Slow Cooker Navy Bean Soup
A hearty slow-cooker soup with tender navy beans, fresh vegetables, smoky spices, and pork. Mashing some of the beans creates a naturally thick, satisfying broth while slow cooking develops a rich, savory flavor.
Servings: 8
Calories: 288kcal
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
Beans and Broth
- 1 pound soaked navy beans, soaked for 8-12 hours and drained
- 12 cups homemade no-salt-added vegetable broth, or unsalted/low-sodium vegetable broth
Vegetables
- 2 jalapeno, seeded and sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 8 roma tomatoes
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1/8 tsp for less heat
Pork
- 1 lb boneless pork shoulder or pork loin Other cuts of pork or chicken may be substituted.
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Soak the Beans
- Add the soaked navy beans and vegetable broth to the slow cooker.
- Remove the tops from the tomatoes and add them to the slow cooker.
- Add the chopped onion, jalapeños, garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
Start the Soup
- Add the soaked navy beans and vegetable broth to the slow cooker.
- Remove the tops from the tomatoes and add them to the slow cooker.
- Add the chopped onion, jalapeños, garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
Add Pork and Slow Cook
- Place the pork steak on top of the beans and vegetables.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for about 4 hours, allowing the beans, vegetables, spices, and pork to develop a rich, savory flavor.
- As the tomatoes soften, use a potato masher to gently break them apart in the slow cooker.
Shred and Thicken
- Remove the pork and break or shred it into bite-sized pieces. Return the pork to the slow cooker.
- Use a potato masher to gently mash some of the navy beans, leaving most of the beans whole. This naturally thickens the soup while maintaining its texture.
Finish Cooking
- Cover and continue cooking on HIGH for another 1–2 hours, or until the navy beans are completely tender and the soup has reached the desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes before serving.
Notes
Make it vegetarian: Omit the pork. The navy beans, vegetables, tomatoes, and smoked paprika provide plenty of flavor on their own.
Adjust the heat: Use 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a milder soup. For more heat, increase the red pepper flakes or leave some of the jalapeño membrane intact.
Adjust the consistency: Mash more beans for a thicker soup or leave more beans whole for a brothier consistency.
Broth: Homemade vegetable broth works particularly well in this recipe. If using packaged broth, consider a low-sodium variety so you can better control the final salt level.
Bean cooking time: Dried beans vary in age and may require additional cooking time. The soup is ready when the navy beans are completely tender.
Slow Cooker Tip: Cooking times can vary by slow cooker. For a general comparison of LOW and HIGH cooking times, see the Slow Cooker Cooking Times Chart from ConvertKitchen.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 1098mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg
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