Dry navy beans can be used in navy bean soup instead of canned. Cooking with dry beans is slightly different than using canned beans. To prepare dry beans, soak them overnight in water before cooking. This helps to soften the beans and reduce their cooking time. After soaking, rinse and drain the beans before adding them to your soup recipe. Depending on the type of bean, they may take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours to cook thoroughly. You'll also need to add more liquid than if you were using canned beans since dry beans absorb more liquid as they cook.