No Soak Instant Pot Ham and Beans

Name: No Soak 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; Optional: additional diced ham; Optional: 1/4 cup dill or parsley, minced

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If you have leftover ham or you want a hearty, comforting meal that practically cooks itself, Instant Pot Ham and Beans is one of the easiest ways to get dinner on the table. This cozy stew is rich, savory, and deeply flavorful thanks to smoky ham, tender vegetables, and creamy no-soak beans. Everything cooks together in one pot, and the Instant Pot handles the long simmering that traditional ham and beans require.

🕒 Ready in 75 minutes | 🍽 Serves ~6 | 🍲 Instant Pot Recipe
Main flavors: smoky ham, creamy beans, savory vegetables
Best for: leftover ham, cozy weeknight meals, freezer-friendly batch cooking
Recipe type: No-soak Instant Pot ham & bean stew

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

The best part is that this recipe uses affordable pantry staples and transforms them into a satisfying, soul-warming meal with almost no effort. A quick sauté step brings deeper flavor, but even the dump-and-go version turns out beautifully. Whether you're working through leftover holiday ham or simply craving a bowl of something warm and familiar, this dish delivers every time.

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

Jump to:

Key Ingredients (and why they work)
Tools for the job
How to make Instant Pot Ham and Beans
Dump-and-Go (fastest method)
Pro Tip!
Ingredient Swaps & Variations
Leftover Instant Pot Ham and Beans
FAQ
More Bean & Comfort Recipes
No Soak Instant Pot Ham and Beans
💬 Comments

Key Ingredients (and why they work)

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

Ham shank or hambone - A ham shank gives you both smoky depth and plenty of meat to shred back into the pot, making the stew hearty and flavorful. A leftover ham bone from a roast works well too, especially if it still has bits of ham attached. You can also use a ham hock, but it is mostly for flavor and does not provide as much meat, so additional diced ham may be needed.

Dry white beans - Navy beans, great northern beans, or cannellini beans all work beautifully here because they soften evenly, absorb flavor well, and help create that naturally creamy texture once part of the batch is pureed. The Instant Pot handles dry beans with no soaking required, but it is still important to rinse and sort them first and to avoid beans that are more than two years old, which may cook unevenly.

Chicken stock - Stock adds a savory backbone to the stew without overwhelming the flavor of the ham. Low-sodium or unsalted options work best because the ham shank itself seasons the soup as it cooks. This ensures a balanced broth and allows you to finish the dish with salt only if needed.

Lemon juice - A small amount of lemon juice at the end brightens the entire pot, cuts through richness, and wakes up the flavor of the beans. It's subtle but makes a noticeable difference in the final bowl.

Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

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 or mixing bowl (paid link)

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

How to make Instant Pot Ham and Beans

Prepping the Soup for the Instant Pot

Sort and rinse the dry beans.
Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add the olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.
Stir to coat everything in the oil, then cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften and brown around the edges. Cancel the sauté setting.
Add the dry beans, bay leaves, black pepper, and chicken stock, and nestle the ham shank or bone into the center of the pot.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal it, and set it to cook for 60 minutes on high pressure. When the timer is complete, allow a natural release for 15-20 minutes.

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.

Finishing the Soup

Carefully remove about three cups of (mostly) beans and broth, leaving the ham bone undisturbed for now.
Puree the beans in a blender or with an immersion blender in a separate pitcher. Pureeing outside the pot helps the beans become fully smooth and creates that creamy, dairy-free body in the finished stew.
Next, remove the ham shank or bone and transfer it to a dish. Pull the meat from the bone, shred it, and return the ham to the pot along with the pureed beans.
If using extra diced ham, add it now so the residual heat can warm it through.
Stir in the lemon juice and taste the soup before adding any salt. The ham often seasons the pot fully on its own.

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.

Dump-and-Go (fastest method)

For busy nights:

Add all ingredients except olive oil, vegetables, and lemon juice directly into the pot.
Pressure cook for 60 minutes, with a 15-20-minute natural release.
Puree the beans and shred the ham as instructed, then finish with lemon juice.

You'll lose a bit of depth without sautéing, but it still turns out delicious.

Pro Tip!

Wait to add salt until the very end. The ham naturally seasons the broth during cooking, and the lemon juice brightens everything at the finish. You may find you don't need much salt at all.

Ingredient Swaps & Variations

Beans - To change the flavor profile, you can use pinto beans, kidney beans, or even a bag of 15-bean mix.
Broth - Any type of broth works, including vegetable stock or ham-flavored bouillon.
Flavor - For a Tuscan-inspired version, add a can of crushed tomatoes, chopped kale, and Italian seasoning.
So simple - For basic beans without vegetables, skip the sauté step and cook only the beans, pepper, broth, and ham shank for 60 minutes with a 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?

Dry beans cook in about 25-35 minutes on their own, but this recipe takes longer because it includes vegetables, ham, and a fuller pot. The 60-minute cook time ensures fully tender beans.

Can you overcook beans in an Instant Pot?

Yes. Beans can become mushy if they're cooked for too long, especially if they're pre-soaked or if canned beans are used. Using dry beans and following the timing in this recipe helps avoid that.

Can I use canned beans?

Not for this recipe. Canned beans will turn to mush. Stick with dry beans.

What if my beans aren't soft after cooking?

Simply seal the lid again and cook for another 10-15 minutes. This could happen if the beans are old.

Can I thicken or thin the soup?

For a thicker stew, puree an additional cup of beans. To thin it, stir in a little extra warm stock.

Are there any food safety tips I should follow for this recipe?

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