12 Delicious Ways to Use Navy Beans

Crockpot Taco Soup — The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

Add more plant-based protein to your diet, and stretch your family's food dollar, with these delicious, budget-friendly recipes using navy beans. We've rounded up our favorite navy bean recipes, whether you are using canned beans, or starting with the dried variety.

Tip: If using dried beans, soak them overnight before cooking, for the creamiest, most tender beans. Simply place them in a pot, covered in a few inches of salted water (one tablespoon of kosher salt per quart), and leave in the fridge or a cool place until morning. Or, if you are short on time, you can use this 1 hour "quick soak" approach instead for the same result.

How to Substitute Dried Beans for Canned

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Turkish Navy Bean Salad

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Bean salads are popular in Turkey, where they are often served as a side dish to Turkish meatballs. This simple bean salad that starts with dry navy beans is light-tasting, easy to prepare, and made with common, inexpensive ingredients. Add it to your picnic or potluck menu, or serve it as a refreshing side for burgers and hot dogs at summer cookouts.
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Crockpot Taco Soup

The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

Top ths fantastic, Tex Mex-style taco soup with crunchy tortilla chips, for a yummy, filling dinner in a bowl that will please even the pickiest eaters. It's a cinch to make in the crockpot with ground beef, canned vegetables and beans, and dried seasonings.
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Slow Baked Beans With Molasses and Bacon

Diana Rattray

Use your Dutch oven for these slow-baked beans with molasses and bacon. They make a filling meal in a bowl, and require only a few stirs as they simmer to perfection all day long. Start the day before, soaking dried navy beans overnight before you begin cooking.
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Quick and Easy Bean Soup With Sausage

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With a few different cans of beans, crumbled sausage, and a few dried seasonings, you can throw together this heart-warming soup. It goes from stovetop to table in about an hour and makes a delicious meal in one bowl. Add some fresh or frozen chopped kale or spinach, if you like, for extra color and flavor.

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4-Bean Chili

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Easy, delicious 4-bean chili is packed with protein and flavor, and won't stretch your family food budget. There's really nothing more warming on a cool day or night. It's also super quick to prepare, because you used canned beans. Make it ahead, and freeze in portions up to 3 months, for a healthy meal you can reheat quickly when needed.
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Stovetop Bean Soup With Ham

The Spruce/Zorica Lakonic

Serve this long-cooking stovetop bean soup with home-baked rolls, or cornbread muffins, for a traditional Southern dinner. It's a simple recipe but yields a thick, hearty soup that is filling enough to satisfy a family at dinnertime.
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Boston Baked Beans

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Boston baked beans have been a New England tradition for hundreds of years. This classic "Beantown" recipe starts with dried navy beans, and is easy to make in an afternoon, using bacon, molasses, and a few common pantry ingredients. Plan to soak dried beans overnight before cooking.
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Southern Bean Soup

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Warm, comforting, and ultra-nutritious, this Southern-style bean soup boasts several varieties of beans, barley, lentils, and split peas, plus tomatoes and green chile peppers for extra color and flavor. It's sure to become a family favorite.

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Slow Cooker Chunky Turkey or Beef Chili

The Spruce

You can make this versatile crockpot chili with ground turkey or ground beef. The simple combination of browned meat, onion, canned tomatoes, beans, and pantry spices adds up to tons of flavor. Garnish bowls with shredded cheese and green onions, or a scoop of guacamole or sour cream.
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Senate Bean Soup With Ham

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Leftover mashed potatoes add a thick, creamy texture to this satisfying bean soup that's been a Capitol Hill staple for well over a hundred years. Serve it with biscuits or cornbread for a fabulous everyday meal.
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Navy Bean Soup With Ham and Spinach

Diana Rattray

Hearty bean soup makes an easy everyday family meal, with some cornbread or rolls. This quick and easy version adds tomatoes and spinach for color, and can be made with leftover ham, corned beef, or browned Italian sausage.
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Slow Cooker Navy Bean Soup With Ham

Diana Rattray

Using a slow cooker is a method for cooking dried beans, to turn them tender. This classic American soup needs only 5 ingredients, plus salt and pepper. It includes an inexpensive ham bone or ham hocks for tons of savory flavor.

If You Have Beans and a Slow Cooker, You Can Make These 25 Easy Meals