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This easy Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup recipe is an ultra-comforting and healthy dinner idea. Bonus: There’s no need to soak the beans in advance for this slow cooker soup!
Restaurants and home cooks everywhere often share a common goal: Reducing food waste and stretching the value of every dollar spent. One of my favorite takeaways from culinary school was learning how to put scraps to work in delicious ways, and this Ham and Bean Soup is a great example.
Put any leftover ham bone (and extra ham, for that matter) to work in this easy slow cooker recipe. Like most of my crockpot recipes, I invest some time up front, on the stove, to build and layer flavors. I use that technique here with vegetables, herbs, spices, and the beans. Everything comes to a boil on the stove which gives a leg up to the slow cooker, too, and it simmers away all afternoon until the beans are tender and the soup is infused with smoky flavor.
This simple, fool-proof recipe is the tastiest way to put your leftover ham and ham bones to work, so keep it on hand for all your post-holiday meals.
Table of Contents
Ham Bean Soup Recipe Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Chicken broth: Store-bought or homemade chicken broth; either works well.
- Beans: Soaking beans is optional! Some people feel that soaked beans are easier to digest, and it also reduces the cooking time. To soak beans overnight, add 4 quarts water to a large bowl and add 1 pound of rinsed beans. Soak at least 8 hours. To quick-soak beans, add 1 pound of rinsed beans to a large saucepan and cover with 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. To substitute canned beans, use 3 to 4 cans of navy, pinto, kidney, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or other white beans, rinsed and drained.
- Ham bone: A leftover ham bone infuses the broth with so much rich pork flavor. A meatier ham bone will produce a meatier soup. Or substitute ham hocks or ham shanks.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Water
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Spices: Bay Leaf, Cumin, Thyme, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper.
How to make Bean and Ham Soup
- In a 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sauté carrots, celery, and onion until softened and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in broth, water, beans, ham bone, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Pour into slow cooker. Heat on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours or until beans are tender.
- Remove ham bone and bay leaf. Chop ham from bone and return to slow cooker. Add additional leftover ham, if using, and cover until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Ham Bean Soup tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes satisfying 12 servings. Pair with your favorite salad recipe and some crusty bread for dunking for a cozy and complete meal.
- Make ahead: The soup can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
- More flavors: Add more flavors and spices as you see fit. Chili powder, cayenne pepper, or freshly squeezed lemon juice can all add a kick. Don’t be afraid to stir in other vegetables either (canned diced tomatoes taste good in this soup, too).
- Sauté then slow cook: I know it can feel tempting to just toss everything into the pot for a “dump dinner” in the slow cooker, but for the best flavor, it’s crucial to sauté the vegetables first. Add the beans and broth, bring everything to a boil, then add this all to your slow cooker. It takes just one additional pan and a few extra minutes, and the results are so worth that investment.
- Try it with turkey: If you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, you could certainly adjust this soup to feature that instead. Bonus points if you can set aside a few portions of the bones to infuse the slow cooker soup broth.
Storing Bean Soup with Ham
Store leftovers covered for up to 4 days.
Freezer:
To freeze ham and bean soup, place it in a shallow dish in the refrigerator to chill. Then, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I recommend pouring the soaking water down the drain. Some people say it’s a waste of water to throw away the soaking water. Others say if you keep the soaking water, it adds a sour taste. I agree with the latter and recommend tossing the soaking water, but it’s up to you.
Yes, salt the beans before cooking them. You may have heard somewhere that the universe will implode if you add salt to beans before they are completely cooked. However, if you read Kenji López-Alt’s information in his book, The Food Lab, he did some side-by-side testing and determined that salting beans before they are cooked is fine. In fact, doing so helps prevent the beans from exploding (see page 256 in his book).
Kidney beans contain phytohemagglutinin, a type of lectin that is very toxic at high levels. You MUST pre-soak dried kidney beans and hold them at boiling point (212 degrees Fahrenheit) for at LEAST 10 minutes. This means you should never cook kidney beans in a slow cooker. You won’t know for sure if the slow cooker reached boiling temps and held it for 10 minutes. Better to be safe than sorry!
