Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Every time I have some leftover ham on my hand, I make this easy yet very delicious slow-cooker ham and bean soup. My house smells divine as it simmers, and the soup tastes just as amazing! It works wonders in this cold weather as it is warm and comforting!
This recipe is handy when I am too busy to watch the stove and have some leftovers that need to be used. Making comfort food is usually a long process, but with this easy soup recipe, I let the crockpot take over, and then dinner is ready to be served when I get home. All I have to do is thicken it and make my 30-minute dinner rolls to accompany the soup.
Table of contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Comfort food for a winter fill-up: This slow cooker recipe makes a big pot of comforting soup. Brown the ham and let the slow cooker take over. It will cook everything to the perfect consistency without having to lift another finger.
- This is a very inexpensive dinner: For less than $10, I can feed the whole family and still have leftovers.
- It tastes incredible: Savory smooth beans, salty, chewy meat, and a little kick of red pepper—this soup has a variety of flavors. After soaking for hours, the beans will have taken on a multitude of flavors from everything added to the soup.
- Make a bunch and stock up: This makes a big batch, but I recommend making extra because it freezes well. I like to divide it into smaller portions so it is easy to thaw as many portions as needed.
What you’ll need to make crockpot ham and bean soup
Ingredients
For the soup:
- Ham – Any kind of cooked ham (leftover ham is great for this meal) will do but make sure it is high-quality meat.
- White cannellini beans – I use two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed well. Since they are one of the main ingredients, use top-quality beans like Goya or Napolina.
- White onion and garlic – I like white onions in this recipe because they have a mild flavor and a little bit of a kick when biting into them. I prefer mincing my own fresh garlic because it has a bolder and fresher flavor without the bitter aftertaste.
- Carrots and Celery – I use about four medium organic carrots, and a few stalks of celery, this is usually what I have on hand, and its enough to add some texture and flavor to the soup.
- Chicken broth – I also use organic chicken broth, the low-sodium kind to keep the soup from being too salty. I like to add my own salt and pepper.
- Thyme and Oregano – Gives the soup a wonderful aroma and a pungent and earthy flavor.
For the roux:
- Unsalted butter – I prefer butter without salt so I can add the salt as I prefer it.
- All-purpose flour – This flour works best for roux because it offers the smoothest structure while giving it a nice even thickness.
- Heavy cream – Offers the best thickness and creaminess instead of milk or light cream.
How to make slow cooker ham and beans soup?
This soup is very easy to make, when I am short on time, I just dump all the ingredients and cook it. But when I have some time, I prefer to brown the ham to add an extra layer of flavor.
- Brown: First, I brown the ham on all sides in a pan with olive oil.
- Cook: Then, I add all of the soup ingredients to the slow cooker, give it a good stir, and cook it on high for six hours or on low for three to four hours.
- Make the roux: After, I make the roux by adding the butter to a medium saucepan and letting it melt over medium-low heat. Then, I whisk in the flour while slowly adding the heavy cream a little at a time. The flour has to be whisked constantly and simmered for about 10 minutes while adding the cream just a small amount every minute or so.
- Thicken the soup and serve: Then, add the roux to the slow cooker and whisk it to combine well. Let it cook for 30 minutes on low or 15 minutes on high. If it is too thick, add hot chicken broth and let it cook again for the same amount of time.
- Serve: Once it is the right consistency, garnish with parsley and serve.
Expert tip
Using ham bone for extra flavor
Most people made ham and bean soup in the old days with dried beans and ham bones. Actually, that is still one of my favorite ways to make it. Not only is it easy, but it is also economical and the bones add such a deep flavor.
In fact, I used a ham bone from my leftover ham with the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker for six hours on low. Then, I remove the bone and get any ham I can find off of it.
More tips to consider:
- If your slow cooker has an insert for browning, don’t get another pan dirty, just use that to brown the ham.
- It may be tempting to skip the browning, but it really makes a difference in flavor.
- Don’t forget to remove the bay leaves. They are tough and leathery, making them hard to swallow.
- You can use dry or canned beans for this soup, but remember to soak the beans overnight and boil them first if using dry beans.
