by Holly
Ham and Bean Soup is one of our all-time favorite foods to come home to on a chilly day. This “no-soaking required” Ham and Bean soup takes just minutes to prepare and cooks effortlessly in your Crock Pot all day long!
This easy recipe is hearty and delicious, the perfect way to use up any leftover ham and a great way to feed a crowd!
I am so excited to have partnered with Hurst’s HamBeens® 15 BEAN SOUP® to bring you this belly-warming recipe.
Ham and Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean soup is the perfect family meal because everyone always loves it; this hearty soup is like a hug in a bowl!
Ham and Bean Soup is just one of those comfort foods that warms you from the inside out. It’s deliciously healthy and loaded with flavor… and using a slow cooker makes it a total cinch. You’ll need just a few minutes of prep time and best of all the beans do not require soaking!
This simple soup requires very few ingredients, starting with Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup®, onions and ham. The slow cooker does all of the work creating the most delicious easy bean soup.
How to Make Ham and Bean Soup
Ham and bean soup is the ultimate comfort food and even more so when you have a beautiful mixture of beans! Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup® is not only my favorite mixture, I know many of you love it too!
Hurst’s HamBeens are definitely my go to for quality and flavor and are easily found in the dry bean section of almost any grocery store (or you can order them online). Along with the beans, a seasoning packet is included in each package of 15 Bean Soup making it simple and perfectly seasoned every time!
To Cook Beans
- Rinse beans well and check for any debris.
- No soaking required when using a slow cooker.
- If you have already soaked your beans, you can reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1 cup.
- Add acidic ingredients (such as canned tomatoes or lemon juice) after the beans have softened (these ingredients can sometimes interfere with rehydration).
Seasonings
Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup comes with a vegetable-based seasoning packet that really takes this recipe to the next level. It has great flavor, the perfect amount of seasoning and a hint of smokiness. Adding the seasoning towards the end of cooking gives this soup an amazing flavor boost.
A squeeze of fresh lemon is an easy way to enhance the flavor of the broth. While I use plain tomatoes, you can also use canned tomatoes with chilis to add a little bit of spice or heat to this ham and bean soup!
Ham for Bean Soup
If you happen to have a leftover ham bone from your holiday baked ham, THIS is the recipe you’re going to want to make with it.
If you don’t have a ham bone, ask your local butcher or deli for either ham bones (they are usually really inexpensive) or ham hocks. Our deli down the road sells ham hocks for just a few dollars each. If you don’t have either, leftover chopped ham works beautifully in this recipe too.
How to Thicken Bean Soup
This soup comes out very thick and hearty, just the way we love it!
If you prefer a thinner consistency, add one extra cup of broth or water to your slow cooker. If you’d like a thicker bean soup you can remove a cup or so of the beans and blend them and add them back into the soup. You won’t change the flavor this way, just thicken the consistency, the soup will become almost more creamy this way.
We love this Ham and Bean soup served right out of the Crock Pot with a big piece of moist cornbread but it’s delicious served over rice too!
Can You Freeze Ham and Bean Soup?
Yes, not only is it easy, but this ham and bean soup recipe makes a huge batch and it freezes beautifully. That means cook once, have two dinners and lunches all week… count me in!
We freeze this in individual portions so we can easily grab one for lunches and the smaller portions defrost quicker.
More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love
- 15 Bean Slow Cooker Chili – Game day favorite!
- Slow Cooker Turkey Soup (Cajun Bean) – Perfect for Leftovers!
- Easy Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup
- Crock Pot Ham (Video) – Use leftovers for this ham and bean soup!
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chili – Comfort food!
Crock Pot Ham & Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 package Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup®
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth can sub water, beef, or vegetable broth for added flavor
- 1 leftover ham bone with meat or ham hocks, diced ham or 1 lb. cooked sausage
- 1 onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder optional
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 lemon juiced
- Optional: Hot sauce or crushed red pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Rinse beans and drain. Sort any unwanted debris and set seasoning packet aside.
Place beans, onions, ham bone (or diced ham), broth/water, garlic and chili powder in a 6qt slow cooker.
- Cook on high 5 hours (or low for 7-8) or until beans are tender.
- Once tender, remove the hambone (if used) and chop any meat left on the bone and add it back to the pot.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, Ham Flavor packet, and lemon juice.
- Cook for additional 30 minutes.
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
This sounds delicious. Where would I buy the pkg of beans, I live in Ontario Canada & have never seen this pkg in any of our grocery stores. Thanking you in advance for your reply, please e-mail me.
These beans are not available in Canada, you could try another bean blend and add in a couple of bouillon cubes in place of the seasoning.
Tried it and loved it! I’m sharing a link back from my blog on being a sports parent. It fits perfectly with an article I’m writing on planning/scheduling meals around sports schedules. It’s so easy to put together, crock pot friendly, economical and reheats well. What more could I ask for?
I’m so glad to hear how much you love this ham and bean soup! Thank you for sharing it Sheri!
I made this today with leftover Easter ham. I cut the recipe in half because I have a smaller crockpot. I didn’t soak my beans over night but did cook on high for 7 hours. It came out perfect and was so delicious. Definitely will be making again!!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe and found good use for your leftover ham!
Am going to try. My Mother-in-law used to make a hm, bean and sauerkraut soup. Thought about replacing tomatoes with this…any thoughts? Never got her recipe and it was one of my husband’s favorites
I think that sounds tasty Linda! If you try it, please let me know how it turns out!
I have all the ingredients for this. I’m making it with my leftover Easter ham tomorrow. I’ll have to do it in a stockpot though because my slow cooker is out of commission. Do you suggest I sail the beans tonight?
If you’re doing it on the stovetop, soaking the beans is a good idea if you’ve got time!
