Crockpot ham and bean soup is a perfect cold weather meal. It is especially great if you have some leftover ham to use up. Make some ham and beans in the slow cooker and some cornbread for a comforting and filling dinner.
While this recipe is super simple, this hearty crockpot ham and bean soup is delicious. Let it cook all day long and you’ll have a stick to your rib dinner waiting for you when you get home!
I would enjoy a different soup almost every day during the fall and winter if I didn’t share my dinner table with a soup scrooge. The struggle is real, y’all!
Luckily I can win him over with things like venison chili and ham and bean soup. Hearty soups that eat like a meal are acceptable to my husband as long as I don’t go crazy and try to make them too often.
The Ham
This is the perfect use for a ham bone if you had a bone in ham. In fact, we sometimes buy a ham just for an excuse to make ham and bean soup.
Luckily there are so many tasty ways to use leftover ham, so we don’t mind having one every once in a while.
If you don’t want to buy a whole ham, you can get ham shanks, or smoked ham hock to get your soup started. Either will add the richness and flavor you are looking for without the leftovers.
I do remove whatever meat is on the bone at the end and return it to the pot, but I like to add some fresh ham at that point as well. I like the meat to have a nice hammy texture.
The ham that has been cooked all day is a little soft, so the fresh ham really adds back in the texture and flavor. Serve your ham and bean soup with some corn muffins or beer bread to help sop it up.
Can I make ham and bean soup without a ham bone?
Yes! It is possible to make perfectly delicious soup without a leftover ham bone.
While the bone adds richness and depth to the broth, it is not absolutely necessary. You can buy cubed ham or dice a couple of ham steaks if you would like.
I would use a rich chicken stock in place of the water if forgoing the bone though. That will help to bring that depth of flavor.
The Beans
Now that we have the ham covered, it’s time to talk beans. Of course they are important in ham and bean soup.
We find that white beans make for a creamy and visually appealing soup. You can use navy beans, cannellini, or great northern.
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If you have a bag of mixed beans intended for 15 bean soup, that would work too.
Make sure to soak your dry beans overnight. Soaking the beans helps them digest a little bit easier and get tender faster.
In the morning, dump the water and rinse the beans and then they are ready to cook.
What can I do if I forgot to soak my beans for ham and bean soup?
If you forgot to soak the beans and you have a pressure cooker, you can use my recipe for Instant Pot ham and bean soup instead.
Otherwise you can simmer the beans for an hour or so and then drain them. Then just use them as if they had been soaked.
Optional Add-ins
We love this ham and bean soup recipe as written. It is simple and really allows the ham and beans to shine.
However, you can easily add in more vegetables if you would like. Feel free to toss some celery and carrots in with the onion.
Or wilt in some greens towards the end of the cook time if you would like. Roughly chopped spinach or kale would add a pop of color and roughage.
You could also stir in a can of chopped tomatoes if desired to give a 15 bean soup feel. Just wait until the beans are cooked before you stir it in.
Adding acid before the beans are cooked may prevent them from softening. So be aware of that.
My grandma likes adding diced onions and a splash of vinegar to the top of her bowl of soup. You can also sprinkle on some fresh parsley if desired.
How do you thicken ham and bean soup?
If your broth is thinner than you’d like, just mash a few of the beans. The starch from the beans will help make the broth thick and creamier.
Leftover soup will thicken after is it chilled and reheated. So another option would be to make the soup in advance and reheat it.
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds dry great northern beans*
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 meaty ham bone
- 8 cups water
- 1 large diced onion
- 1 to 2 cups diced ham
Instructions
- Soak the 2 pounds dry great northern beans*. Drain and rinse.
- Add beans, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 bay leaf, 1 meaty ham bone, 1 large diced onion and 8 cups water to your slow cooker. (I used a 6 quart insert)
- Cook on low for about 7-8 hours.
- Remove ham bone and bay leaf. Stir in 1 to 2 cups diced ham. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes to an hour. (This will give you time to make your cornbread!)
- For a thicker soup, remove a cup or so of the cooked beans. Mash them then stir them back into the pot.
- Store leftover in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
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I made these on Sunday and they were AMAZING! Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
Oh, yay! I’m glad you liked them!
Dad taught me how to crock pot this soup many years ago. His list included ham shanks, which gave a great flavor to the soup. Added the onion, a couple of peppercorns, and the bay leaf. Since it has been very difficult to find good ham shanks, I used ham hocks and add some cubed salted pork for added meat and flavor. A great soup all year ’round 😋
I agree, it’s always a good time for bean soup!
I have soaked my beans then added the beans, carrots, celery and onion along with two cups of chicken bouillon and a couple cups of water in my Instapot on slow. Plan to add a couple more cups of bouillon in a few. Expecting a mix of snow and ice in South Carolina tomorrow so this should be a perfect for tomorrow. Add cornbread cooked in my mother’s old iron skillet. Perfect!
The perfect snowy day meal!
Thanks for the novel before the recipe….
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@Carlee, Bless You & thank you for your insights into your family! I had to laugh! I had a “ick, it has beans” kid. He’s now married and has 3 of his own and one that says “yuck, it has moldy green stuff” gotta love science class for 7 yo! 😂.
I hope you and yours have many more enjoyable moments.
ps. I sent my friend your recipe. She’s never baked or cooked a day in her 64 yo life. She’s now hooked. She asked “does your friend has any more easy recipe?”
Of course she does Gertie. ❤️
Thank you so much!
What an ass!
If I want to use fresh garlic how much should I use?
About 16 cloves is to equal the 2 teaspoons. But how much you should add depends on the size of the garlic cloves and how much you like garlic. You can start with less and add more in later if you want.
I’ve never had luck making beans in a crock pot, but I’m going to try this. My question is, if you substitute dried onion flakes for a whole onion, how much do you use? I put a couple tsp. Hope I didn’t over do it. I’m going to add parboiled potatoes, cause potatoes dont do well in a crock pot when submerged in water and can carrots, at the end. Cause they don’t need to cook 4-8 hours.
Thanks for the recipe!
That’s not too much onion, I think it will be great. Adding potatoes and carrots at the end sounds like an excellent idea. I hope you enjoy them!
I’m proud of my self.The last time I used my crock I checked to see how my food was doing. The allotted time to cook I believe it was 4 hours.It wasn’t DOING. I forgot to plug it in but, had turned on the setting time! Opps! Needless to say we had a very late dinner!
Oh no!! That’s the worst!
I’ve never added celery & carrots before ( So here it goes) I followed recipe but added smoked garlic & a touch of onion powder & Thyme seasoning.Saving the onion to add on top of the beans with fried onion & potatoes and some hot sauce added on top. Hope it’s good. Started cooking it at 2:00p.m. The cook setting I choose was High for 4- 5 hours. Checking at 4 hours. Thanks for you’re recipe.
I hope you enjoy it!
Why do so many cooks use garlic powder instead of real garlic? I would think it would taste better, as well as giving us the health benefits.
You are welcome to use fresh garlic if you prefer, I am sure that would be delicious. Most levels of home cooks have garlic powder in the pantry, but not everyone has fresh garlic on hand all of the time.
Ham & Bean soup had always been a family favorite. I can’t wait to try this recipe for the crockpot. The way we enjoy this soup is over diced potatoes, especially the frozen O’Brien potatoes! Cook those while the cornbread bakes & you have an awesome dinner!!
I just heard about serving ham and beans with potatoes for the first time not too long ago. I am really going to have to try it!