Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup
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Looking for a hearty weeknight dinner meal that you can set and forget? Try my Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup. Featuring a mixture of beans, smoked ham bone, and vegetables, it’s comfort food at its finest!
Now, I know I run this food blog, but I’m only human — there are some days when I want a really good dinner without a lot of fuss and work. On weeknights like those, out comes my trusty slow cooker! I love using it for recipes like my savory slow cooker pot roast, these flank roast street tacos, or (one of my personal favorites) slow cooker carnitas.
I was having one of those days when I came up with this crockpot ham and bean soup recipe. It was raining, and I knew that I had a ham bone in my freezer, so I decided that soup was on the menu. I’m thrilled with how it came together — it’s so hearty and satisfying! Plus, it makes quite a bit, enough for 12 servings or more. We ate it two nights in a row in my house, and it was so good that I froze the rest for another time.
My advice? Enjoy my ham and beans crockpot soup with some crusty sourdough bread or cornbread and a splash of Tabasco. Soups on!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Dry Bean Mix – I recommend that you use a mixture of black beans, lentils, green split peas, pinto beans, small white beans, red lentils, yellow split peas, small red beans, Adzuki beans, and pearl barley. You shouldn’t use more than 2 cups (while dry) in total. Make sure to soak for at least 8 hours before you get started. If you forgot, check out my post on what to do if you forgot to soak your beans.
- Ham Bone – You can pick up a ham bone at your local butcher or in the meat department of the supermarket. It adds a meaty and smoked flavor I just love.
- Bay Leaves – This dried leaf adds another layer to the flavor of your soup. It’s slightly floral and spicy.
- Onion – No soup would be complete without this ingredient! It adds more moisture without any excess liquid.
- Chicken Stock – Use this instead of water for more flavor. You can also use vegetable stock.
- Carrots – For more vegetable goodness.
- Celery – The celery pairs wonderfully with the beans, ham, and carrots!
- Tabasco Garlic Pepper Sauce – This ingredient is optional, but I personally love adding a bit of kick to my ham bean soup.
- Parsley – For a garnish.
HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT HAM AND BEAN SOUP
- Prepare The Beans. Make sure to soak all of your dry beans overnight. They should be covered by an inch of cold water. The next day, rinse them and set them aside.
- Assemble The Ham Bean Soup. Add the ham bone, chopped onions, bay leaves, soaked beans, and chicken stock to your slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours.
- Add The Veggies. Place the chopped celery and carrots into the mixture at the 4-hour mark. If using, you can add 1 tablespoon of Tabasco Garlic Pepper sauce here too. Stir well and then cover. Let your crockpot ham and bean soup cook for 2 more hours.
- Chop The Ham. Once your ham and beans crockpot soup is finished cooking, remove the bay leaves and ham bone. Chop the ham meat, then discard the bone and the bay leaves. Add the chopped ham back into the slow cooker and mix well. Taste and season as needed.
- Garnish & Serve. Chop up some fresh parsley as a garnish and serve with your bread of choice! If you like cheese you can also add a bit on top of each bowl.
How Do You Thicken Homemade Ham Bean Soup?
If you’d like to thicken your crockpot ham and bean soup, there are several different thickening agents you can use: all-purpose flour, cornstarch, or even potato starch. One trick of the trade is to add whatever thickening agent you use to a hot cup of broth and then add it to the soup. Try it!
How Long Do You Soak Beans For Ham and Beans Soup?
You should soak your beans overnight for the best results. If you don’t have enough time to do that, they must soak for at least 8 hours. Make sure to rinse them under cold water and sift through them in case of small stones or bad beans.
Can You Put Canned Beans In A Slow Cooker?
You can use canned beans in a slow cooker, but I suggest that you use dry for this ham and beans crockpot recipe. The extra long cook time could leave you with really mushy results.
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This recipe post, originally published on Kevin Is Cooking October, 2016, has been updated with new content, photos and/or video in August, 2022.
Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried Bean Mix (See Note 1)
- 2 lb smoked ham bone (See Note 2)
- 5 leaves bay
- 1 onion chopped
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 carrots chopped
- 4 celery stalks chopped
Adds
- 1 tbsp Tabasco Garlic Pepper Sauce
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight in cold water, covered by an inch. Rinse the next day and set aside.