This was delicious! THANK YOU!!! I did end up boiling my beans just in case and it still turned out great.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear that Tami! Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely LOVED this recipe! I cooked some brown basmati rice (I use chicken broth, EVOO, and shallots to cook my rice) and added it to the soup when I added the tomatoes and seasoning and sprinkled the soup with shredded cheese. The family absolutely loved it! Thank you so much for sharing, I will have to check out more of your recipes!
Great additions Wendy! We are so happy your family loved it!
I love 15 bean soup! We Love this recipe as well! It’s worth the time for certain and you’re using affordable beans and the ham leftovers, too. I use to make it for my father-in-law, was a treat for them, he called it 21 bean soup, haha.
Bean soup is one of my favorites for cold days! Thanks for stopping by to share a memory Brenda!
This was a hit in my family. I followed the recipe exactly and it came our perfect. It is hearty and full if flavor. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I am so glad your family enjoyed this soup Judi!
The beans NEVER softened! Total waste of ingredients. I even left them in the slow cooker twice as long as called for…still crunchy! Thought I could believe the shortcut of not soaking beans first but skipping that step ruined this meal and wasted these ingredients. SO DISAPPOINTED
Sorry this didn’t work out for you, I’ve made it several times and the beans are always softened. Did you add any of the acidic items before the beans were softened (tomatoes, lemon etc)?
so sorry they never softened. it could be that they were just old beans, which has happened to me, they were just never able to be softened, bummer after the work and expectations
Instant pot is my favorite. Beans are always tender and packed with flavor.
Just came across this. I’ve been using this mix as a starting point for a long time and it’s great. Definitely use broth instead of water. I also sauté celery and carrots in addition to onion and garlic. Add more cajun seasoning, and smoked hot paprika. Never seems to be enough beans, especially after they start to dissolve and thicken up the soup (yum), so I add a can or two of tri-bean blend. I could live off this soup.
Thank you for sharing! These sound like tasty variations for this soup!
Hello I just have a question I was wondering how much 1 serving is? I am making this for a meal swap and I have to make it for about 20 something people so I am trying to figure out how much to make.
A serving is one cup, so to serve 20, I would recommend doubling the recipe Courtney.
Hi Courtney, it just so happens, I’m making this today. according to the bag, 1 serving is 1/2 cup cooked.
Easy, excellent and tasty. Layers of flavor. Eill absolutely make again.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Beth!
What happens if you add the tomatoes at the beginning…?? I added everything at once since then realized I added the tomatoes too soon…
Acidity can sometimes cause issues with the beans rehydrating/softening. Hopefully it worked out well for you.
I make this at home but I go for a more country flavor. I add:
-1 (15.25 oz) Mushrooms, diced
-1 large onion, diced
-1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
-1 ham steak, diced
-1 stick of butter
-Season to taste with garlic powder, onion powder, liquid smoke (if desired), salt and pepper. (I never use the provided flavor packet)
I toss all of this in the crockpot and let it simmer on low for 8 hours while I am at work and serve it over wild rice. It makes for a great, hearty meal on cold nights or for our Sunday Soup nights.
I love your additions Kimmy, thanks for sharing!
Quick question, the beans I purchased have no flavor packet. You suggested to other posters to use bullion cubes as a substitute. How many?
I would add one or two cubes to this soup.
If you do not have a ham seasoning packet for the ham and bean soup, what do you use as the seasoning for this soup? Looks delicious but I need help with the seasoning packets
Most major US grocery stores carry Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup, you can double check in dry bean aisle. The seasoning packet can be replaced with bouillon cubes (your favorite flavor). If you ever get a chance to try the Hurst’s HamBeens, I’d highly recommend grabbing a couple of bags! They’re delicious.
We love the soup. I was just wondering can you can this soup and if so how. I love canning stuff for the winter or just a grab and go dinner.
I don’t have experience with canning so I’m not sure but hopefully another reader will have some suggestions for you!
I’ve got this doup in the crock pot got tonight’s dinner. Can’t wait! Hubbycanhave popovers or cornbread with it, his choice. Smells great!
Yummy!! Enjoy!
I have a raw ham steak that I was thinking of using for this recipe. Should I cook it on a skillet first and then cut it up and put it in the crockpot OR should I just put it in raw and let it heat through for the 5 hours?
We get some cuts from my in-laws and to be honest, sometimes I am unsure the proper way to cook them!
A raw ham steak should cook just fine in the slow cooker. You’ll want to ensure the pork reaches a temperature of 160°F.
I made this soup for a crow at my church, was a hit, everybody loved it, thanks a lot for sharing!
You’re welcome, so glad everyone loved it!
Its in the crockpot, making corn bread after I get home from wrk. Looking forward to a yummy meal.
Let me know how you like it Barbara!
I’ve added fire-roasted diced tomatoes to my version of this recipe. Except for the type of tomatoes, I made this as is. Have you added vegetables and potatoes to this?
I haven’t tried adding potatoes Art. Let us know how it goes if you do!
I am making this tomorrow. I am using turkey ham since my husband doesn’t eat pork. Will that be ok? I also bought regular broth instead of low sodium. Will it he too salty?
Yes both of those will work perfectly! Enjoy the soup, it’s one of our favourites!
Yesterday I made your 15 bean soup. It was so delicious. My whole house smelled so good. I have great leftovers and the ham bone from Christmas go used up. Truly yummy!
So glad you loved the soup!
I want to make this soup, but discovered I’m out of lemons/lemon juice. Will it still turn out ok?
Lemon is added for flavor, you can omit it. Enjoy Stacy!
Oh my goodness! This recipe you shared for the 15-Bean and Ham soup is SO delicious!! It’s just finishing up in my crock pot and the house smells wonderful. This is the 2nd time I’ve made this recipe in 3 weeks. The first time I made it was for company, and I wondered if it was a mistake to make a soup for company that I had never made before. Well, after only one bite, we were ALL raving about it!
