Senate Bean Soup (With a Shortcut)
This is an old-fashioned Senate bean soup recipe with a shortcut that includes tender beans and smoked turkey in a flavorful broth for the most hearty comfort food dish imaginable.
Have you heard of Senate bean soup before? Made with navy beans, ham hocks, and onion, its name originates from the fact it’s been traditionally served in the dining room of the United States Senate daily since the early 20th century. I love this famous soup because it’s simultaneously flavorful, filling, and the ultimate comfort food dish.
But in my mind, it needed to be made a bit more accessible for folks who don’t have all day to soak their beans as you do for my pinto beans and ham recipe. So, this is my shortcut Senate bean soup recipe. Fortunately, it tastes every bit as good as the old-fashioned version. So, wondering what ingredients you need to get your hands on to make Senate soup? It’s simple: lots of navy beans, onion, garlic, celery, butter, chicken broth, instant mashed potatoes, and a smoked turkey leg is the piece de resistance!
The instructions are just as easy. We first cook the turkey leg in the broth, saute the veggies and seasonings in the butter, then combine all the ingredients together. Then we just have to patiently wait for it to simmer and for all the flavors to mingle together before we can serve it to our hungry family! Sometimes it’s the simple flavors that are the best and the combination of the beans, smoked turkey, and flavorful broth will have you coming back for more.
I don’t think you’ll find a saltier, heartier, or thicker soup recipe, which is why this easy Senate bean soup is a favorite in my household. A little goes a long way and leftovers can be reheated and enjoyed for lunch the next day. I mean, say less!
Recipe Ingredients
- Navy beans
- Minced garlic
- Onion
- Unsalted butter or margarine
- Chicken stock/bullion cubes
- Celery
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Smoked turkey leg
How to Make Senate Bean Soup
Place bullion cubes in a pot with six cups of water (or substitute for chicken broth if you prefer) and add the turkey leg.
Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
The turkey leg does not have to be covered with water/broth.
Place butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add onion, celery, and garlic, and saute until lightly brown.
Like this.
Remove turkey leg from broth and dice it up once cool.
Add onion mixture, beans, and diced turkey.
Stir in salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes before serving.
Oh my goodness, glorious comfort food on a chilly day!
I hope you get to make this Senate bean soup soon.
Storage
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat in the microwave.
- It also freezes VERY well for up to 3 months. I took my leftovers and put them in a mason jar, leaving plenty of head space, and froze it to eat later. When it was time, I let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- Now, you can substitute the instant mashed potatoes for actual mashed potatoes if you prefer. You’ll need to boil 1 large Russet potato and mash it with about 1/2 cup of milk before adding it to the soup. But this recipe is all about shortcuts, so I’ll stick to the instant option!
- Another option is to substitute the turkey leg for smoked ham hocks or a meaty ham bone. You may need to simmer for another 30 minutes to ensure the meat is tender.
- Have a leftover ham bone from Easter? Turn it into Senate bean soup!
- You can really use any type of white beans in Senate bean soup, like cannellini beans or Great Northern beans.
Recipe FAQs
How do you thicken Senate bean soup?
With a thickening agent. In this case, I’m using instant mashed potatoes because they’re the most brilliant soup thickener. Another option is to make a slurry by stirring one teaspoon of cornstarch or all-purpose flour into cold water and adding that to the soup. You can continue to use this method a teaspoon at a time until it’s to your desired consistency.
How do you serve Senate bean soup?
Here are some soup serving suggestions:
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives.
- Serve with homemade biscuits, cornbread, or crusty bread.
Can I make navy bean soup in the Instant Pot?
Yes, Instant Pot Senate bean soup is just as simple. Follow Instant Pot directions for cooking the turkey leg and sauteing the vegetables if you like. Then add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook on the manual setting for 45 minutes before releasing naturally.
Check out these other comforting soup recipes:
Creamy Vegetable Soup (Low-Carb Version)
How To Make Chicken Noodle Soup
Taco Soup (The World’s Easiest Supper)
Ingredients
- 4 15-ounce cans navy beans, undrained
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 chicken bullion cubes (6 cups of chicken broth)
- 1 smoked turkey leg
- 1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
- 1 stick margarine or butter (1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place bullion cubes in a pot with six cups of water (or sub for straight chicken broth instead) and add the turkey leg. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. The turkey leg does not have to be covered with broth.4 chicken bullion cubes, 1 smoked turkey leg
- Place butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and saute until lightly brown.3 stalks celery, chopped, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 onion, chopped, 1 stick margarine or butter
- Remove the turkey leg from the broth and dice it up when cool. Add instant potatoes to broth and stir. Then add onion mixture, beans, and diced turkey. Stir in salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes before serving.4 15-ounce cans navy beans, undrained, 1 cup instant mashed potato flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
Nutrition
Gentle reminder: We don’t talk politics on any of my platforms. This post was originally published in 2010 and I updated the photos and the post in 2020.
