Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

A hearty soup makes an easy, comforting meal and is one of the best ways to put leftover ham to good use. This homemade ham and bean soup is simple to prepare and full of rich, satisfying flavor.

There is no soaking required, which keeps things effortless. A mixture of beans, ham, onion, and broth simmers gently in the crockpot, creating a meal that is both convenient and delicious.

Serve it with a slice of cornbread or a crusty loaf of bread for dipping into that savory broth. It turns a simple bowl of soup into a complete and cozy dinner.

This slow cooker ham and bean soup is also wonderfully budget friendly. It is perfect for using up leftover ham or even a ham bone from holiday meals like Christmas or Easter. You can also swap in smoked turkey or a ham hock for a slightly different flavor.

As an added bonus, this soup freezes beautifully and reheats well, making it ideal for meal prep or busy weeknights when you need something warm and ready to go.

Tips for Bean Soup

• Rinse the beans thoroughly and sort through them to remove any small stones or debris. If you’re using a slow cooker, there’s no need to soak them beforehand.

• If you’ve already soaked the beans, reduce the liquid in the recipe by about 1 cup to prevent the soup from becoming too thin.

• Important: Wait to add acidic ingredients—like canned tomatoes or lemon juice—until after the beans have softened. Adding them too early can slow down the softening process.

• For a thinner soup, stir in an extra cup of broth or water. Prefer it thicker? Scoop out about a cup of beans, blend until smooth, then stir them back into the pot to naturally thicken the soup.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

Print

A hearty soup makes an easy, comforting meal and is one of the best ways to put leftover ham to good use. This homemade ham and bean soup is simple to prepare and full of rich, satisfying flavor.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package HamBeens® 15 BEAN SOUP® with seasoning packet
• 8 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
• 1 meaty ham bone or ham hocks, diced ham or 1 lb. cooked sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder optional
• 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
• 1 lemon juiced
• hot sauce or red pepper flakes to taste, optional

Instructions

Step-By-Step Instructions

Please leave a star rating and comment to let us know how you liked this recipe!

Notes

• Be sure the beans are fully softened before adding any acidic ingredients. Diced tomatoes and lemon juice should go in only after the beans are tender, as acidity can slow the cooking process.
• You can substitute the chicken broth with water, beef broth, or vegetable broth depending on what you have on hand.
• Rinse the beans thoroughly and sort through them for debris. If using a slow cooker, soaking isn’t necessary. However, if the beans have already been soaked, reduce the recipe liquid by about 1 cup.
• A leftover ham bone adds incredible depth of flavor to this soup. If you don’t have one, check the deli counter for inexpensive ham bones or ham hocks. Chopped leftover ham works well, too.
• For a thinner soup, add an extra cup of broth or water to the slow cooker. For a thicker texture, remove about a cup of beans, blend until smooth, then stir them back into the soup.

Let us know if you liked this recipe. Try the other recipe categories as well!