I couldn’t find this brand of beans locally, so ordered them online. It’s so worth it. The best part is the minimum order is for 3 bags of the beans, so I just HAD to make it again. And this time, my hubby & I don’t have to share it with anyone. YUM!!!
I am so glad you loved it Sally! We love this soup so much too!
Fantastic! It was soooo delicious! YUM!
We love this soup too, so glad you enjoyed it.
For the Crock Pot Ham & Bean Soup is the estimated nutrition information referenced to values for a serving or per 100g or other ? Can you please clarify ?
Nutrition information on Spend With Pennies is per serving :)
Thanks Holly
Is serving size 1 cup? More? Less?
It would be about 1 cup.
I have a smaller family and I hate food going to waste and like easy things to reheat.. am I able to freeze this soup once it’s cooked?
It’s in the crockpot for tonight!
Absolutely, this soup freezes beautifully!
Oh and another thing, I soaked my beans overnight and they have been cooking on low for almost 7 hours a day still hard????
Did you add any acidic items before they were softened?
2 questions…. I added way to much garlic, anything big can do? How can I thicken it up?
If you’d like to thicken the soup, you can mash a few of the beans or cook it uncovered for a little while. As for the garlic, my only thought would be to add more broth which would make the recipe thinner. I hope it ended up ok for you!
My husband says this soup is outstanding!!!
I followed the recipe exactly! Thanks for publishing this great soup!
Yay! You’re so welcome!
Can you use the instant pot? I need recipes using it any ideas.
I haven’t yet made this in the instant pot although I do think it would work perfectly. I would suggest using the bean setting on your IP.
I use instant mashed potatoes to thicken bean soups. You can find envelopes in cheese, garlic, butter flavored, etc. Also, if just using a bag of northern beans, or plain beans you can add liquid smoke. Its in the store near the BBQ sauces
Great idea Sheila!
I have been making something like this for a couple of years. I add Rotel tomatoes, a can of diced green chiles and chorizo ( which s a spicy sausage). For the New Years meal, I make this with black-eyed peas only (a New Year’s tradition for the South) with something green, like coleslaw or fried cabbage and our family adds mashed potatoes to finish off the meal along with a large cast iron cornbread I love eating dried beans and am always looking for different ways to cook them.
Those sound like great additions Beverly!
I was only able to find the cajun beans/mix in my store. Can i follow these directions?
Yes, this recipe will work just fine. The seasoning is a little bit different but will still be delicious!
Made this recipe for dinner. We loved it but I used regular chicken broth by mistake and it was very salty. Enough left for a few lunches. I will definitely make again before the end of winter.
This soup is amazing for lunch too :). Glad to hear you loved the soup so much!
My daughter and I made this today and it was absolutely delicious! We love tomatoes so we used a can of the petite diced and added a can of whole tomatoes that I semi pureed. We used two eight ounce packages of Smithfield ham cubes. It was so good with some homemade cornbread. We will definitely make this again. Thanks for the incredible recipe Holly.
I’m so glad you loved it Tina!
Could this recipe be used in an instant pot?
While I haven’t yet made this particular recipe in the IP, it should work just fine. Dry beans should take about 45 minutes or so at high pressure with a natural release. You’ll want to ensure you do not go over the max line for liquids.
I have some navy beans in my cupboard. Would these work? I have the onions, minced garlic, 2 hamhocks. What other spices should I use?
This should work perfectly! Hurst recommends: bouillon cubes (whatever meat you prefer). You can also use an equal amount of chicken or beef stock instead of water. A great way to add flavor is to add your favorite herbs as well.
Sounds delicious….I’m going to make this really soon!!!!!
Enjoy Bonnie Ann, we love this soup!
Fixed this this today and had it for dinner with cornbread.
We really liked it. A very hearty and comforting soup.
Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you loved it Lynn, we love this one too!
What are ham flavored packets? I didn’t see it in the ingredients. Only in the directions.
It comes in the 15 Bean Soup package. :)
It will come in the bag of beans.
Nice Blog, Thank You
Thank you!
This looks delicious. Can I adapt this to use canned beans? I don’t have any dry beans right now. Any suggestions? Thank you!:)
I haven’t tried this with canned beans. Let us know how it works out if you try it!
You probably could it just won’t take as long to cook
I used this receipt with canned beans. It worked just fine. Make sure to rinse the beans well and add more liquid, due to the fact the canned beans thickens the soup.
Can this be made in a 5 quart slow cooker?
I use a 6 quart slow cooker for this recipe. You may find it takes longer to cook in a 5 quart slow cooker Brittany. Let us know if you try it.
My family loved this recipe. It was very flavorful and easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad your family loved it Loretta!
I tried the recipe today, and that is the best soup I’ve ever had. It’s perfect comfort food for a cold day. Thank you for sharing this recipe
I’m so glad you loved it Sharon!
Is there a meat substitute you would recommend for vegetarians?
I haven’t tried this with a meat substitute.
WOW! I just found this recipe and cooked it for dinner tonight. What a way to kick-off the fall season! Absolutely delicious and everything turned out perfectly. I will look forward to trying this with a ham bone, I just used a package of cubed ham and even that turned out great. I just need to make a mental note to make more corn bread next time! :)
Glad you enjoyed it Chelsea. You’ll love it with a ham bone!
This is absolutely DELICIOUS! Husband said the best hes ever had (and trust me, hes had a lot! )…followed the recipe exactly as written using leftover ham. Will definitely be making this again! Thanks for the awesome recipe !
So glad that you and your husband loved this as much as we do!
Hey there, I’m making this as we speak. If I just accidentally added the seasoning packet at the beginning of the cook time instead, will it mess anything up?
It should hopefully work out ok! Sometimes added salt can interfere with rehydration of the beans.
I think tomatoes and green chilis (rotel) instead of diced tomatoes would be good in this. I want to make it!
