Place the rinsed great northern beans in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches of cold water. Let them soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. If you forget to soak overnight, use the quick-soak method by boiling beans for 2 minutes, then letting them sit covered for 1 hour.

Drain and rinse the soaked beans thoroughly. Dice your onion, carrots, and celery into roughly equal-sized pieces, about 1/4 inch each. Mince the garlic finely.

Heat the olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Add the drained beans, broth, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir everything together and bring to a boil over high heat. Make sure the liquid covers the beans by at least 1 inch, adding more broth or water if needed.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot partially, leaving a small gap for steam to escape, and cook for 75 to 90 minutes. Check the beans after 75 minutes by tasting a few from different areas of the pot. They should be creamy inside without any chalky texture, and the skins should be tender but intact.

Remove the bay leaves and taste the broth. Add more salt and pepper as needed. If the beans seem too soupy, simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes to reduce the liquid. If they're too thick, stir in additional broth or water until you reach your preferred consistency.

Remove the pot from heat and stir in the fresh parsley. Let the beans rest for 5 minutes before serving.