Gluten-free Ham and Bean Soup

Gluten-free Ham and Bean Soup
gluten-free | grain-free | dairy-free | tree nut free | egg free
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | Dec. 10, 2024
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I love soup… any kind of soup. But one of my favorite soups of all time is this classic, gluten-free ham and bean soup. The soft, naturally creamy beans combined with the savory ham pieces makes this soup a comfort food without question. It only requires a few simple ingredients that you probably already have stocked in the homestead pantry or freezer. Plus, you can put this meal on first thing in the morning and know that a cozy dinner will be ready come evening! I love serving up this ham and bean soup with thick slices of homemade bread or my homemade gluten-free chocolate chip muffins.

Pioneer Recipe

I’m calling this bean soup recipe a pioneer recipe. All of the ingredients in this soup are ones that the early pioneers would have had access to, and beans certainly were a staple both on the homestead and on the trail. Here are some reasons why you’ll love this heritage pioneer recipe:

Home-Sourced Ingredients– You can make this soup with all home-sourced or locally-sourced ingredients! Even if you can’t grow or raise all of the ingredients for this soup right now, you can still find all of these ingredients from local sources. I buy new crop navy beans from a local farm market and I get organic cottage bacon or ham from a local farm as well. Home grown carrots, celery, and onions make great additions to the soup. And home-canned bone broth is a staple for this recipe!

Quick & Easy– Probably one reason why I love soups is because they are so quick and easy to throw together… and this bean soup is no exception. If you are using new crop navy beans, all you have to do is throw everything in the crockpot in the morning for dinner to be ready by evening. You can even prep the veggies and ham the night before! I chop or slice my veggies up ahead of time and freeze them, then I just throw them in whatever soup I am making. I also cube up the ham or cottage bacon the night before to make it easier for throwing in the soup come morning.

Another quick and easy soup that you can throw on in the morning is this grain-free turkey and rice soup, which can easily be made with chicken too!

Allergy-Friendly– It is kind of weird calling this bean soup allergy-friendly since most soups are natural allergy-friendly. But not only is this compatible with a wide-range of dietary needs, but it also provides some nutritional elements too, which every homestead meal should! Here are the benefits of this ham and bean soup:

• naturally gluten-free & grain-free
• dairy-free
• naturally egg free and nut free
• contains bone broth for gut health and bone health
• high in protein from the ham & navy beans

Another allergy-friendly soup that I love to make is this venison and wild rice soup!

How to Cook with Navy Beans

Navy beans are one of the only beans that I keep stocked in my homestead pantry. I use them for this ham & bean soup as well as for making baked beans, white chicken chili, or venison bean soup. Navy beans are a legume with a mild flavor and rich, creamy texture.

Soaking Beans– The classic method of cooking with any kind of bean or legume is to soak the beans in water prior to using them in a recipe. This helps break down the starches and fibers in the bean, essentially starting the sprouting process, and makes the beans cook faster. To soak navy beans, you will want to cover the beans in water, about 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of beans. Then let the beans soak for 4-12 hours, but not for longer than 24 hours. Strain and rinse the beans and use them in your recipe! BUT, you actually don’t have to soak your beans at all if you forget or don’t want to!

Quick-Soak Beans– Another option is to quick-soak your beans prior to using them in a recipe. To quick-soak your beans, you will need to cook them in boiling water for 5 minutes and let then let them soak in the hot water for 1 hour. You can then strain the beans and use them in your recipe.

No-Soak Beans– Then there is the cooking method that doesn’t require you to soak your beans at all! However, you have to get the right kind of navy bean. New crop navy beans are a variety of navy bean that cook quickly and don’t need to be soaked. The best place to look for new crop navy beans is at Farmer’s Markets or local farm markets in your area. Just inquire if the navy beans they are selling are new crop navy beans or not.

Pressure-Cooked Method– Lastly, if you don’t have new crop navy beans and you don’t have time to soak your beans, but you do have an InstantPot… then pressure cooking the beans is an option for you! You can make this ham and bean soup right in the InstantPot without having to soak your beans prior to making the soup. All of the ingredients can be put in the InstantPot and cooked on high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to vent naturally for at least 10 minutes, but after that you can quick-release the pressure if you’re under a time crunch.

Bean Soup Recipe Tips

Can I use a different bean instead of navy beans?

Yes, you can use whatever bean or blend of beans you want in this soup. However, the broth to bean ratio in this recipe has been formulated for cooking with new crop navy beans. If the beans you use are more absorbent, then you may need to add more broth or water to the soup.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you will need to adjust the broth ratio if you are using soaked beans versus un-soaked beans. Soaked beans will already have absorbed some moisture, so they can be cooked in less broth than un-soaked beans. Un-soaked beans will absorb some of the broth as they cook, so you need to double the amount of broth in the soup when using un-soaked beans.

What’s the best broth for bean soup?

Any kind of homemade bone broth goes well in this bean soup! I have used chicken bone broth and venison bone broth in my bean soup recipes. However, if you don’t have homemade bone broth on hand, you can simply use water instead! I have made this bean soup countless times with just plain water and the results are still delicious and creamy. You may just want to add more seasonings or vegetables for added flavor to the soup.

What vegetables go well in bean soup?

Honestly, the vegetables are optional in this soup. But, they do add nutritional value and flavor to the ham and beans. I like to use the classic soup vegetable blend of carrots, onion, and celery. The onion and celery I finely chop in the food processor. The carrots I either chop, dice, or slice them depending on what mood I’m in. The vegetables do not need to be cooked prior to being put in the soup, and you can even prepare them ahead of time, freeze them, and throw them in the soup frozen when you are making the soup!

How can I store leftover bean soup?

Leftover bean soup should be put in an airtight container, allowed to cool for 20-30 minutes, then kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the leftovers to save them for another meal.

This cozy, warm, and flavorful ham & bean soup recipe is a staple in my homestead kitchen! It is my classic soup recipe that I make every year for Buck Camp when opening day of rifle season rolls around in November. All the guys love it, it’s a warm meal to have after a hunt, and it’s easy for me to make!

Where to Find the Ingredients:

• organic navy beans
• Redmond Real Salt
• Supplies: 6-quart Crockpot or 6-quart Instant Pot

This classic gluten-free ham and bean soup is loaded with creamy, rich, soft navy beans and chunks of savory ham or cottage bacon. The warm, cozy flavors of this soup make it a comfort food that’s hard to beat. Whether it’s a cold, snowy winter day, a blustery November afternoon, or coming in from a cold night in the deer stand… this bean soup is just what every homesteader wants for dinner! The soup can easily be thrown together in the morning and served in the evening with homemade bread or freshly baked chocolate chip muffins (the muffins are my go-to side when I serve this soup at Buck Camp, because who doesn’t like chocolate chip muffins?).

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