That sounds great! Let us know how it works for you Deborah!
I just made this bean soup. It is awesome! Cooked it on low for 8 hours and used a big meaty ham bone I had in the freezer. Had some smoked bacon and added it too. Canned two jars and enjoyed the rest. The beans add color to a normally blah looking soup lol. Will definitely add this one to my card box.
So glad you enjoyed it Dave!
This is an awesome soup..it was easy to make! I altered a little bit by using 2 big chicken broth boxes and 2 cans of diced tomatoes.
I will be making it again!
I’ve made this several times and it’s my favorite slow cooker meal by far! Super easy and delicious!!
So glad you loved it has much as we do!
My husband said he thought these were the best beans he has ever ate. I , myself liked them better before adding the tomato’s. It’s a win win situation, I can remove some of the soup before adding the tomatoes!!!
So glad you guys enjoyed it Kathleen!
Do you have a suggestion for using the juice I collected preparing our ham in a cooking bag or should I just toss it? It was a bone-in, pre-cooked half ham that just needed to be heated through
in a low oven for 20 min per pound.
Very easy and tasty soup to make with left over ham and bone.
Very mediocre
I mistakenly bought the Cajun 15 bean soup instead of the other one. Do you think it’s season packet can be used instead?
It may change the taste a little, but I’m sure it would work. Let me know if you try it!
I made this soup, and it is incredible. I highly recommend using a hambone in the doul because I think it gives it that extra added flavor. I found one st my local grocery store, and there was plenty of meat on it. Also, I cooked mine on low for about 8 hours, and the meat fell off the hambone. This will be my go to ham and bean soup recipe
I tried this recipe and a friend told me if you put mustard in ham and bean soup it would give it some kick. That’s what I did and I really liked it.
This is the best ham and bean soup I’ve made.
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
I made this tonight & it turned out great! I used beef smoked sausage instead of ham & I did soak my beansa over night. I tasted it before I added the tomatoes, lemon jiuce & seasoning packet & was yummy without those ingredients but I’m still going to add them. I’m from Texas & we used to make a pot of beans & had cornbread & fried potatoes with them & it was soooo good. That’s what I’m doing tonight. Thanks for the recipe. Ya enjoy!
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe Sherry! I love the idea of using smoked sausage! I am going to try that soon!
9 hours on low, without tomatoes or lemon, and the beans are still tough and gritty. Completely inedible. What a shame. I was hoping it would be as easy as described. Now i have to scramble to make an entirely different dinner…
How disappointing this didn’t work for you Mike. I’ve only had great results with this recipe (and from the reviews, readers have also had great success). I wish I knew why it didn’t work for you.
Hi, this is a message for Mike, but I also want to say hello – I just found this site, and can’t wait to try some new slow-cooker recipes!
Mike, it sounds to me like you must have “hard water” in your area. Hard water means that certain minerals in the local water supply cause your water to be acidic. I have hard water in my area, too, and have learned that the only way to get soft, yummy beans is to add a couple tablespoons of baking soda to the soaking water, and then soak the beans overnight. It works perfectly, and now all my dried bean dishes come out soft and yummy, whether slow-cooked or not. Just be sure to rinse the soaked beans thoroughly before you assemble the rest of your recipe – you don’t want the baking soda to kill the flavors of the more-acidic ingredients you want to add after your beans are soft.
Holly, I have a question about this recipe myself, too — what spices are in the spice packet? I can’t get Hurst beans in my area, so I will be using Goya 16-Bean Blend, which doesn’t come with seasonings. Thanks for any suggestions.
Marion, thank you for the suggestion about the hard water and how to get your beans to soften, that is such a great tip!
As for adding flavor to replace the spice packet, Hurst recommends: bouillon cubes (whatever meat you prefer). You can also use an equal amount of chicken or beef stock instead of water. A great way to add flavor is to add your favorite herbs as well. You can order Hurst beans online as well.
Omg! Made this for dinner tonight. Amazing and delicious. Followed directions and it can out great! Will definitely be making again. Thanks Holly :)
Made this today and used the ham broth I froze from the Thanksgiving ham instead of chicken broth. My daughter took the ham bone home for their bean soup so I just used a pound of cubed ham. My husband and I loved it. Served it with cornbread and fried potatoes and onions.
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
So if I soak beans overnight and cook on low tomorrow for the full time will they be mushy? I suck at cooking and don’t want to ruin this.
Excellent recipe! I haVe been craving ham and bean soup and this took care of that. I used a ham bone and cooked on high for 4hrs. and the soup was ready and the beans were soft. It was only 10:00am and hard to not just dig in considering how wonderful the house smelled! I will never use anything but the 15 bean mixture.. So good! Thank you for another great recipe!
So glad you loved it Kim!
I used 4 tablespoons of Better than Bouillon roasted beef base with 8 cups water, minced garlic, whole sweet onion, 1 diced jalapeno pepper, 2 tbsp. each of chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper. And 1 smoked ham hock with 1 pkg of 15 bean….phenominal
Yum, I especially love the ham hock, so good!
Made this today. Very easy. I didn’t have the brand of beans with the seasoning packet but I heard somewhere to just add 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke – I chose Mesquite. I probably won’t add the lemon juice next time. Beautiful photography! Really nice job. I think I’ll peek around your sight to see what else I can find. Thanks for posting.
Thank you Bobi, so glad you stopped by.
I Just had a delicious bowl of this soup… Yummeeee!! I know this sounds weird but for a flavor punch I added a little bit of feta cheese to top the bowl off… I didn’t have cornbread but I did have Trader Joes cornbread crackers… There kinda a new product for them and go great on all soups. Cheers and thank you for the recipe!
Made this soup last night. It turned out great and we are still enjoying it today. It was so easy.
