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Home » Main Dish » Soups, Stews, and Chilis » Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

By Valerie · December 19, 2016 · Updated May 24, 2020 35 Comments

CP Slow Cooker H Holidays MD Main Dish
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A two image vertical collage of Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup with overlay text.

Make use of the bone from your holiday ham and cook up a batch of this Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup. It is the perfect post-holiday comfort food to enjoy with your family.

Two mugs filled with ham and bean soup on a wood cutting board.

If you’ve never cooked beans from scratch I’m going to do my best to motivate you to do exactly that with this post today. Since we’re just days away from Christmas weekend and you may very well have ham on your menu, I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes that makes use of the all-mighty ham bone and my tips and tricks to success when cooking with dry beans.

I love beans of every sort and keep a big supply of the canned variety on hand at all times but from time to time, and especially after the holidays when I’ve got a ham bone on my hands, I feel the necessity to open a bag of dry beans and go the distance.

Ham and Bean Soup on a slow cooker with a ladle shot from over the top.

It’s not fast but it’s actually quite easy and the result will be fabulous if you don’t try to rush things.

This recipe is perfect for the days following the holiday when you’re home and feeling the need for a little wholesome comfort food. After all that holiday indulgence, this Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup will really hit the spot.

Great Northern beans in a slow cooker.

I prefer the overnight soak method when cooking beans from scratch because it is one of very few kitchen tasks that can be done while sleeping! Pour the contents of a 1 pound bag of dry Great Northern beans into a large pot and add enough water to cover them by about 2″. Allow the beans to soak overnight. See recipe note for the an alternative quick soak method.

The next day, drain and rinse the soaked beans and transfer them to your slow cooker insert. They will have plumped up quite a bit and be ready for the cooking process.

Carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and seasonings are added to the slow cooker.

Add some chopped onion, celery, carrot, and minced garlic to the slow cooker and the simple seasonings – dry thyme, dry mustard, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Trust me, the ham will add so much wonderful, smoky flavor you don’t want to add more than a minimal amount of seasoning.

Broth, a large meaty ham bone, and bay leaves are added to the slow cooker.

In goes 5 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, a couple of bay leaves, and your leftover meaty ham bone. It’s fine if your bone is not quite as meaty as this one. I was planning ahead and left quite a bit of meat on the bone for my soup. An important note – trim off excess fat and give the ham bone a rinse under cool water to remove any sweet glaze.

Cover the slow cooker, set it to HIGH, and let it cook for 1 hour. Reduce the temperature to LOW and let it cook and additional 5 to 6 hours or until the beans are tender.

A wooden spoon stirs the soup in the slow cooker.

Remove the ham bone and transfer it to a cutting board.

Tomato sauce is added to the soup in the slow cooker.

Add a small can of tomato sauce and stir to combine. Transfer about 1/3 of the soup mixture to a blender or food processor and process for a minute or two. Return the puréed soup to the slow cooker, cover, and continue to cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. Puréeing a portion of the soup is an optional step but I like the velvety texture it adds. If you’d prefer a more broth-like consistency, you can skip it.

In the meantime, remove the ham from the bone and chop it into small pieces.

Chopped ham is added to the finished soup in the slow cooker.

Remove and discard the bay leaves and add the chopped ham to the soup.

A ladle scoops ups some of the Ham and Bean Soup from the slow cooker.

Stir in some chopped fresh parsley and you are ready to serve this hearty, absolutely wonderful made-from-scratch ham and bean soup!

Tips for Success When Cooking Dry Beans

  • If you don’t have time for the overnight soak you can speed things up with the quick soak method. See recipes notes for the details.
  • Don’t add acid based items like tomato sauce or vinegar until after the beans have had their initial cooking time and have become tender. If added at the beginning, acid based ingredients can prevent the beans from softening.
  • To determine when beans have cooked enough try biting into one or mashing it against the side of the slow cooker with a spoon. Properly cooked beans should be tender to the bite but still somewhat firm.
  • Always start with fresh beans. Dry beans will last for up to a year if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Discard any older beans as they will not cook properly and may never become soft.
  • Cooked beans freeze very well and will keep for several months.

