Instant Pot Ham and Beans

Name: Instant Pot Ham and Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 2 carrot sticks, diced; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 1 pound dry white beans (SEE NOTE 1); 2 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 6 cups chicken stock; 1 ham shank or ham bone with meat; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; salt to taste; additional diced ham, optional; 1/4 cup dill or parsley, minced, optional

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If you need a satisfying and inviting meal, you can't go wrong with Instant Pot Ham and Beans! This timeless dish is a breeze to whip up in your Instant Pot and is perfect for many reasons. It's very hearty and can easily be doubled to feed a crowd. But it freezes well if you only need a few servings. The flavor is warm and familiar. Everyone enjoys this stew. And it's perfect for using up leftover ham from a roast.

White bowl of ham and beans with grilled bread and a copper spoon.

When it comes to making this recipe, starting with dry beans is a complete game-changer! I used to always forget to soak my beans, but now that's not an issue anymore. In just a couple of hours, with minimal effort, you can enjoy a delicious stew made with fresh vegetables, smoky ham, and perfectly plump beans - all without any soaking or extra steps.

Read on for all the loving details to make Instant Pot Ham and Beans.

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Featured Ingredients
Tools for the job
How to make Instant Pot Ham and Beans
Hot Tip!
Substitutions for Instant Pot ham and beans
Variations
Leftover Instant Pot Ham and Beans
FAQ
Food safety
Beans for dinner, more recipes
Instant Pot Ham and Beans
💬 Comments

Featured Ingredients

Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make Instant Pot Ham and Beans.

All the ingredients used to make instant pot ham and beans.

Ham shank or hambone - If you're not familiar with them, a ham shank and pork knuckle are the same thing. For this recipe, you'll want the shank or a leftover bone from a roast that still has ham bits on it. You can also use a ham hock. It's a great way to flavor the soup, but it doesn't have a lot of meat on it so you would need extra ham to add to the soup.

My preference leans towards the ham shank rather than using the ham bone leftover from a ham roast.

Dry white beans - Navy beans, cannellini (white kidney) beans, and great northern beans will all work with this recipe.

Be sure to check the best-by date on the package of beans and toss them if they're over two years old. Also, sort through the beans to remove any non-bean particles before using and give them a good rinse.

Cooking liquid - Chicken broth works great here. If you're using homemade broth, use unsalted, as the ham shank provides most of the salt seasoning for the soup.

See recipe card for quantities.

Tools for the job

Measuring cups and spoons
Sharp knife (paid link) and cutting board
Instant Pot, 6 quarts or larger
Blender or immersion blender
Tongs, ladle
Dish to separate meat off the bone

A closeup of the ham and bean soup with a piece of toast.

How to make Instant Pot Ham and Beans

Feel free to dump everything into the Instant Pot except the lemon juice and garnish and hit go! I like the depth of flavor sauteing the vegetables provides, so I'll take that extra step.

Prepping the soup for the Instant Pot

You do not need to soak the beans ahead of time, but sort through them to remove any non-bean particles and give the beans a rinse.
After all your ingredients are measured and prepared, set the Instant Pot to saute. Then, add the olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic and stir them up to coat in the oil.
Saute the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until they start to soften and brown at the edges. Cancel the saute setting.
Next, add the dry, unsoaked beans, bay leaves, and stock to the pot. Then, nestle the ham shank bone in the middle and turn it on to the pressure cooker setting.
Finally, put the lid on, seal it, and set the time to 60 minutes.
When the timer is up, let the Instant Pot do a natural release for 15-20 minutes.

Finishing the soup

First, you're going to thicken the soup, using the soup! Carefully scoop out 3 cups of (mostly) beans without disturbing the ham shank or bone. Then, add the beans to a blender or use a pitcher with an immersion blender to puree the beans. (Once you grab that ham shank or bone, the ham will start falling off the bone, and I don't like to get it in the puree, so I pull it out after the puree step.)
Now, carefully scoop the ham shank or bone out of the pot and set it in a dish to remove all the cooked ham. Shred larger pieces of meat and add it back to the pot with the bean puree.
If you plan to add more ham, do that now. The residual heat in the soup will warm up the diced ham.
Add the tablespoon of lemon juice to the pot and stir to combine. Finally, taste for salt and adjust if needed.
Serve the ham and beans in soup bowls garnished with fresh dill or parsley. Crusty bread chunks are an excellent accompaniment for this soup.

Showing the first step of sautéing the vegetables in the instant pot then adding pepper and by leaves.

Saute the vegetables oil, then add the black pepper and bay leaves.

Adding the broth and hambone before starting the Instant Pot.

Add the broth and hambone or ham shank before starting the Instant Pot.

A pitcher with some of the beans and a pan with the cooked hambone.

Remove a few cups of the beans and the hambone or ham shank.

A pureed pitcher of beans and the ham shredded from the bone.

Puree the beans and pull the meat off the bone, then add both back to the pot and stir to combine.

Hot Tip!

Wait to add salt until the soup is done cooking and you've stirred the ham back in and added lemon juice. These two things can alter the final flavor profile, and the ham shank itself will provide a lot of the salt for the soup.

Substitutions for Instant Pot ham and beans

Cooking liquid - Use any flavor of broth you'd like. Some bouillon brands even have ham broth options!
Beans - You can substitute pinto beans or kidney beans or use a mixture. You can also use a bag of 15-bean mix.

Variations

Give it a Tuscan profile - add 1 can of crushed tomatoes (undrained), 3 cups of chopped kale, and a teaspoon of Italian seasonings.
Basic beans - Skip the first step of using and cooking vegetables. Have a delicious meal of seasoned beans with shredded ham. Fill the Instant Pot with only the beans, broth, pepper, and ham shank. Cook for 60 minutes with a 15 minute natural release.

Leftover Instant Pot Ham and Beans

Store the ham and beans in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
Freeze the soup in a sealed container or zip top bag for up to 6 months.

Bowl of ham and beans with grilled bread dunked in it.

FAQ

How long does it take to cook beans in an Instant Pot?

Beans cooked alone in a liquid will take 25-35 minutes, depending on the bean and if it is presoaked or not. This ham and bean recipe takes longer due to the other ingredients in the pot, along with the beans.

Can you overcook beans in an Instant Pot?

Yes, it is possible to overcook the beans if you set the time incorrectly for the type of bean you are using and whether or not you've soaked it. World of Vegan has this amazing article all about beans and the Instant Pot, including a cooking timetable.

Food safety

Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Never leave cooking food unattended
Never remove the lid from a pressure cooker under full pressure. Adhere to the recommended guidelines from your machine's manufacturer.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.