Senate Bean Soup

By Sarah DiGregorio

In the course of researching this soup, Sarah DiGregorio learned that no one agrees on which senator is responsible for its longevity on the Senate menu.

Updated October 30, 2026

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Anna Billingskog.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
1 hr and 45 min
Rating
5(38)
Comments
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Senate Bean Soup has been served to senators and their staff for more than 100 years in the U.S. Senate Dining Room. This stovetop recipe, an adaptation of our popular slow-cooker version, honors the original — navy beans simmered with ham hocks, butter and onion — but perks it up with carrots and smoked paprika. If you’d like more vegetables, stir in about 8 ounces of chopped kale before serving.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 1 red or yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ½- to 1-inch thick

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • Black pepper

  • 8 cups water

  • 1 pound dried navy beans or small white beans, soaked

  • 2 medium smoked ham hocks (about 1½ pounds total)

  • 1 medium russet potato, peeled and quartered

  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

60 grams carbs; 97 milligrams cholesterol; 599 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 14 grams fiber; 1486 milligrams sodium; 51 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Melt the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and carrots, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Add the salt, paprika, thyme and several generous grinds of black pepper; stir to combine.

  2. Step 2

    Add the water, beans, ham hocks and potato. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cover the pot. Simmer until the beans are getting close to tender, about 1 hour.

  3. Step 3

    Uncover the pot and simmer the soup until the beans and ham hocks are tender, the liquid level slightly reduced and the beans are a bit more prominent, 20 to 30 more minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Pull out the ham hocks and put them on a cutting board to cool slightly. Using a fork, mash the potato pieces against the side of the pot. Stir vigorously to break down some of the beans, too. Stir in the vinegar. Pull the meat off the bones, add it back into the soup and discard the bones and skin. Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed.

Tip

  • If you are pressed for time and want to make a faster version, substitute four 15-ounce cans of navy beans, drained and rinsed, for the dried beans, chopped ham for the ham hocks and chicken broth for the water, decreasing the salt by half. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes in Step 2.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
38 user ratings
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Comments

Andrea

@Bill you should sort the beans first, looking for imperfections or even a stone passing as a bean. Once they are picked over rinse them in a colander with cold water, then pour into a mid size bowl and cover with cold water with about two inches of water on top of the beans. Let soak “overnight” or even do this in the morning if cooking in the afternoon/evening. At least 6-8 hours I would say. Make sure the bowl will accommodate the beans and water and not overflow. The beans could increase by half. Once soaked, drain, rinse again, and proceed with the recipe. Hope this is not TMI, my family tells me I get somewhat carried away! :)

Newlywed KM

@Naomi as a veggie coincidence, I made a version of this a few days ago with Rancho Gordo beans using veggie broth, umami powder, and a little smoked paprika for the smoky factor!

Clarence White

Senate Bean Soup traces its tradition to the early 20th century, with competing stories crediting Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho or Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota for requesting it be served daily in the Senate restaurant. While Michigan did not introduce Senate Bean Soup, it significantly influenced its recipe and tradition through the use of Michigan navy beans, making it an integral part of the soup's identity in the Senate.

Theresa

I didn’t get much meat off of my ham hocks and I used 3. Is this normal?

Why so many ingredients?

This recipe has far more ingredients than the original recipe. Not saying these additions are good or bad, but the original recipe is outstanding as is. 2 pounds dried navy beans 4 quarts hot water 1.5 pounds smoked ham hocks 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons butter salt and pepper to taste

Pedantic Twit

There is no need to soak the navy beans. In fact, the directions on the Goya brand dry navy beans for pretty much the same recipe explicitly says in caps "DO NOT SOAK." I dunno why they're so adamant about it, but I tried it and it works just fine. Cooking takes longer than recommended here -- an hour or so, but I don't see any point in going to the extra trouble for no point. But potato? And no bay leaf? Whut?

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