Check out my other recipes that make use of leftover ham:

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
White Bean and Ham Soup (quick method)
Baked Beans from Scratch

A mug full of Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup on a wood cutting board shot from over the top.

A two image vertical collage of Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup with text overlay.

A mug filled with ham and bean soup.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

A great way to make use of the ham bone from your holiday ham. This Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup is the perfect post-holiday comfort food!
4.49 from 35 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 297kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry Great Northern or navy beans
  • water enough to cover dry beans by 2" for overnight soak
  • 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
  • 2 to 3 carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus additional if desired (taste and season after cooking)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 meaty ham bone (trimmed of excess fat and rinsed of any glaze)
  • 5 to 6 cups low sodium chicken broth as needed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • The evening before you want to cook the soup, rinse beans, remove any debris and place in a large pot. Cover with water by at least 2-inches and soak beans overnight. They will more than double in size so choose your pot accordingly.
  • The next day, drain and thoroughly rinse the soaked beans and transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  • Layer the remaining ingredients through the ham bone in the slow cooker in the order listed. Add about 5 cups of chicken broth, or just enough to cover the beans and veggies. Reserve any remaining chicken broth for later. Tuck the bay leaves into the mixture, cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW and continue to cook for an additional 5 to 6 hours. Stir occasionally during cooking time. When beans are tender, remove ham bone to a cutting board and remove and discard the bay leaves. Ad add the tomato sauce, stirring to combine. If you'd like a creamier texture, transfer about 1/3 of the soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return puréed soup to slow cooker, adding more broth, only if needed, to reach desired consistency. Cover and continue to cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, pull ham off the bone and chop into small pieces. Return chopped ham to the slow cooker and discard ham bone. Stir in chopped parsley. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.

Notes

Quick Soak Method:
If you'd prefer to soak and cook your beans on the same day, use this method. Place beans in a large pot and cover with two to three inches of cool water. Bring to a boil and keep at a high simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for one hour. Drain beans and continue with recipe.
Reheating:
Soup will thicken quite a bit when refrigerated so thin it out with a bit of water or chicken broth when reheating.
Please note that prep time does not include time to soak the beans.

Nutrition

Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 1184mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2738IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 4mg
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Categories: Christmas, Holidays, Main Dish, Pork, Recipe, Slow Cooker, Soups, Stews, and Chilis

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  1. Vanessa says

    October 16, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    Can I make this with canned beans?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      October 17, 2018 at 10:29 am

      Hi Vanessa. I don’t recommend cooking canned beans for an extended amount of time in the slow cooker. They are already cooked and can take on an unpleasant texture if cooked for too long. Instead, you might want to give my recipe for White Bean and Ham Soup a try. It’s fast and delicious and you can try it with different types of beans to suit your taste.

      Reply
  2. Kim Diefenbach says

    September 9, 2018 at 2:26 pm

    I soaked my beans overnight and after 7 hours in the crockpot they are still hard. Just moved them to a pot on the stove and am boiling away trying to get them done in the next hour or so. It smells good, just need to get the beans done. Not as easy as I’d hoped, but as long as they taste good it’ll be worth it.

    Reply
  3. Betty Palmer says

    August 29, 2018 at 7:06 pm

    I can not locate the pretty bird bowls on Joss and Main. Do you have any more info?
    I am also going to try the bean soup recipe. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      August 30, 2018 at 6:19 pm

      Hi Betty. I bought those years ago so I’m sure they must no longer carry them. I just came across similar bowls that I’m falling in love with right now from the same manufacturer on Amazon. Take a look at my affiliate link – https://amzn.to/2wBskA7

      I think I’m going to have to order these adorable snowman Christmas bowls – https://amzn.to/2NzO7ye – Now you’ve got me shopping! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Claudine says

    August 11, 2018 at 2:28 pm

    I have looked high & low for a very good recipe. One that I had all the ingredients for and came close to a recipe I had years ago! I’m soaking my beans now but I can tell you this will be good without a doubt. Thank you for this.