Used the New Years ham bone with meat on it, didn’t use the packet instead added bay leaves, chili powder, thyme, fresh garlic and some bouillon. Did soak the beans overnight. Added celery, carrots, some baby red potatoes and a chopped onions put in slow cooker in the morning and came home from work to heaven in a bowl. Amazing.
Hubby says it’s a Winner. Thank you
Hello, if we’re using chopped ham instead of the ham bone, when do we add the chopped ham?
This would be added in step 2.
That could be clarified better in the recipe instructions. It just mentions the ham bone, nothing about when to add the chopped pre cooked meat.
Sorry for any confusion, I’ve updated the recipe.
This was delicious and simple. Used the ham bone from Christmas and served with cornbread. It was perfect for our New Years dinner, especially since it was a whopping 4 degrees outside. Thank you for sharing!
This one of my favorite cold day meals! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
The best
Great recipe. My husband and I love it! The only thing I changed was instead of diced tomatoes I put rotel diced tomatoes!
Rotel would be a great addition to this recipe! I am glad your family enjoyed it!
I will pre-soak my beans the next time. My slow cooker may be around 10 yrs. old. It’s a 6 quart oval. I use it often and have not had a problem. After 6 hours on high the beans were still crunchy, I did add the tomatoes and 2 hours later the beans were still not done. After 12 hrs. some beans were still a bit crunchy. Flavor is really robust, I will use less of the flavoring next time.
Third year in a row I’ve made this soup. It is a family favorite. Used the Rotel and Cayenne pepper.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Charles!
Oh Holly this looks so good! Since tonight it’s suppose to be around 6° I think I will get it ready to pop on first think in the morning. I’m a big soup eater and I have all the ingredients ready to go! Thanks again and I hope you had a wonderful Merry Christmas and will have a Safe Healthy Happy New Year. I will rate this once it’s made and eaten :)
Happy New Year to you too!
I’m not allowed to have tomatoes because of the seeds can I use paste or crushed if so how much please. What is your web address for all your receipts please. Can u send it to my email please
I haven’t tried it but I would suggest the same sized can. Ensure your beans are soft before adding as the acidity can interfere with the rehydration process.
Thank you so much it was AWSOME
Great recipe . The only thing I add is a can of Ro*Tel diced tomatoes & green chilies add a little warmth without being to spicy. No red pepper flakes.
Delicious addition! Thank you for sharing.
This tasted fabulous!!!! Will definitely be making again and going to freeze extras.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Karen!
I am not a fan of tomatoes….can I omit them or do you suggest something else in its place????
You can certainly leave them out to suit your taste preferences.
Family loved it! Looked forward to the leftovers and disappointed when it was all gone!
I love this! I use Rotel instead of tomatoes, add in browned smoked sausage and shrimp. Yum-O!
It’s a winner!
Yummy additions, I hadn’t thought of adding shrimp!!
Imade this and it was grrreat. I did however presoaked the beans overnite and added liquid smoke too. Husband gave it a thumbs up.Thanks for sharing.
Can you presoak the beans over night ?
The dried beans used in this recipe do not need to be soaked.
Love the ham bean Crock-Pot soup recipe! I followed it to the letter and it came out perfect! Even my ten year old loved it! I used no sodium beef broth I used smoked turkey leg instead of ham and omitted the lemon and I used red gold diced tomatoes with basil garlic and oregano! That season package was the right amount of seasoning and it was delicious!! Oh yeah and I made cornbread I had to stop myself from eating the whole pot!!!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
hello! by chance can I put an uncooked ham in? maybe before all ingredients? thanks!
I haven’t tried it that way so I can’t say for sure. Please let us know how it works for you if you do try it!
Making this now and it smells so good!! We can’t do the bean mix because we have a pea allergy but I’ve had it before and love it! Trying to duplicate it as closely as possible. I didn’t have ham but I sautéed some bacon with the onion and garlic and it smells delicious!! Can’t wait to taste this, thank you for sharing
Making this recipe now and it smells delicious! Could you tell me what is classified as a serving for this recipe? Would it be 3/4 cup?
Thanks!
It would be about 1 cup.
Thanks!
You’re welcome, enjoy!
Easy to make after cooking a ham & good to freeze Yum!
This is my third time making these!! My entire family loves them. I serve with sweet potato cornbread muffins!! Thank you for sharing with us!!
Woot woot! So glad you liked them!
Can you give me the recipe for the cornbread pictured with this bean soup?
I’m trying these recipes for sure. I finally found someone to help me without wanting me to pay for something first. Thank you and God bless you.
I hope you love them Betty! Come back soon for more, always free recipes!
What I want is that cornbread recipe! It looks amazing. Also I make my own Bean mix. I just pick a bunch of different bags and mix them up then portion them into one pound ziplock packs. I don’t like the seasoning packet that comes with the Hursts.
I dont have that particular cornbread recipe, however here is a link to a different one on my site. https://www.spendwithpennies.com/chile-cheddar-cornbread/
Also, great tip for the homemade bean mix!
Made this for supper this evening and got nothing but praise. My only different is used rotel tomatoes rather than just diced tomatos. And also added a half can of diced jalapeños
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Michael! I think diced jalapenos would be a great addition!
Just put a crock pot on of the Hurst’s HamBeens® 15 BEAN SOUP® and plan on using Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies instead of just the plain diced tomatoes. I also used smoked ham hocks AND Diced smoked ham with my beans. THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOOOOD!!!
Delicious!!! I love Rotel, they’ll add great flavor to this recipe!!
I love your website.
This is essentially my long-suffering, hard-working, and well-receiced bean recipe, except for the flavor packet.
I am distrustful of anything put in a dried bean package in a white packet with no writing to indicate ingredients, expiration date, etc.
I use other flavorings, or none at all. Beans, ham, onions, tomatoes, and garlic suffice.
