Bean with Bacon Soup – Instant Pot Campbell’s Copycat
When I was growing up, I had a favorite soup — Campbell’s Bean with Bacon. It’s what I wanted to eat when I was sick (or even when I wasn’t). Now that I’m an avid label reader, I avoid most canned soups, but that doesn’t stop me from craving this childhood, Gen X staple!
Why You Will Love This Dry Bean Soup Recipe
- Nostalgia! This copycat bean and bacon soup recipe is childhood comfort food at its finest, made with whole food and no chemicals or preservatives.
- Fast, easy and budget-friendly! Need I say more?
- Protein-rich and High in Fiber. It’s also free of all the top 8 food allergens.
Ingredient Notes:
- Navy beans.
- 2-3 ham hocks. In my experiments to create a copycat recipe, I found that using ham hocks actually created a bacon flavor closer to Campbell’s version than bacon did (go figure!). Bonus: you don’t have to saute them first like you would with bacon.
- Vegetables. 1 large carrot, diced, 1/2 large onion, diced, 1 large garlic clove, minced
- Vegetable broth. Most are free of the top 8 food allergens but read the food label anyway.
- Spices. Salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika.
How to Make this Homemade Bean with Bacon Soup:
STEP 1: Wash the beans and chop the vegetables
STEP 2: Add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot
STEP 3: Make sure the vent is set to sealing. Press Manual, make sure it’s on high, then set the timer for 30 minutes.
STEP 4: Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then switch to venting
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this bean with bacon soup recipe with a slow cooker (or crock pot)?
Yes, you can make it in your slow cooker. Rinse the dry beans well and then add everything to your crockpot. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for four to five hours (or until the beans are tender).
Can I substitute northern beans for navy beans, since they’re both white beans?
Yes, although in my recipe development and testing work, navy beans worked better to replicate the canned soup version. While both are types of white beans, Great Northern beans are larger, wider, and have a slightly more nutty flavor compared to the smaller, milder navy beans.
Can I use bacon instead of ham hocks?
Yes, although you’ll have to saute the bacon first, which is extra work not required when you use ham hocks.
Can I use canned beans to make this homemade bean and bacon soup instead of dry beans?
Since this is an Instant Pot recipe, and the dry beans are fast (and affordable) when made this way, I haven’t tried using canned beans and don’t recommend them for this recipe.
Hearty Instant Pot White Bean and Bacon Soup
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot (pressure cooker) (or slow cooker if you're opting for this cooking method)
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Coldander (to rinse the beans)
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry navy beans
- 2-3 ham hocks
- 1 large carrot, diced into small pieces
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 4 cups vegetable broth (read the ingredients on the label)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Wash and drain the beans in a colander; chop the garlic, onion and carrot
- Add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot
- Make sure the vent is set to sealing
- Press Manual, make sure it's on high, then set timer for 30 minutes (35 if you are using old beans that have been sitting in your pantry for a long time)
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then switch to venting