    Reply
  5. Tiffany says

    May 20, 2018 at 8:34 am

    I made this yesterday and it was delicious! We had a large ham bone in the freezer for some time that needed “clearing out” and this was the perfect recipe for it. And it makes a big batch so there are plenty of leftovers for dinner tonight.

    Reply
  6. Kay Jantz says

    April 11, 2018 at 5:41 pm

    I fixed this today with the quick soak method, started the crock pot at 12:30 on high did not go to low, we were able to eat the soup at 6. My mom made the best ham and navy bean soup and have tried for years to duplicate it, finally gave it up. This was a huge success. So glad I came across this recipe on Pinterest!

    Reply
  7. Maggie says

    January 14, 2018 at 4:20 pm

    I made your Slow Cooker Ham and Bean soup today. Great recipe! So easy. I did learn one thing though. Dried beans don’t keep fresh forever!! Mine were a little old and took longer to cook. Some were still a ‘lil crunchy! I can’t wait to make this again. With fresh beans!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 14, 2018 at 4:55 pm

      Hi Maggie. Yes, it’s true that dried beans do have a shelf life and are best if used within 2 years or the texture can be off. But dry beans past their expiration aren’t completely useless I have a big batch stored in my pantry that I use every time I blind bake a pie crust.

      Reply
  8. Chris says

    January 27, 2017 at 12:39 pm

    If you don’t have a ham bone, what is the next best alternative?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 28, 2017 at 8:55 am

      Hi Chris. You could cook the beans as directed, omitting the ham bone, but you would be missing that smoky ham flavor which I think is necessary in this recipe. Check the meat department or ask the butcher at your grocery store and you might find a ham hock that could be substituted. I’d also pick up a small portion of ham to chop and add to the soup at the end of the cooking time since a ham hock purchased at the store won’t have much meat on it.

      Reply
  9. Joan says

    January 5, 2017 at 7:47 am

    I am making your ham and bean soup and I am hesitant to add the tomato sauce as it tastes good without it. What does the tomato sauce add for flavor?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 5, 2017 at 10:15 am

      Hi Joan. Adding the tomato sauce gives it a flavor that reminds me more of the bean with bacon soup I ate (and loved!) growing up but I agree, it would be delicious without it.

      Reply
  10. T says

    January 2, 2017 at 7:02 pm

    Hi! Do you have any amazing ground turkey recipes?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 3, 2017 at 11:43 am

      My absolute #1 favorite ground turkey recipe is my Three Bean Turkey Chili. It is on regular rotation on our menu here. Some other popular choices – Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats, Chili Cornbread Bake, and Turkey Parmesan Meatballs. Several of my recipes that call for ground beef are also excellent with ground turkey. Here are some good choices:
      Mexican Stuffed Peppers
      Pizza Joes
      Bonnie’s Minestrone
      Tamale Pie

      Reply
  11. Kylee says

    January 2, 2017 at 10:44 am

    I cooked my beans the “quick way” and my beans are nowhere near done. Now I have a huge pot of soup with hard beans. I was told by my friend that I should’ve boiled the beans for an HOUR, not TWO minutes. ??? Pinterest probs

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 3, 2017 at 11:35 am

      Hi Kylee. If you do a search for “quick soak method beans” you will find that just about every trusted source (Epicurious, Bon Apetit, The Kitchn, etc.) will state similar directions as what I’ve posted here. I far prefer the overnight method but the beans should cook to a tender state if you allow them enough time despite which method you choose although I’m sure it might take a bit longer if you go with the quick soak method.

      Reply
  12. Ginger says

    December 31, 2016 at 1:33 pm

    Word to wise….. Let the batch to purée cool b fore blending it. My kitchen is covered with the explosion of soup!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 1, 2017 at 11:11 am

      Oh, Ginger! So sorry that happened. I hope the remaining soup worked out well for you!

      Reply
    • Kim says

      January 17, 2018 at 4:32 am

      An immersion blender really helps! No more hot splatters : )

      Reply
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