- In a slow cooker add the ham bone, chopped onion and bay leaves. Add the soaked beans and cover with chicken stock.
- Cook for 6 hours on HIGH. At the 4 hour mark I like to add the chopped celery, carrots and one tablespoon of Tabasco Garlic Pepper Sauce. Stir as best you can to mix in and cover again. Continue cooking in slow cooker for remainder of time.
- Remove bay leaves and ham bone. Discard the bay leaves and bone. Chop ham meat and add back to the slow cooker. Mix to incorporate and season if needed.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with fresh cornbread.
Notes
- Feel free to use all or a mixture of Black beans, Lentils, Green Split Peas, Pinto Beans, Small White Beans, Red Lentils, Yellow Split Peas, Small Red Beans, Adzuki Beans and Pearl Barley as long as they are 2 cups dry total. Soak for at least 8 hours and drain or read my post if you Forgot to Soak Your Beans for a quick fix.
- I typically get my ham bones with meat on them from The Honey Baked store or ask your local butcher.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I’m so happy I found this recipe. It’s hearty enough to quench a healthy appetite, simple to throw together, full of flavor, and even my 2yo loves it! Perfect for a cool fall day.
I appreciate the option of using all different beans to change it up, though I usually do green lentils and white northern beans. Haven’t found the garlic Tabasco, so I normally use normal Tabasco or Frank’s along with a sprinkle of garlic powder. Thank you for this recipe; it is the only ham bone recipe I’ll ever need!
Thank you for sharing this! I am so glad you came across it too!
trying this recipe today with leftover Thanksgiving ham, looking forward to it
Good thinking! Great way to use leftovers!
Turned out great! Tho made a few tweaks….soaked green & yellow split peas & brown lentils with the broth & everything else overnight in the pot. Put it on low the next morning for 8 hours. This crock pot then goes to keep warm by itself. Got home from work, cleaned the ham bone & added a can of cannelini beans. Mashed some of the bits to thicken it up. Still had some juice to soak up the crusty bread! Most worthy! 😌
You’re making me hungry for this, it’s been awhile Michele! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know. 🙂
I just want to say a big THANKS for this amazing recipe! I’ve made this for the past 2 Christmases (well, after the holiday, when the ham is almost gone!) and it is one of those meals we look forward to the most. So cozy and packed full of flavor. That hit of hot sauce (sorry, but we use sriracha since that’s pretty much our frequented condiment; right next to ketchup and mustard!) really makes a huge difference; it totally elevates the flavors and we love it!
Thanks so much for the kind words, I’m so happy all of you enjoy this one! I also appreciate you taking the time to come back and let me know. 🙂
I need to measure my food and keep it low carb. I’m really looking forward to this as a meal prep for lunch, what is a serving size?
I’d say it’s a little more then a cup and a half or so. I can feed 6 people twice with this and bread or a side salad Beth. Freezes well, too. 🙂
Kevin, I made this soup for last night’s dinner and it is SUPERB! I cannot stop thinking about it. Normally I improvise when I cook, adding ingredients–here I did nothing different (other than I could not find the Garlic Tobasco sauce so I omitted it). I had baked a plain ham last weekend specifically because I wanted to make this recipe! Ha! I used a 15 Bean Mix for my beans and it was the perfect combination. Thank you for a delicious recipe that I will make again for sure!!
Love reading comments like this Lisa! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know. ?
My god, this sounds so fantastic. Slow-cooked soups like these are the best. I just want to grab a spoon and dig in.
Thanks Jeff, this one is lovely, especially if you can find a smoked ham. Love that subtle flavor.
This is one of my favorite comfort foods and something I was looking forward to making. Unfortunately, at the end of our party recently, my “sweet” Rhodesian Ridgeback just couldn’t stand smelling the left over ham. She nicked it and unfortunately, when my husband made dog food, they all got our leftovers?. Time to get back to training!
Oh no! That Ridgeback has some good taste in table snacking! 🙂
This is just the kind of thing I’m craving right now as the weather transitions to spring.
I hear you, it’s been soup and chili season around here Marissa!
Do I cook for 6hrs on high or on low.
Hello Jean! That would be 6 hours on HIGH. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