Southwestern Navy Bean Soup -

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5 from 6 votes

Southwestern Navy Bean Soup

Dress-up ordinary navy bean soup into a zesty, mouth-watering, heart-healthy bowl of goodness!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr 30 mins

Slow Cooker Time8 hrs

Total Time9 hrs 40 mins

Course: Entree, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 191kcal

Author: Anecia Hero

Ingredients

1 lb. navy beans dried (see recipe notes)
2 tablespoons oil
64 oz. chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup onion finely chopped
1 stalk celery finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 small ham hock OR
½ lb. smoked beef sausage (optional); slice to bite size
1 can Stewed Tomatoes with Green Chiles Rotel brand preferred; add juice to soup
parsley or scallions chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Rinse navy beans and soak either overnight or use the Quick Soak method (see notes)
Chop onions and celery
In a big soup pot on medium heat, add oil, onions and celery; cook until onions are softened, about 4 - 6 minutes; add minced garlic
Add entire can of stewed tomatoes, beans, broth and bay leaves to the onion mixture; (add hamhock : optional); stir well
Allow to cook for 35-45 minutes covered; check occasionally for liquid level. If liquid level gets below the bean level, add water or broth to cover the beans by 3-4 inches; cover and continue to cook until beans are tender
To add smoked beef sausage, cut it into bite-sized pieces and saute in a separate pan; (You can add the sausage to the whole soup, or add it to individual servings)
Once beans are tender, remove bay leaves; remove ham hock (if added)
Add salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with parsley or scallions and serve

Notes

How to Quick Soak Beans

A quick soak is ideal when you forgot to soak navy or pinto beans overnight.

Place the beans and 8 cups of water in a large pot and bring it to a boil (uncovered) for 5 minutes
Turn off the heat and cover
Allow beans to stand for 1 hour, covered
Pour off the water, add in chicken/vegetable broth and resume the recipe

Canned beans

If you want to use canned beans instead of dried, you'll need about 6 cups of beans, drained and rinsed.

Vegetarian version: use vegetable broth or water instead of chicken broth; omit ham hock and sausage

Stove Top Method Notes:

After the beans have cooked for about 30 minutes, check the water/broth liquid. Chances are, you'll need to add additional liquid. Add enough to cover the beans by 3-4 inches.

Slow Cooker Directions

If you make navy bean soup in a crock pot or slow cooker, soak the beans first, either overnight or the "quick soak" method.

Place beans and remaining ingredients into slow cooker and add plenty of water or broth (8-10 cups). The beans will absorb the liquid, so if you leave the slow cooker unattended you'll want to ensure there's plenty of water or broth.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.

Nutrition