Just made this recipe. Added cayenne pepper instead of chili powder, and it was delicious. Will make this again!!
HOW MUCH LEMON JUICE?
One lemon is approximately 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
I just made this from the directions on the back of package on the stove top, but think neXT time I’ll do the crock pot, thanks
Hi Holly, I see what looks like some fresh parsley in the finished soup but don’t find that ingredient noted anywhere? I guess it’s possible it’s in the seasoning packet? Thanks in advance for your reply~
I just used fresh parsley as a garnish. :)
This looks yummy. Is there is nutritional information available?
I’m sorry I am unable to provide nutritional information. You can enter your ingredients here to calculate your information.
What a great site! Thanks
Can i make this 2 days ahead? Or will it be mush?
You can definitely make this ahead of time, it reheats beautifully!
What is a ham flavor packet?
Hi Debbi,
This packet comes in the bean package. However you can use bouillon instead. Hope that helps.
This looks delicious as well as the other two you recommended at the end of the post. I’ll have to be making these soon! Glad I found your site. :)
Thank you! Let us know when you make one of our recipes!
I’m very anxious to try this soup, but I’m having a difficult time finding the HamBeen’s 15 Bean soup package. I was, however, able to find another brand with a 15 Bean soup, but with no flavor packet. Can you give my any suggestions? It sounds as if you really need the flavor packet for the recipe. Thanks.
If you don’t have the flavor packet, you can substitute bouillon cubes (any flavor).
I thawed a ham bone with large chunks of ham we had for Thanksgiving. I understand about adding the bone in the beginning, but by adding the larger pieces of ham in the beginning, doesn’t that make the ham pieces dry? I have some really nice size ham pieces and I’d hate to ruin them by over cooking and having them come out dry. Please help!! Thank you.
My ham doesn’t come out dry in this recipe. You could certainly add them along with the tomatoes if you prefer since they just need to be heated.
Am I happy about this snowstorm in March? No. Am I glad that I have a reason to make another round of delicious soups all week? Heck yes. This looks SO good, and so perfect for these cold nights. Saved!
I’m with you Karly, if I’m going to have cool weather the silver lining is having comfort foods like this soup!
sounds great thank you!!!!!
Awesome soup 15 bean soup. Yummyyyyyy
Loved it. Nutrishous and delicious.
could i do this on the stove as opposed to the crock pot? would the beans need to be soaked first?
i meant slow cooker not crock pot!
I have tried to print it off but it won’t work. I guess I will have to write it down myself. What am I doing wrong??
What is the seasoning packet.RECIPE looks good but can’t figure out seasoning packet.Or just use all season.
It comes with this brand of beans. You can also get this in a packet in the dry mix section of most grocery stores. I hope this helps!
I’m making this right now! Looks good! I will tell you all how it goes.
Please do!
I put this together in my crockpot before I left for work, 7 hours ago. It smells heavenly& I’m having a cup of it right now. Some of the beans are still alive dente. How much longer should I cook it to make sure all the beans are cooked through.
I would say another hour or two (opening the lid to the slow cooker increases cook time by quite a bit). Did you add any of the acidic ingredients when you put it on?
Our family really enjoys this soup. I mistakenly bought the 15 beans soup with Cajun seasoning, so I left that out and added a tablespoon of chicken demi glace. So good!
Yum! The demi glace would add delicious flavor to this recipe!
In the works for tomorrow. The perfect recipe for our Alaska weather!!
Let us know how it turns out! :)
I made this recipe today in my crockpot. Crockpot is newer model and runs well. Cooked as suggested on low for 7 hours and beans are not soft at all. Bumped cooker up to high and cooked additional hour. Beans are still too hard. Haven’t added tomatoes and lemon yet. Contemplating dumping soup into my Dutch oven to boil on cooktop. SOAK the BEANS first!
I’m sorry your beans took longer to cook. I haven’t had an issue with them not cooking in the slow cooker.
Hi soup was really good thank you!! But I also had to cook almost 2 hours longer for beans to be soft
If you keep dry beans, until they get OLD they won’t get soft. Not saying yours are old..
Yum! Made this last night but added cut up baby carrots and chopped spinach. Didn’t add the tomato chunks as I ran out of room in my crockpot but did add a small can of tomato paste that gave it a nice consistency. I added a little salt too but really shouldn’t have. Overall very good and easy meal!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your version of the recipe.
Do you know the calories in a bowl, sodium, sugar, fiber, et . Thanks
I’m sorry I am unable to provide nutritional information. You can enter your ingredients here to calculate your calories.
Can you tell me the nutritional values of your crock pot ham and bean soup?it sounds delicious but I’m trying to watch calories so I’m curious as what it entails thank you
I’m sorry I am unable to provide nutritional information. You can enter your ingredients here to calculate your calories.
Stupid question…..do I need to cook ham beforehand or put ham raw?
It should be cooked beforehand!
I’m cooking this right now. Can you tell me if I used diced ham , do I need to go ahead and add those … or wait until after the 6 hours ?
You can add them right away Shelby. Enjoy!
The recipe sounds delicious. I looked for nutritional value and calories per cup but could not find that information.
Could you please add that information?
Thank you.
I’m sorry I am unable to provide nutritional information. You can enter your ingredients here to calculate your calories.
im making this now on the stove do u drain the tomatoes?
I do not drain the tomatoes. Enjoy Kelly!
This is so yummy! We will be making this for many years to come, I’m sure.
I made this recipe two days ago after seeing it posted on Facebook. It’s delicious!!! All the ingredients came to about $30.00 and it will last 4-5 dinners (just 2 of us now). I used Hickory Smoked Spicy Andouille Sausage. Easy peasy.
I’m so glad you loved it as much as we did Louise! I agree, this soup goes a long way!
