Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

If you are looking for a delicious way to use your leftover ham from Easter or Christmas, or you are simply wanting a make a hearty soup to warm you up on a cold day you will love this Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup Recipe.

The soup is super easy to make and will only take a few minutes to prepare. Cooked and diced ham is put in the slow cooker with vegetables and beans and cooked in a savory broth all day.

Then when it comes time for dinner you will have a delicious, savory soup that will satisfy your hunger for hours. It is one of my favorite go-to recipes when we have leftover ham.

However I also make it throughout the year when I want a hearty soup that has a ton of flavor. And I also make it on busy weeknights when I know that I won’t have time to make dinner when I get home.

In the morning simply dump all the ingredients in the crock pot and set the timer. Then when I get home dinner is ready!

As much as I love using my Instant Pot to make Ham and Bean Soup there are times that making dinner in my slow cooker just makes more sense.

This is especially true when I don’t have time in evening to wait for the pressure cooker to come to pressure. That is when I pull out my Crock Pot Slow Cooker and get dinner ready first thing in the morning.

Ham Bone vs. Leftover Ham

Many ham and bean soup recipes call for a ham bone as one of the main ingredients. And there is something to be said about using a ham bone to make soup.

The bone provides so much flavor to any dish, and the meat falls right off the bone during the cooking process. However, there are more times than not that I have leftover ham without the actual bone.

For instance, after attending a family dinner the host sometimes sends us home with a plateful of leftovers. And this time of year that plate most often times includes slices of ham leftover from Easter dinner.

So the question becomes, can I make Ham and Bean Soup in the crock pot with no bone? Of course you can!

In fact it is much easier to make the soup with just the leftover meat. Simply throw the ingredients in the slow cooker, press start and wait for the magic to happen.

In just a few short hours dinner is ready! And the best part is that you can begin eating right away.

There is no bone to fish out of the soup and there is no meat that has to be cut off the bone. Simply ladle the soup into a bowl and enjoy!

Which Beans To Use for Ham and Bean Soup

I receive a lot of questions about what type of beans are best to use in various recipes. From White Chicken Chili, Classic Baked Beans, to this Crock Pot Ham and Bean soup recipe there is always the question of what variety of beans to use.

And I can understand why. Not only do you have to determine which variety to use but also whether or not to use dried beans or canned beans.

There are so many options when it comes to beans and to figure out the best one to use for this recipe can be confusing. But it doesn’t have to be.

Dry vs Canned Beans

Because this recipe is made in the slow cooker, it is okay to use either dry or canned beans. However the texture of the beans will be different depending on which one you choose.

For instance, if you use canned beans and let them cook in the crock pot all day, the beans will have more of a mushy texture. On the contrary dried beans will hold up better when cooking them for hours.

Because I like more texture in my ham and bean soup, I prefer to use dried beans. They are less expensive than canned beans. But the best part of all, you don’t even have to soak your beans.

Just open the bag, rinse them under cold water and add them to the slow cooker and cook them on LOW pressure. However, if you prefer, you can pre-soak them, but it isn’t necessary.

They will still turn out soft and tender without the soaking process. Now that you can choose between canned and dried beans, it is time to decide which variety of bean to use in your crock pot ham and bean soup recipe.

What Type of Bean To Use To Make Ham and Bean Soup

There are several options on what type of bean to use to make this soup. And really the choice is up to you based on your taste and texture preference.

Although I am partial to Cannellini beans, you can use just about any white bean variety. Below I have included a little about the bean varieties to give you the differences between their size, texture and flavor.

Cannellini beans: These kidney-shaped beans are larger than navy beans and have a slightly nutty, earthy flavor. They have a creamy texture when cooked and are often used in Italian dishes such as minestrone soup and pasta e fagioli.

Navy beans: These small, oval-shaped beans are mild in flavor and have a slightly creamy texture when cooked.

Great Northern beans: These white beans are slightly larger than navy beans and have a slightly nutty flavor similar to cannellini beans. When cooked they hold their shape well and are on the firmer side.

Lima beans: These large, flat white beans have a creamy texture and a mild, buttery flavor. They are often used in vegetable soup recipes.

Although you could also use a mixed bag of beans as well to give you a variety of tastes and texture. The choice is up to you!

Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 16 ounce bag dried beans
• 3/4 cup onion, finely diced
• 8 baby carrots, halved and sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups cooked, diced ham
• 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse the beans in a colander and pick out any damaged beans and discard.

In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, add the beans, diced onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, ham and chicken broth.

Stir in the tomatoes, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8 hours, or until beans are tender. *If using dried beans be sure to cook them on LOW so they have time to become tender.

Serve warm.

Enjoy! Mary

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