This recipe was featured in Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck!
Hey Christy, your tip you gave last week about being able to buy a ham bone from the Honeybaked Ham store, was GREAT. Thanks a bunch. I made the senate bean soup with yankee (northern) beans. The whole hams cost so much now, and we don’t even need that huge amount of ham, so those meaty bones are just right. Thanks!
I noticed on another post you are shopping Aldi now, and since they have the best price on butter, we can now afford butter. All their dairy is usually half the price of other stores (unless the store is having a super price cut sale).
If you need a way to use up some boiled eggs, try bean salad by using drained kidney beans (or other kinds, even green peas) and leave out the potatoes and proceed just like you are making a potato salad. Put in lots of crunch celery, some sweet onion for crunch. We dress w/ mayo base but it could be any kind of dressing you like. It was a popular N. Alabama dish from back in the 50s, bet your folks made some beans salad too.
Funny what we can make into salad, my friends Mama made baloney salad.. Pretty good!
Happy Spring Christy.
ps: since Aldi came to town, we no longer go to Sams, that was where we used to get butter and certain items. I miss a few things Sams has like their big long wheat hoagie rolls. But we found a sandwich shop called Steamboat that will sell them and that works. Good to support the local baker.
I am so glad you found the tip helpful!!Oh my goodness, baloney salad…YUM!!!
Christy – My mother made the best navy beans. We never actually called it bean soup, just beans! But we also served it over her wonderful homemade cornbread baked in the that old black cast iron skillet. Yummy – I never bake cornbread in anything else! But, my point that I was trying to get to was that there was always this pretty little blue ceramic cruet with a top that was filled with apple cider vinegar. We would pour a small amount on our bowl of beans just before that first big bite! Oh my goodness it was so good. Today I use an aged balsamic vinegar because I love the taste and sweetness of it. Just a little sharing cause I love your recipes so much! You’re a peach!
Thank you for this recipe! I love bean soup but never think to put them in the crockpot in the mornings before work. THIS recipe I can do. Btw, this post just cracked me up. I laughed all the way through it. Oh, and margarine at 60 cents a box? That’s great–even the cheapest is $1.00 a box or more around here.
The Senate Cafe is located in the Dirksen Senate Office Building. I was there on a whirlwind grass roots lobbying trip several years ago. At the time I didn’t know the bean soup was “famous”, but it was really good! I thought it needed a bit more salt and pepper and I missed not having my favorite “sweet cornbread” with it, but it was still good! Yep, I’m a Yankee who also lived for ten years in TN, but I have to have sugar in my cornbread AND salt! If I send you my cornbread recipe, will you try it? It’s good with bean soup, potato soup and all by itself! I would love for you to try it! Meanwhile, I now have the recipe for the Senate Bean Soup! Yeah!
Christy, just picked up some land o lakes coupons at the store for 50cents good into May. You can use 5 at a time at Kroger. They also have their brand of butter on sale until Tuesday for $1.99. I only use butter or Fleischman’s margarine so that is usually what I buy that on sale for at same price… LOL was on sale two weeks ago when I found the coupons so only paid $1.49. Should have told you then but holding onto my coupons because it will probably go on sale around Mothers Day. I think I got this coupon thing down!
I can’t wait to fix this for my family!
I hope they enjoy it Janet!!
This looks delicious! I know you use the instant mashed potatoes to thicken the soup, but I was hoping to make this today and can’t get to the store. Any substitutes?
Jemma, did you read about one woman who mashed one of the cans of beans and used that for thickening. I noted it as I thought that might be a good idea, as well as using some of the potatoes. I may start using the instant potatoes for thickening as I love soup. I want to fix some shrimp and corn chowder. If you have a recipe, let me know. I think I’ll start looking. I don’t cook shrimp very often but it sure doesn’t take long to do. I get some ready to cook. I do not clean them. Dad made me clean some when I was a teenager and I wouldn’t eat shrimp for several years and don’t like it as well as I used to now. However, I did try some clam chowder at one nice place and gave me courage to try shrimp corn chowder at a local place that does seafood. It tasted great and I try to go there most Friday for lunch to get the soup. I think I’d love the ham and bean soup too. My mom made ham and bean and she made a lot of pinto beans. We must have had them once a week and always with white corn bread (I prefer yellow just because it is sweeter and has more color). I like cornbread in a glass of milk too. Mom had hers in buttermilk but I never caught that flavor. But was sure good in milk. Love the chocolate gravy she made, too. I think Christy has that recipe or a close version of it. We never put vanilla in it. We did use butter though.