Love these easy recipes
Love! Love! Love! I didn’t use the whole seasoning packet b/c it just didn’t need it! I even shared with neighbors and they loved it….shared the recipe with my mom and they loved it! Making for a second time tomorrow! Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so glad you loved this just as much as we did! :)
What are the calories per serving?
I’m sorry I am unable to provide nutritional information. You can enter your ingredients here to calculate your calories.
Calorie count was on bottom of receipe net to the yield amount. It is 310 calories per serving.
If only half is eaten is it ok to can the rest of it?
I haven’t tried canning this recipe, hopefully someone else here has tried it and can offer you some advice.
Mine is in the crock pot on high for over 5 hours and the beans are not soft. I did not add tomatoes or
Lemon. What can I do???
Oh no Amy! If your slow cooker is older, you may wan to double check the temperature on it to make sure it’s still running at an optimal temperature.
I don’t have a lemon. How critical is the lemon to this recipe?
It adds a little bit of extra flavor. You can leave it out and will still have great results!
It’s in the Crockpot now. I’ve been making this soup for years, it is the best. My only suggestion is that you definitely soak the beans. The recipe on the bag even calls for that. You can do a quick soak, but I always soak mine overnight. This step produces tender beans and a delicious creaminess to the soup…bon appetite!!
Can you put everything (except the tomatoes, lemon, and seasoning packet) into the crockpot and keep in the fridge overnight before cooking it? Trying to get things ready in the morning before leaving for work can be hectic/stressful, but if I got this part ready ahead of time, it would be so nice.
You can certainly prepare it ahead of time.
Hi, do you know the number of carbohydrates in this dish?
I’m sorry I am unable to provide nutritional information. You can enter your ingredients here to calculate your calories.
I’m making this now and the beans seem to be crunchy it’s been on high for 7 hours any suggestions . smells great broth great but beans seem to not be cooked! please help
Oh no! Did you add the tomatoes/lemon before the beans were softened? That can sometimes interfere with the rehydration process. If your slow cooker is older, you may want to double check the temperature on it to make sure it’s still running at an optimal temperature.
What are the ingredients in the ham packet?
You can find information on the HamBeens products and seasonings here.
Can you substitute something for the ham seasoning packet? I bought another brand of beans, here in Seattle and they have no seasoning packet. This recipe looks very good.
You can substitute bouillon cubes in any flavor. If you do have the opportunity to try out the Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup, I’d highly recommend it, it’s delicious!
I live in Federal Way, south of Seatle, and just bought the Hurst’s 15 beans with packet at Fred Myers.
Made for dinner tonight. Was very tasty. Will make again. I did not soak beans and they were fine.
So glad you enjoyed it Mandy.
this recipe is a keeper, made it today. love how easy it is,makes the house smells great all day. thank you for the recipe.
I’m so glad you loved it as much as we did Cynthia!
I can’t wait to try the crock pot ham & bean. It’s great you can use other meat as substitutes. HamBeens / Hurst needs to get in more stores. Your recipe quite popular. Thank You!
Can I do this recipe on stovetop?
Yes, you should keep on a low heat.
The acid in tomatoes & lemon juice will keep the beans from getting soft; put them in last. Also, try smoked turkey instead of ham or sausage. Delicious!
This recipe showed up in my husband’s FB newsfeed and he mentioned how good it looked to me. (He never talks about food) I made this today and it is wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing.
So happy to hear! Thanks for stopping by.
Hello and thank you for this recipe! If I use a cooked ham do I cut up 1 lb of ham for the soup? Tx
Yes, you would use 1 pound of diced ham. Enjoy Cathy!
I would like to add carrots. When do you think I should add them. I have the crockpot on High.
I would add them along with the onions and beans.
I like this page with all this recipes
Made this soup over the weekend for the first time with my left over ham and it was delish!!! Still eating bowl after bowl.and loving it!
I’m so glad you loved it Theresa!
Thank you Hurst HamBeans for this great recipe!
Excellent soup!! Easy to make.
I love this recipe!
Hello Holly
The recipe for the Ham & bean soup looks delicious. But in Holland we don’t have the ham mix in the bean Package. So I have to make a mix. Please can you tell me what is the flavor of that mix. Meat flavor or mayby vegetables?
I hope to hear from you.
Greetings, Machella
You can substitute the flavor packet with bouillon in any flavor.
I found that it didn’t really need the flavor packet. My mom made it as well and left it out.
I made this soup for New Years Day and it turned out fantastic. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome! Happy to hear that it was a hit!
This soup is incredible! I made it using the ham bone from our Christmas ham. There is so much flavor!!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
Revised: If u want a smokier flavor u can buy “liquid smoke”, a little goes a long way, a little would b a 1/2 teaspoon or less depends on how strong u like the taste of smoky flavor u like? I use liquid smoke in my baked beans, sometimes in my meatloaf & even when I’m marinating meats for the bar-b-q grill, just add just a little to ur marinated liquid of ur own. Just remember a little goes a long way. Also a little is great when ur cooking hamburgers, especially in doors, adds that bar-b-q grill flavor even though they never touched the grill! Good luck this recipe is the best!
Made the soup yesterday. It is really good. I soaked the beans first and added celery and carrots. They just go in every soup I make.
So glad you loved it Cathie!
Accidentally grabbed Cajun hursts beans…I may add half the seasoning packet because I’m worried with me too hot. Ugh!!!!
I’m sure they’ll be delicious!! Enjoy!
A FaceBook friend forwarded this recipe to me. .Have it going now in the crock pot. Super Easy. And a great way to use up leftover ham from Christmas. It looks good so far!
It’s one of our favorites Mary!! Enjoy!
Those beans not available where I live. Can you tell me what spices are in packet so I can make up my own?
You can find the details on Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup here.
When using dried beans for this recipe, should you soak the beans first like most preparations call for? Thanks
The dried beans in this recipe do not need to be soaked.
Great tasting, easy to make recipe.
