For a simple and flavorful soup, use a bone-in ham, which adds richness, and there’s no need to soak the beans beforehand. Just toss everything into the slow cooker, and you’ll have a hearty, delicious meal with minimal effort.
There are many reasons to buy fully-cooked bone-in hams, and the prospect of a delicious Ham and Bean Soup the next day is certainly a compelling one.
Put the ham bone, and any leftover ham, to work in this easy, delicious soup. And you don’t have to soak the beans overnight before you make it!
How to Make Ham Bone Soup
Saute the vegetables up front for the best flavor, then add the beans and broth. Bring everything to a boil before adding to your crockpot to kickstart the cooking process.
Since ham is very salty on its own, I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth in Step 2. Do not add more salt until you’ve added the chopped ham from the bone (and any other leftover ham you have on hand).
At that point, give it a taste and see if you think it needs more salt.
As for the ham bone, it goes without saying that a meatier ham bone will produce a meatier soup.
Do you have to soak beans before cooking them?
You don’t have to soak the beans ahead of time before cooking.
Depending on the type of bean in question, it will take 10 to 30 minutes longer to cook beans that haven’t been soaked ahead.
Can you cook beans in soaking water?
If you decide to soak your beans (to save that 10 minutes on the cooking time), you don’t need to throw away the soaking water.
Add that to the crockpot as part of the 4 cups in the recipe.
Can you freeze Homemade Ham and Bean soup?
Let the soup cool in a shallow dish in the fridge, then move it to a container that’s safe for the freezer. It can be stored there for up to two months.
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Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
For a simple and flavorful soup, use a bone-in ham, which adds richness, and there’s no need to soak the beans beforehand. Just toss everything into the slow cooker, and you’ll have a hearty, delicious meal with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup carrots sliced (3–4 carrots)
- 1 cup celery sliced (3–4 stalks)
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 pound dried pinto or navy beans picked over
- 1 meaty ham bone
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Additional leftover ham chopped, optional
Instructions
- Pour olive oil into a 3-quart pot or Dutch oven and warm it over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Add the carrots, celery, and onion, and cook them until they become tender and see-through, which usually takes around 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the broth, water, beans, ham bone, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot, then bring everything to a rolling boil.
- Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and set it to high. Let it cook for 4 to 6 hours, or until the beans become tender.
- Take out the ham bone and bay leaf, then chop the ham from the bone and put it back into the slow cooker. If you have any extra ham leftover, add it in and let everything sit for about five minutes to heat through. Finish by seasoning with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 229 kcal