The BEST rich, hearty slow cooker ham and bean soup! Perfect for leftover holiday ham or use store bought ham to make it year-round. Easy and delicious!
1pounddry bean soup mixGoya, 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
2largesprigs fresh rosemary or a small bundle of fresh thyme or a mix of the two
1tablespoonred wine vinegar
1cuppeasfresh or frozen
Kosher saltto 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.