Bean Soup is an easy and inexpensive dish and 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 quick to prep and delicious, the perfect way to use up any leftover ham and a great way to feed a crowd!
I am excited to have partnered with Hurst’s HamBeens® 15 BEAN SOUP® to bring you this belly-warming bean soup recipe.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Ham & Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean soup is the perfect family meal!
- Simple and inexpensive, this is a great way to feed a crowd. This simple soup requires very few ingredients, starting with Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup®, onions and ham.
- You’ll need just a few minutes of prep time and best of all the beans do not require soaking.
- You can use up leftover ham, a ham bone, smoked turkey or a ham hock.
- It’s healthy and delicious, everyone always loves it! This hearty soup is like a big ol’ hug in a bowl!
- This soup freezes and reheats well.
The slow cooker does all of the work creating an easy ham and bean soup that will warm you from the inside out.
Ingredients
BEANS:
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 you guys love it just as much as I do!
Hurst’s HamBeens top-notch for both 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!
SEASONING:
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 adds freshness. 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.
No Soaking Required
One thing we really love about this ham and bean soup recipe is that you do not have to soak the beans before cooking.
- Rinse beans well and check for any debris. No soaking is needed when using a slow cooker.
- If you have already soaked the beans, you can reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1 cup.
- IMPORTANT: Add acidic ingredients (such as canned tomatoes or lemon juice) after the beans have softened (these ingredients can sometimes interfere with rehydration).
How to Make Ham and Bean Soup
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Rinse beans and add to the slow cooker with onions, ham, broth and seasonings (per the recipe below).
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Cook on high 5 hours (or low for 7-8) or until beans are tender.
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Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for additional 30 minutes.
Easy peasy! Serve warm with cornbread for dipping.
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 Italian Bean Soup – so hearty & flavorful
Ham and Bean Soup {Crock Pot Version}
Equipment
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
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 lemon juiced
- Optional: Hot sauce or crushed red pepper to taste
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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Soup
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Hi Holly, the soup looks very interesting. Can this be made without the Ham? Will the soup taste as flavorful? I am a vegetarian and wondered if that was option.
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Rupa. The ham does add flavor to the soup, but I am sure without it it will still be delicious. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Thank you so much for your response. I will give it a try and let you know how it turned out .
Best soup I have ever made. Hands down! My store didn’t have ham hocks so I used smoked neck bones and so yummy!
you have the best recipes. I am without an oven for couple weeks and your crockpot recipes are the best and a dinner saver. Thank you so much
Hi Holly, I have never seen that brand of beans here in Alberta? Did you have to order them from the states? They look like such a good mix to have on hand. Also, thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes.
Hi Sue, I did pick these beans up in the States at Walmart. If you are travelling to the States I highly recommend stocking up as they are so delicious! Otherwise any other bean mix should work in this recipe.
How do you make this wonderful soup if you don’t have the special beans?
Hi Nicole! These beans can be found on Amazon. I hope this helps!
YUM I have wanted to make this soup for a long time. It was so delicious, the hardest part was waiting for the crock pot to be done! we loved it!
How much is a serving?
A serving is approximately 1 cup Eileen.
Husband suddenly isn’t able to eat tomatoes and I really love this recipe? Okay to omit and do you have an alternative?
Hi Kristen, while I have only made this recipe as written it should be okay to leave them. It will just alter the flavor.
Are the natural starches eliminated by the long cook time in this no-rinse recipe?
If not, what would the time frame be with soaked uncooked beans?
I ask as we generally soak the beans for 24 hours (pouring off water multiple times) as this aids with the removal of starches that can cause gas and intestinal distress
Thank you for your response.
If you would like to soak the beans, reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1 cup and proceed as directed with the rest of the recipe.
This soup was absolutely DELICIOUS I am soo glad we found it. My picky family ate every last drop
Hi Holly, Have you ever considered, Liquid Smoke, LS Spicy V8, Mrs Dash, Nutritional yeast, or mushrooms in Ham and Beans Soup. They do so much more than the packet Hambeens supplies, and nothing in the envelope is healthy either. I like the idea of diced tomatoes and green chiles some one suggested. I can eat those, where I cannot eat anything with chili powder in it. I’m all for tons of onions and garlic, plus carrots, celery, .in beans soup. Some powdered mustard or a good squirt of Dijon can draw out the ham. I buy about 4 bags of Hambeens to fill my storage container, then add extras 1 lb split peas, 1 lb yellow split peas, and 1 lb red lentils and stir, store air tight. The extras help thicken the broth. Or add leftover mashed potatoes, or instant mashed potatoes to thicken. I only have a bone once a year. You used to be able to buy a “Daisy” ham that worked well for soup, a small Danish canned ham also works. Our Meat CSA sends us small 2.2 lbs, hams that look like Canadian bacon, but they’re uncured ham. These work great for bean or split pea soups. Partial puréing of the soup will also make it thicker. 6hanks for this flexible recipe, Soon to be tried.
I love all of your ideas and suggestions. Thank you for sharing MaryAnn, some great things to try with my next soup.