale and tomato (ketchup).
Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen
When it comes to learning how to cook beans, Lorna Sass’ fabulous book Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen is a fantastic primer.
I know Lorna from my New York days when I lived on the Upper West Side –we practiced yoga at the same studio back in the early 1990s.
Insta Pot Bean Soup
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of starting with dried beans and soaking them overnight, you can use canned beans.
To do so, follow the directions for this recipe until you get to step 5, then bring everything to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, using around two cans of white beans instead of the dried beans called for in the recipe.
Healthy Eating on a Budget
The downside of using a prepared food like canned beans is that they are much more expensive than dried beans.
In any case, if you use canned beans, you won’t need to use the Instant Pot as this soup will cook up so fast that it’s easy enough to make it on the stove top.
How to Use the Instant Pot
Now let’s get to the nuts and bolts of using the Insta Pot to make this Navy Bean Soup.
When I first started using my Insta Pot a decade ago, I was in total overwhelm. The only thing I can say is that the settings on the front looked like the dashboard of a rocket ship.
Back then, I knew little to nothing about the intricacies of this marvelous kitchen appliance.
Thankfully, after religious use over the years, I’ve created the fantastic chart below to take away the guesswork!
To print out the chart, go here, and become an Instant Pot expert with my tried and true tips!
Recipes Vegetarian Dinner
I love this soup because it’s full of protein from the beans and the beef bone broth.
However, I realize that animal protein is not for everyone. This is one of those fantastic recipes for vegetarian dinners if you use water instead of bone broth.
Or, feel free to use homemade vegetable stock to up your flavor game.
Fiber Fueled
Lately, I’ve been working to increase my fiber intake with wholesome meals like this Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup recipe.
Beans are one of a number of foods I use to increase my fiber intake, which is important for building the gut microbiome, among other things.
A friend who’s a Pelvic Floor Therapist told me she’s getting into fiber too and recommended the book, Fiber Fueled, which is a worthy read. She’s found that fiber really helps her clients that deal with gut motility and chronic constipation issues.
Recipes for Low Carb Soups
Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup is a fiber filled, nutritious powerhouse and fantastic if you’re into healthy eating on a budget!
Here are some of my other favorite recipes for low carb soups:
- Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Thai Coconut
- Chicken Noodle Soup with Veggie Noodles
- Low Carb Matzo Ball Soup
What’s your favorite soup? Is there something you’re looking for that you can’t find? Leave a comment and let me know –I’m happy to help!
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first shared this Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup recipe in 2020.
Virginia Reynolds says
Re: tomato paste vs primal kitchen ketchup. Since the primal kitchen brand can be a tad pricey, what you can do to save a little money, because lets’ face facts, these alternative foods are all expensive (at least they are here in Alaska). After taking what you need out of the tomato paste can, using a tablespoon, spoon out what you need on parchment paper, put on paper plate and put in freezer;after a couple hours, take the frozen paste, gently wrap the parchment paper around the frozen paste and put in zip lock baggie. Voila! You got about 5’ish tablespoon size tomato paste in the freezer ready to use for the next recipe. Works great for me…and it’s nice to shave a couple dollars where one can.
Elana says
Virginia, thanks for your comment and the great suggestion!
Cathy says
This soup is so good. It reminds me of the bean soup my Mom would make. mine never tasted just right until in found this recipe. The secret ingredient was the ketchup. Thanks for recreating a memory.
Elana says
Cathy, thanks for the sweet comment. I’m glad to be a part of your soup memories!
Radhika sharma says
I dont usually eat navy beans so I was a bit skeptical, but this turned out to be awesome , I am in love , will be making more of this in winters
Thanks
radhika
Elana says
Radhika, thanks for letting me know you are in love with this recipe!
Noel says
This will be my first Insta Pot recipe. Will use Ina’s rosemary and bay leaves seasoning since I can’t do tomato. More Insta Pot recipes please! Love your cookbooks! Love how flavorful and simple all of your recipes are.
Elana says
Thanks Noel!!!
Janet says
Can I make with without an instant pot?
Elana says
Janet, I think that would work with longer cooking times.
Jasmine Wiest says
I don’t have an instapot, but I do have a pressure cooker and I am making this with dried beans. Any tips on prep? Should I take the lid off and just cook it as stove top? How would I alter it to ensure the beans cook thoroughly? Thanks
Elana says
Jasmine, I haven’t tried that :-)
Diane says
Elana,
I made this and love the rich broth flavor with all the tender beans and veggies. I added spinach. I too look forward to more Instant Pot recipes from you. May you be well.
Elana says
Thanks Diane!
Anna Autullo says
Instant Pot White Bean Soup with Kale is delicious! Beans are soft but not falling apart. Just enough tomato flavor without overpowering the soup. Kale was fine with just the few minutes of cooking time. This was easy with relatively few ingredients. Thank you!
Elana says
Anna, thanks for letting me know this soup is delicious!
Annie says
I cook from your recipes at least once a week, thank you for all the effort you put into this site. One can tell you really care about the health of people and helping us feel better! I am anemic again, I can’t seem to get to the root cause, anyway, this soup with some roasted chicken felt so nourishing. Would love some more instapot recipes if you have some you love! P.s. I never comment on anything anywhere but I figured it was about time:)
Elana says
Annie, I’m honored that you left a comment! Thank you so much. This is the only Instant Pot recipe on my site, but I plan on adding more soon :-)
joan says
The soup was delicious. I made it on the stove and added fresh garlic, spinach and farro. I did add the ketchup. Thank you I just love your recipes.
Elana says
Thanks so much Joan! Glad to hear you enjoyed this :-)
Nancy says
Tomato paste also comes in a tube. Any amount can be squeezed out and the rest saved in the fridge for later.
Elana says
Thanks Nancy. I try to avoid using food products that come in metal containers whever I can.
Desicart says
These are simple and fast to prepare and everyone enjoyed them!
Elana says
Thanks Desicart!
Joanne says
I didn’t realize you could eat beans on a keto diet?! Thanks for all of
Your delicious and healthy recipes!!
Elana says
Joanne, when I studied under one of the top keto diet experts in the world, I learned that no foods are excluded on the Keto Diet, it’s all about macros. If you calculate nutrition for this soup it will end up being fairly low-carb, then pair it with something high-fat and your macros are perfect for KD.
Jody says
Elana, could you please let us know what resources you used for understanding keto…..I have been doing Keto off and on for years and did not think creatively about beans like this. I have missed lentils and white beans! Any tips?
Elana says
Judy, thanks for your wonderful comment. When it comes to thinking about beans creatively that’s just how my mind works. I do not count carbs but when there is a food that is very healthy and something my body needs (more fiber please!) I take a step back and look at the macronutrient ratios to assess. I have been doing keto-ish for almost a decade and studying health and nutrition since 1992. LMK if you have other questions –I’m happy to help!