I made this recipe yesterday to take to a neighbor who's ill.  It's has been a favorite of my family for many years since my father started making it for us longer ago than I care to remember. 

According to the United State Senate's website, "bean soup has been a required and beloved menu tradition in Senate restaurants for more than a century. There are competing stories about the origin of the mandate that bean soup be served daily. According to one story, the Senate’s bean soup tradition began early in the 20th century at the request of Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho, who as chair of the committee overseeing the Senate Restaurant, passed a resolution in the committee requiring that bean soup be on the menu daily. Another story attributes the request to Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota, who expressed his fondness for the soup in 1903 and insisted that it be on the menu each day."

When I traveled to Washington, DC back in 1998 for my admission to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court, I was fortunate enough to be invited to dine in the senators' private dining room by a family member who worked for then-Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell.  I don't remember what else I ordered, but it was a cold February day and some hot soup hit the spot!  While there, I got to meet Naomi Judd who was dining as the guest of another senator (I don't remember who), but she stopped by our table and visited for a minute or two.

The Senate's website has two recipes, but here's my version of Senate Navy Bean Soup.  

1 white or yellow onion, chopped fine, sauteed in 2 tablespoons butter in an instant pot

When onions are translucent, add 1 pound navy beans, rinsed, and preferably soaked overnight

Add approximately 1 pound chopped ham, or add a hambone to cook with the beans

Add five cups chicken stock, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, worcestershire and Tabasco to taste

Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes if beans were pre-soaked or 15 minutes if not.  Allow to remain under pressure another 10 minutes or so, then vent.

This soup goes great with hot cornbread, but that's a recipe I'll share with you another day.

Feel free to share this recipe and let me know in the comments if you tried it and how you liked it.