Instant Pot ham and beans are delicious and comforting. Try making this with your leftover ham and vegetables for a healthy, delicious dinner.
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Why you'll love it
- Really quick and easy to make
- Perfect for using up leftover ham and vegetables
- Easily customize by adding your favorite vegetables
- Kid-friendly; just use ingredients that they like!
- Prepare it ahead of time to save time in the afternoon
- Excellent for meal prep - stores well in the fridge or freezer
Ingredients
Diced ham: This is the main ingredient in the ham and bean soup. I like to use leftover roasted ham if I have it available, but any cubed ham will work. You can also use tinned ham.
Carrots: I use diced raw carrots, but you can also use pre-sliced carrots or carrot batons. Use frozen carrots if you find them easier.
Celery: Celery adds a fantastic flavor to broth-based soups. You can omit it if celery isn't your thing!
Onion: Use any onions that you have available. I use brown onions, but white onions or even shallots will work perfectly fine.
White beans: Use canned beans. I use cannellini beans, but you can also use other white beans like butter beans. Drain and rinse the beans before use.
Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a lovely flavor to the soup, but is completely optional. Omit if you prefer, or use garlic paste or garlic powder instead if you want.
Chicken stock: Chicken stock, or chicken broth, adds so much flavor to the soup. You can alternatively use beef stock or vegetable bouillon. Water and a stock cube will also work great!
Olive oil: Used to sautee the vegetables. You can substitute it with any cooking oil that you like, for example, coconut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.
Seasoning: You can easily adjust the flavors in the soup by using your favorite spices and herbs. I like to use bay leaves, ground black pepper, dried thyme, and some red pepper flakes. Other dried herbs like Italian seasoning, rosemary, parsley, or basil would also be great additions.
Instructions
You can find full instructions + ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page
One: Heat up your olive oil or cooking oil in the Instant Pot using the SAUTE setting. Add diced onion and grated garlic, and saute for a couple of minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Two: Add the seasoning to the pressure cooker, and saute for another few minutes. Stir to prevent the seasoning from burning to the bottom of the pot.
Three: Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom, and loosen up any pieces of onion or seasoning that might have stuck to the pot. Seal the pressure cooker with a lid, and pressure cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. Perform a manual release to release the pressure in the pot, and serve the soup immediately.
Top tips
- When you release the pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions, be careful not to touch the hot steam. I like to use a wooden spoon to turn or click the venting valve.
- Clean and dice the vegetables and ham before you start cooking the onions. Preparing the ingredients before you start will make the cooking process a lot less stressful.
- Always scrape the bottom of the pot to release any stuck pieces before you seal the lid and start pressure cooking. This will allow the Instant Pot to function as expected.
Serving suggestions
This easy ham and bean soup is perfect to serve as a healthy, delicious lunch or dinner.
Serve it with crusty bread or dinner rolls, or my favorite Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
Variations
Add extra veggies: Feel free to add any of your favorite vegetables to this soup. I love adding diced potatoes, but leeks, asparagus, cauliflower, rutabaga or swede, peas, kale, and peppers would also taste amazing. Feel free to use whatever you happen to have available, or whatever is in season.
Add grains: Rice, couscous, or grains like barley and quinoa, can make this soup a lot more filling. Add uncooked grains along with the other ingredients before pressure cooking the soup. Alternatively, you can add leftover cooked rice or grains to the cooked soup before serving it.
Crock pot version: You can also make this recipe in your crock pot or slow cooker. Simply add all of the ingredients to the pot, and leave the soup to cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until the potatoes have softened.
Equipment
You will need an Instant Pot, or any other electric pressure cooker, to make this recipe. I use a 6 qt Instant Pot, but any pressure cooker of a similar size will work. You might need a larger appliance if you want to double or triple the recipe to make a big batch.
Additionally, you will need a cutting board, a sharp knife, and a vegetable peeler to prepare the ingredients.
Storage
You can freeze leftover ham and beans for up to 6 months. I like to freeze it in portion sizes and defrost it as needed. Reheat the soup in a microwave, on the stove, or in the Instant Pot.
You can also refrigerate any leftovers. Pressure cooker ham and beans will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave, on the stove, or in the Instant Pot for a few minutes, and serve any leftovers warm.
This soup is perfect for meal prep or batch cooking, as the leftovers store really well.
You might also like these recipes
- Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes
- Instant Pot Ham
- Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup
- Ham and Cheese Frittata
- Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Instant Pot Ham and Beans
Equipment
- Instant Pot or a pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced ham
- 3 large carrots
- 2 onions
- 3 celery sticks
- 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock, beef broth
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 15 oz cans white beans
- 1 tablespoon Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Peel and dice the onions and carrots. Dice the celery sticks. Grate or finely chop the garlic. Drain and rinse the canned beans.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the SAUTE setting. Saute the onion and garlic. in olive oil for a few mintues, or until translucent.
- Add the seasoning to the Instant Pot, and sautee for another minute.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen up any pieces of onion that might have gotten stuck.
- Seal the lid on the Instant Pot, and select the PRESSURE COOK setting. Set the timer to 10 minutes. The pot will take 10 minutes to get to pressure, and then the timer will start counting down.
- When the timer is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 5 minutes before you carefully perform a manual pressure release according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Optionally add additional salt or pepper to taste, then serve the soup immediately.
Video
Notes
- Store any leftovers in a refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
- Feel free to add any vegetables that you like to this dish. Peas, potatoes, broccoli, turnips, corn, spinach, or mushrooms would be excellent additions.
- I like to make this using leftover roast ham, but you can also use sliced or diced deli ham, or even canned ham. Whatever you have on hand!
Nutrition
Food safety tips
- Be careful not to touch the hot steam when releasing the pressure
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
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