More uses for leftover ham
Appetizer Recipes
Mini Quiche Recipe
Sandwich Recipes
Ham Salad Recipe
Stews and Soups
Ham and Lentil Soup
Side Dish Recipes
Collard Greens
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Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup carrots sliced (3-4 carrots)
- 1 cup celery sliced (3-4 ribs)
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth (see note 1)
- 4 cups water
- 1 pound dried navy beans or pinto beans, rinsed and picked over (see note 2)
- 1 meaty ham bone or ham hocks (see note 3)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- additional cooked ham chopped, optional
Instructions
- In a 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sauté carrots, celery, and onion until softened and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in broth, water, beans, ham bone, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
- Pour into slow cooker. Heat on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours or until beans are tender.
- Remove ham bone and bay leaf. Chop ham from bone and return to slow cooker. Add additional leftover ham, if using, and cover until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Chicken broth: Store-bought or homemade chicken broth; either works well.
- Beans: Soaking beans is optional! Some people feel that soaked beans are easier to digest, and it also reduces the cooking time. To soak beans overnight, add 4 quarts water to a large bowl and add 1 pound of rinsed beans. Soak at least 8 hours. To quick-soak beans, add 1 pound of rinsed beans to a large saucepan and cover with 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. To substitute canned beans, use 3 to 4 cans of navy, pinto, kidney, cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or other white beans, rinsed and drained.
- Ham bone: A leftover ham bone infuses the broth with so much rich pork flavor. A meatier ham bone will produce a meatier soup. Or substitute ham hocks or ham shanks.
- Yield: This recipe makes satisfying 12 servings. Pair with your favorite salad recipe and some crusty bread for dunking for a cozy and complete meal.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered for up to 4 days.
This soup is delicious!! I added around 8 pieces of bacon towards the end of the cook time and it added great flavor. My boyfriend told me it was his favorite meal I’ve ever made haha. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing !!
I’m making your soup now. We have a noreaster storm here in the north. I am using northern beans, hopefully they work. I did everything else exactly as you described. It smells wonderful on this blizzard of a day!
Making this right now I used a chicken broth, that had garlic, in it and it smells amazing. I used about 9slices of smoked ham, will leave the salt out until closer to dinner, I used canned beans, and carrots, did use fresh onions, and everything else was dry herb. I will make home made rolls.
This is such a wonderful soup. I have been making it for years. The only thing I do different is….. I soak the beans in the crock over night, then throw everything in it. No sauting, or anything. Everything right into the crock. I do add a smoked ham hock to it too, which gives it a very nice subtle smoky flavor. Sever with some homemade dinner rolls, and everybody is happy! It is the only way I can get my boys to eat ham and bean soup!
What do you soak them in and do you throw out liquid and start with fresh
Hi CLZ yes I throw out the soaking water. I’ve heard mixed opinions on that but I’ve noticed sometimes if you make beans and use their soaking water, the soaking water gives a sour taste. I don’t know if that is affected by the type of bean or age of the beans or what. Sometimes it’s not a problem, but I feel like it’s better to be safe than sorry. So yes toss the soaking liquid and use fresh in the recipe. Thanks! -Meggan
Very good taste like moms use too.
Thank yoU Mary, there is no higher compliment! 😀 -Meggan
Ham and bean soup without bone came out GREAT! Used only ham, navy beans, chic broth a and basil. son ate 2 bowls and took some home “go with it” is great advice!!!!
This is so great!!! Obviously you are a talented cook and you get all the credit. I will add some notes to the recipe so everyone else can benefit from your wisdom. So glad it worked out, you made my day! Take care.
Thanks for quick reply….am gonna ‘go with it’. Let you know. Never had with the veggies—mom just used bone, water, and beans.
I DO NOT have a ham bone!!! Have large piece of ham for soup…need recipe!! Asap
Just go with it! Use your ham and the recipe as-is. Bones provide a more gelatinous texture and a richer flavor, but you’ll be fine without. I wouldn’t change anything. Just roll with it! Feel free to report back and let me know how it goes! Good luck!
This looks wonderful! Ham bone soup is one of my favorites, especially on cold days. Love the classic flavors you’ve used!
Thank you so much Kathleen! It’s finally cold and rainy in SoCal so I’ve got this soup on repeat. 😀
l love meaty ham bones! My mom makes a very similar soup to this with green lentils instead.
Yes, green lentils (or split peas) are so tasty in this soup!
I love making soup with ham. I usually make it with split peas, but I love the use of pinto or navy beans making it so hearty.
I love a good split pea soup myself. Sometimes I add them in here, too, or use lentils. Because more soup. 😀