Vegetarian Navy Bean Soup (with Dried Beans)
Is there anything more satisfying than transforming a humble bag of dried beans into a hearty, nourishing soup?
This Vegetarian Navy Bean Soup (made with a bag of dried navy beans!) is full of creamy beans, smoky flavor, and comforting vibes. It’s a meatless riff on classic navy bean soup, which traditionally uses ham – but I’ve replaced that smoky flavor in a couple of ways for a fully vegetarian, fully delicious navy bean soup recipe. And I’m pretty much in love!
The Story Behind the Recipe
Growing up, my Mom often made navy bean soup with a big ol’ ham hock. It was smoky and nourishing and delicious! But I’ve been a vegetarian for over 20 years now, so that soup just hasn’t been on my radar in adulthood.
But as I’ve been moving toward trying to curtail our grocery bill (grocery bills, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhghhhhh, am I right?), navy bean soup popped into my head. And I decided I needed to recreate this nostalgic childhood fave, but I wanted a navy bean soup without ham.
I’ve been developing vegetarian recipes for awhile now, so I have a few secrets up my sleeve for replicating the smoky, umami flavors that ham, bacon, and the like can bring to a recipe. So I whipped out my tricks and went to work, eventually creating a smoky, satisfying navy bean soup that, in my humble opinion, rivals my Mom’s. I love this soup so much!
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Navy Bean Soup Recipe
There really is just something super satisfying about transforming a full bag of beans into a nourishing soup. This Vegetarian Navy Bean Soup definitely proves the point!
This navy bean soup recipe is:
Very freezer friendly. We regularly keep a batch of this vegetarian navy bean soup in our freezer for quick and easy weeknight meals.
Easy to prep. Yes – the cooking time is long! But the actual prep is super easy.
Hearty and satiating – And the comfort food vibes are off the charts!
Super frugal! Bags of dried beans are one of the lowest-price food items around. (Keep scrolling for the price breakdown!)
How Much Does this Navy Bean Soup Cost?
If you’re anything like me, grocery store prices hurt these days. So I love that I can make a huge pot of nourishing soup for only $6. I live in a high cost of living area of the U.S., and this is what I pay for my ingredients for this white bean soup:
Bag of beans: $1.89
Olive oil: .10
Onion: $1
Carrots: .75
Celery: .30
Garlic: .25
Spices: .25
Parmesan rind: $1
Parsley: .50
Total: $6.04. Not too shabby!
This soup recipe serves about 8 people, so that works out to around 75 cents per serving. Love it.
Ingredient Details
Navy beans – You’ll want one pound (one bag, or about two cups) of dried navy beans, soaked.
Olive oil – For sautéing the aromatic veggies & spices.
Onion, carrots, and celery – That magical mirepoix, the flavor base of so many delicious soups (for a reason!)
Garlic – Four cloves!
Cumin, dried thyme, and smoked paprika – This combo of seasonings adds smoky, earthy, and herbal notes that lend so much flavor to this navy bean soup. Smoked paprika, especially, helps to replace the smoky flavors that ham usually brings to the traditional version of this soup.
Water – I love that this bean soup doesn’t need vegetable broth; instead, you just need plain old water. The long cooking time + inclusion of typical broth ingredients like carrots, celery, and onion basically ensures that this soup makes its own broth as it simmers, so I’ve found it’s really not needed. Not having to use broth or stock makes this an extra budget-friendly meal.
Parmesan rind – Simmering a Parmesan rind with soup adds so much salty, umami flavor. However, if you prefer to make a fully vegan version of this navy bean soup, you can leave the Parm rind out. I’ve tested it both ways, and while I do prefer the deep flavor of the soup with the Parmesan rind, the vegan version without the rind is excellent, too.
Salt & pepper
Parsley – I like to finish this soup with some fresh parsley to add a bright herbal note (plus it just looks pretty!)
Garnish – I like to top my vegetarian navy bean soup with a drizzle of olive oil, shredded Parm, a bit of fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
Adaptations/Variations
Vegan/dairy-free navy bean soup: Simply omit the Parmesan rind. I’ve tested this soup without it, and it’s still delicious!
Meat option: If the carnivores in your house are craving some meat, you can add some diced, shredded chicken or chopped ham to their portions. Topping with some smoky diced bacon would be nice, too.
How to Make Vegetarian Navy Bean Soup
First, you’ll want to soak the beans. Either soak them overnight in a bowl, or give them a quick-soak by bringing them to a boil, letting boil for 2 minutes, then removing from the heat and covering them for an hour.
Once the beans have been soaked, saute your veggies and seasonings.
Add the soaked beans, water, and Parm rind.
Simmer! This part takes a long time – up to 2 hours. Worth it!
Stir in the parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.
Devour!
Tips for Success
Don’t skip the soak. There are conflicting reports about how necessary it really is to soak your beans, but for this recipe, it’s important if only because the beans will cook faster.
Don’t rush the cooking time. The long simmer makes a thick and hearty soup with tender, creamy beans.
I hope you find this Vegetarian Navy Bean Soup to be as hearty and satisfying as we do! I love how frugal it is, how easy it is to make, and it tastes even better the next day!
More Hearty Bean Soup Recipes
Jalapeño Black Bean & White Bean Soup
Black Bean & Butternut Squash Soup
Vegetarian Navy Bean Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
For serving
olive oil drizzled over the topparsleycrushed red pepper flakesshredded Parmesan
Instructions
Soak the beans
Prepare the soup
Serve
Notes
Storage notes
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, splashing in a bit of water or veggie broth if needed to thin it out.
This soup also freezes well. Place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe lidded storage container and freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer to the fridge overnight to thaw then reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Nutrition
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