- Also, do not overcook the beans, or they will become mushy. Keep the slow cooker on low for anything over four hours.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Different meat: If ham is not available, sometimes I use turkey or chicken, which both taste wonderful in this recipe.
- Add veggies: Make this a more filling meal by adding extra veggies like potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, green beans, and peas.
- Heat it up: Spicy food lovers will enjoy it even more if you add some chopped jalapenos or poblano peppers to the pot. But remember to remove the seeds and membranes to keep it from being too hot.
- Sweeten the pot: I add a bit of brown sugar, some honey, chopped apples, pumpkin, and sweet potato for a sweet and savory soup.
- Italian-style ham and beans: It already has thyme and oregano so why not add some of my Italian seasoning to give it some more Italian flavor?
- You can also check out the stovetop ham and bean soup and Instant Pot version of this recipe.
Serving suggestions:
- I serve this delicious ham and beans soup with my homemade Southern cornbread for dipping.
- My kids love it when I serve it in homemade bread bowls.
- Also, if you have more leftovers on hand, make these turkey cranberry sliders to go with the soup.
- For a wine pairing, I like Pinot Noir because of its red fruit flavors such as cranberry and cherry that go well with ham.
- Adding extra shredded cheese, herbs, and croutons on top can boost the soup’s flavor.
- For dessert, serve this moist and tender pumpkin cheesecake bread!
Frequently asked questions
Too much liquid is always a nuisance when making soup. That is why I always add a roux recipe to my soup recipes. It is there whether you need it or not. I suggest measuring carefully first. Then, cook longer on high with the lid off to let the liquid evaporate and allow the soup to thicken on its own. If that doesn’t work, an immersion blender or handheld potato masher should be used to mash some of the beans, and it should thicken them up. Otherwise, the roux is perfect.
If following my recipe, it is impossible for this soup to come out bland. However, there are some things that everyone should remember. First, do not just wait to season the soup at the end. I add salt and pepper to my soup several times during the cooking process. Also, sautéing/browning/roasting the ham gives the soup an incredible flavor and locks in juices so do not skip it. Sprinkling some dried cheese like parmesan or romano on top, adding other herbs, or even croutons are also some great ideas.
Can I use dry beans?
Using dry beans is fine, but there are a few things to remember. The most important is that kidney beans have to soak for at least six hours and then boil for at least 30 minutes before adding them to the pot. There is a toxin (phytohemagglutinin) in kidney beans that causes severe stomach upset. Cooking them in the slow cooker does not kill this toxin. In fact, all dry beans should be soaked for at least six hours. Then, rinse and dry them before cooking them in the slow cooker.
How to store:
- Refrigerate: This soup stores very well. It can be refrigerated for five to six days in an airtight container.
- Freezing: It can also be frozen for up to six months in heavy-duty freezer bags. It is best to ladle them out into quart freezer bags and store them flat, so they do not take up too much space. Just be sure to put the date on them.
- Defrost: Defrost it in the fridge overnight or in a bowl of warm water for the best taste and texture.
- Reheating: Pour into a saucepan and reheat on the stove until hot or in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds.
More crockpot soup recipes to try:
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
Soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cups cubed ham can be leftover ham
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups carrots diced
- 2 cups celery diced
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) white cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 cups chicken broth or more if needed
Roux Mixture:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour you can use gluten-free
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Garnish:
- Parsley
Instructions
- In a pot or, if your slow cooker has an insert for browning, add the oil. Once shimmering, brown the ham until the sides are golden brown.
- Add all the ingredients, except the Roux mixture, to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Roux Mixture:
- Once the soup has cooked, add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt it. Whisk in the flour until completely combined, then gradually add the heavy cream.
- Whisk the flour mixture well until smooth. With the heat on the lowest stove setting, let the mixture cook until it starts to simmer and gets thicker; stir occasionally.
- Immediately add the cream-flour mixture to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- If the soup is too thick, add more WARM chicken broth or water; first, heat it in the microwave until it's hot. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
- Cover and continue cooking the soup on low for 30 minutes or high for 15 minutes. If you add more liquid, let the soup simmer for a few minutes.
- Serve with parsley, optional as a garnish.