What kind of beans are there in the 15 Bean Soup? I live in Canada & we do not have the mix @ our supermarket & will have to mix my own.
You can find the details on Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup here.
Might try this with left over turkey!!
Sounds like a great idea to me! :)
Yum! I’m not a ham crazed person, but I don’t mind it much when it’s chopped into dishes. This soup has turned out great! Can’t wait till the family tries it out tonight!
I’m really bummed. The beans didn’t soften for me at all with this recipe. I used the same bean mix the recipe calls for and they stayed hard. Any way to soften them up?
Oh no Cassie! Did you add the tomatoes/lemon before the beans were softened? That can sometimes interfere with the rehydration process. If your slow cooker is older, you may also like to double check the temperature on it to make sure it’s still running at an optimal temperature.
That happened to me, too. I didn’t pre-soak the beans (like I normally do with dried beans), and I followed the recipe as written. I had to cook my soup for 12 -14 hours to get the beans properly cooked. Maybe I should have soaked them?
Did you have anything acidic in the pot (tomatoes/lemon etc)?
My beans weren’t done after 5 hours crockpot on high. Transferred to pot and now trying to boil until tender. Wish me luck!
Oh no Cassie! Did you add the tomatoes/lemon before the beans were softened? That can sometimes interfere with the rehydration process. If your slow cooker is older, you may also like to double check the temperature on it to make sure it’s still running at an optimal temperature.
I am having the same problem…and did make the mistake of adding tomatoes and lemon juice first thing. Did your beans ever soften?
Do you have to use lemon juice or can you omit it?
Lemon is added for flavor, you can omit it.
About how much juice do you use? I think I used to much and only used half a lemon.
I used a whole lemon which is about 3 tablespoons of juice.
It looks so good I am hungry now
I grew up with my dad making soups with beans. Ever since I’ve loved making them myself. Thanks for this recipe. I can jazz up my own soups.
What a fun memory Kelly! We love bean soup too!!
Looks good! If I’m using sausage, do I add it with the beans at the beginning, or with the tomatoes at the end? I don’t want to over cook it!
I would add it in at the beginning.
Some beans carry a toxin in the skins and need a ‘good rolling boil’ for 10 minutes, before the commencement of any recipe. Kidney beans are definitely one of these with toxins, but I now treat all beans the same before use.
Any substitute for ham ?
Thanks in advance
Yes! You can use 1lb sausage, 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts or 1 lb. beef roast. You will shred the meat when adding the tomatoes.
How would it taste with out meat?
I haven’t tried it without meat however I do think it would be delicious!! Please let us know how it works out for you if you do try it!
If you do it with chicken, do you cook the chicken first?
You could use smoked turkeyas an alternative.
So happy you made this even easier in a crock pot! I shared with my family and they will be using it too! I only use Hurst’s 15 bean soup. Put some on this morning! Thanks for the great,fast recipe!
Enjoy Debra, I agree… I love the easy slow cooker version!
Where do I purchase the ham seasoning packet?
The seasoning packet comes in the HamBeens 15 Bean Soup package.
What if you can’t find these beans ? Can you use different ones and what would you substitute. The favor package with ? Thank you
Most major US grocery stores carry Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup, you can double check in dry bean aisle. The seasoning packet can be replaced with bouillon cubes (your favorite flavor). If you ever get a chance to try the Hurst’s HamBeens, I’d highly recommend grabbing a couple of bags! They’re delicious.
I couldn’t find this brand in the store so I had to get Goya 16 bean mix. I don’t have the packet. How do I make it without? I see before you said cubes but that’s all that was suggested. Do I just drop in chicken cubes? How do I get the smoke
You can find Hurst’s 15 Bean Soup in the bean aisle of most US grocery stores (or online).
I would add the chicken cubes along with the water. The smoky flavor also comes from ham if you’re using it.
liquid smoke works also.
How many chicken cubes do you add? I to couldn’t find those kinds of beans and am having to add the cubes but not sure how many. Hoping it turns out as great as it looks and sounds.
I would add 1 or 2 cubes.
I know it says can of diced tomatoes but do you use the juice too
Great question. Yes, you add the juice too!
Making it today! I accidentally added all ingredients right from the start… hopefully I didn’t ruin it!
It shouldn’t! Let me know if it turned out okay.
I did the same! ugh how was yours?
Love this
Sounds so good. I want to try it.
I’ve been wanting to try that mix! LOVE this recipe and it looks so warm and comforting! <3
Jenn, you would TOTALLY love it. So delicious, so filling!
Would you know how to do this in a pressure cooker (electric)?
While I haven’t tried this recipe in the pressure cooker, I have cooked dried beans in the pressure cooker for about 25 minutes with great results. If you do cook this in your pressure cooker, please let us know how it works out for you!
Sara did you end up trying in your pressure cooker? Looking to try this in my insta pot
Hi Holly,
Great recipe. I live in Canada and I’m not sure if we have the bean soup product, so I’m wondering what spices are in the packet. I can’t wait to make this!!
Hi Tracy! The seasoning packet can be replaced with bouillon cubes (your favorite flavor). If you ever get a chance to try the Hurst’s HamBeens, I’d highly recommend grabbing a couple of bags! They’re delicious. :)
How many bouillon cubes?
I would add one or two.
Delicious
Thanks Luis, we LOVE this soup!
I made it with cooked (Jimmy Dean) breakfast sausage last weekend. Cooked the crumbled sausage til it was crisp. Delicious.
That would be amazing!! Thank you for sharing Robert!
I’m in love with this recipe!
It’s one of my cold weather favorites too Dorothy! Easy, hearty and delicious!
What is you add the seasoning packet in the beginning will that run the taste?
It doesn’t ruin the taste however salt can interfere with the rehydration process.
Where do you find ham seasoning?
The seasoning comes in the package of beans.