Whether you have leftover holiday ham in your future or are looking for a hearty, warming dinner that you can enjoy all week and freeze for later, Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup is the soup for you. Easy to make and SO satisfying!
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The heartiest way to use leftover ham.
This recipe for a crock pot ham and bean soup is stellar if you have leftover holiday ham, like Crockpot Ham, (as is this Ham Sweet Potato Frittata). But no worries—if you don’t, it works fabulously with store-bought, ready-made ham too.
- For rich, complex, can’t-help-coming-back-for-more flavor, we’re adding plenty of spices, herbs, and a slash of a surprising ingredient: acid in the form of red wine vinegar.
- This crock pot ham and bean soup is so versatile, it can work with just about anything you throw at it. It works well with leftover Baked Ham or store-bought ham, multiple varieties of beans, and you can adjust the spices to your tastes.
Make this soup your own, then serve it alongside some Sweet Potato Cornbread for a scrumptious meal.
5 Star Review
“Hands down the best ham and bean soup I have ever made.”
— Katie —
My Tips for the Best Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
- Use Dried Beans. Dried beans are where it is at for this recipe! You do not need to soak the beans before using them in this soup. This is one of my favorite things about it because I never seem to remember the extra step of soaking my beans in advance. Even the quick soaking method takes time.
- Keep the Peas Frozen. Yes, you’re going to add fully frozen peas to your soup! Simply stir them in at the end. The soup’s heat will warm them almost immediately.
- The Red Wine Vinegar Matters. While the red wine vinegar addition may seem unimportant, it really does add something special to the soup. You’ll love the subtle pop and flavor boost it adds.
How to Make Ham and Bean Soup in the Slow Cooker
Rinse and Drain the Beans. Pick through and remove any unwanted bits of debris. Place in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
Cook the Vegetables. Stir often, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the garlic. Transfer to the slow cooker with the beans.
Slow Cook. Add the remaining ingredients (minus the vinegar and peas). Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the beans are tender.
Remove the Herbs and Bone. Stir in the red wine vinegar and peas.
Season and Serve. Adjust seasonings to your tastes and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Crock Pot White Bean Soup. Use great northern beans or cannellini beans (which are sometimes referred to as white kidney beans due to their shape). Great northern beans are the larger of the two, but both will make your soup creamy, satisfying, and delicious.
- Ham and Pinto Bean Soup. Use pinto beans for your ham and bean soup.
- Slow Cooker Ham and Navy Bean Soup. Use navy beans for the soup.
What to Serve With Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
- Bread. We love pairing this soup with Beer Bread, Skillet Cornbread, or Rosemary Olive Oil Bread.
- Salad. For extra greens, it would be lovely with a salad, like this Arugula Salad or Apple Walnut Salad.
- Veggies. A side of Sauteed Spinach, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, or Grilled Corn would be delightful.
Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 pound dry bean soup mix Goya, Bob’s Red Mill, and Hamms (omit the packet) are popular and easy to find, OR swap 1 pound of dry great northern, pinto, cannellini, or navy beans
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small red onion diced
- 1 cup carrots cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 to 4 medium carrots)
- 1 cup celery cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 stalks)
- 2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 meaty ham bone or swap 1 pound cooked diced or shredded leftover ham, about 2 1/2 cups diced/shredded
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock, beef broth, or vegetable broth be SURE to use unsalted
- 2 cups water plus additional as needed
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes in their juices
- ¾ pound new potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/3 cup), optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional to taste
- 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary or a small bundle of fresh thyme or a mix of the two
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
- Kosher salt to taste; the amount you need, if any at all, will vary based on the saltiness of your ham bone
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the beans. Pick through and remove any unwanted bits of debris. Place in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Once the oil is hot (but not yet smoking), add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the onion is turning translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Transfer to the slow cooker with the beans.
- To the slow cooker, add the ham bone (or diced or shredded ham), stock, 2 cups water, tomatoes, potatoes, bay leaf, smoked paprika, chili powder, black pepper, and rosemary or thyme. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the beans are tender.
- Once the soup is cooked, remove and discard the bay leaf and rosemary or thyme (the herb leaves will mostly have fallen off, so it will likely just be the stems left to remove, which is perfect). If using a hambone, remove it from the soup and shred or chop any meat left on it, then stir the meat back into the pot. Stir in the red wine vinegar and peas. If you like a thinner soup, add additional water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Taste the soup. Depending on how salty your ham is, you may need to season it (or you may not need to add any salt at all). If the soup tastes flat, add kosher salt a pinch or two at a time until you are happy with the seasoning. It should taste flavorful and savory, but stop before it gets too salty (you can always sprinkle a little extra salt on your soup bowl if you are worried about oversalting the whole batch). Enjoy hot.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- For tips to make this soup with canned beans, see the FAQ section below.
Nutrition
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few reasons why I prefer dried beans over canned for this recipe:
1. Dry beans are creamy without being mushy, and the flavor tastes more genuine in a way that will make you feel like you are discovering what beans taste like for the first time.
2. The slow cooker makes cooking the beans hands-free. The beans cook in the crockpot right along with everything else, so you get the maximum reward without any extra effort. WIN!
3. The beans absorb the soup liquid as it cooks, which thickens the soup naturally.
Yes! While dried beans are 100% my recommendation here (see question above), if you absolutely must make this recipe with canned beans:
1. Omit the water. Canned beans won’t absorb it the way dried beans do.
2. Add three (15-ounce) cans of rinsed, drained beans of your choice (pinto, navy, great northern, etc.) or a mix.
3. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
I would not recommend making a ham and black bean soup, as black beans are *slightly* less creamy and their flavor is more pronounced than white, pinto, and navy beans.
You didn’t mention when to add the diced potatoes. I’m sure you’ll want to change that.