Crockpot Ham and Bean soup is easy to make with leftover ham bones, dry white beans, and vegetables. It is old-fashioned comfort food at its best—delicious and hearty—and is a simple and economical recipe for ham and beans in the crock pot.
🐖Ingredients
Ham bone—meaty
Beans—Navy, Great Northern, or Cannellini. Use dried or pre-cooked.
Vegetables—carrots, celery, and onion
Seasoning—black pepper, garlic powder, and bay leaf
Water—to make broth with the ham bone
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🐖Ingredients
- 👨🍳How to Make Ham and Bean Soup in a Crock Pot—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
- 👍Make it right every time
- 🐖 Ham bones, and do I have to use one
- 🫘The Beans—usage and variations
- 🥣Why and how to soak dried beans
- 📖 Other Crock Pot Ham Bone Soup recipes
- 🍽️How to serve
- ❄️How to store leftovers
- ❓FAQs
- 📖 Recipe
Featured Comment by Andie:
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"I am making this for the third time today! This is my go to for ham bone bean soup. I follow the recipe and use dry beans. Perfect every time! So tasty! Thank you!"
There is nothing much more traditional than this old-fashioned ham bone soup with white beans, a personal favorite of mine. This is the perfect ham bone recipe for Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner leftovers.
I have adapted it for a crock pot, added options for dried or precooked beans, and a skip the ham bone option. While you can use broth, I suggest allowing the ham bone and water to make the broth as the soup cooks.
For other great soup recipes, check out my Broccoli Cheese Soup and Crock Pot French Onion Soup.
👨🍳How to Make Ham and Bean Soup in a Crock Pot—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
1. Use 48 oz. of drained and rinsed precooked white beans. If using dry beans, do a "quick soak" as described in the section below.
2. Under running water, rinse a meaty ham bone to remove any coating. Scrape off any surface fat, then add it to a larger crock pot.
3. Dice carrots, celery, and an onion.
4. Add the beans, carrots, celery, onion, and seasoning to the crock pot.
5. Add water to cover the ingredients, and cook covered on low for 8 hours for precooked beans or 10 hours for dried beans.
6. Two hours before the end of cooking, remove the ham bone. Remove all meat from the bone, discarding bone, fat, and waste.
7. Place meat back into the cooker, stir well, and finish cooking. This is a good point to taste test for adding salt if needed.
8. Serve hot or cool overnight in the refrigerator and skim off fat the following day.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
👍Make it right every time
Add the amount of water you need to cover the ingredients. If the ham bone sticks out too much, don't be afraid to cut it back a bit. Six cups is about right, but don't exceed eight cups.
If you decide to use broth, use sodium-free or low-sodium chicken broth in the same amount as the water.
The vegetables may be adjusted up or down for your taste. I usually add more.
If you had a "bad" ham with little taste. It will make bad soup, too.
You can make this without a ham bone (see the ham discussion) and vary the beans if you wish.
While it is excellent the day it is cooked, you can scrape the fat off the top after overnight refrigeration, and the flavor comes together for an even better taste and healthier soup.
🐖 Ham bones, and do I have to use one
The ham in any ham bone soup recipe is highly variable. I suggest using a meaty ham bone—try to leave a little more meat on it if you're making soup. You can also use two ham hawks to replace the ham bone.
Often, a honey coat and trimmable fat need to be removed as much as possible. These problems could ruin your soup, so ham preparation is critical. Use running water to remove surface sugar. Scrape and trim off any fat that you reasonably can.
All hams contain considerable salt, so please add salt only near the end if needed. If you decide to use broth instead of letting the ham bone and water make it, use salt-free broth.
What if I don't have a ham bone or it is skimpy on meat?
This recipe is designed around the ham bone, which we use for the meat and to create a broth for the soup. However, it is relatively easy to make it without a ham bone or if the ham bone doesn't have much meat.
If your ham bone is skimpy, add about a cup of diced ham—the bone can still make the broth. If you don't have a ham bone, use about 2 cups of diced ham, and instead of water, use low-sodium chicken broth.
🫘The Beans—usage and variations
The beans are usually white beans, like Navy, Great Northern, or Cannellini. Navy beans are smaller and more traditional for this soup. They are so common that it is frequently called "Ham and Navy Bean Soup."
I like Navy beans for this soup—a traditionalist to the end. Great Northern beans are bigger and will give a similar taste and texture. Cannellini beans, known as white kidney beans, will have a firmer texture than others.
Mixtures of various beans are sold like 15 bean mix to make 15 Bean Soup and an excellent substitute. Or use the beans you like.
Precooked vs. Dry beans
Either dry or precooked beans will work fine in this recipe. Precooked beans will decrease the cooking time by a few hours compared to dry beans.
If you use precooked beans, you will need about 48 ounces (3 cans). Drain the beans and rinse them well to decrease any added salt. Of course, use low-sodium products.
One pound of dry beans equals approximately three cans or one 48-oz jar of pre-cooked beans. Always check the beans for rocks or foreign bodies. They need to be pre-soaked before use.
🥣Why and how to soak dried beans
You should not just add dry beans and cook, although you will find recipes that don't soak. But it is not the wisest answer in my experience.
Beans have a non-absorbed carbohydrate. Since it is not absorbed or digested, it sits in the GI tract, where the normal bacteria break it down, producing gas and sometimes enough acid to cause diarrhea.
In the "good old days," dry beans were soaked overnight before cooking. This method mostly worked. We now use a more proven and effective method, the "quick-soak," but the overnight soak will still work.
Bring the beans to a boil for 3 minutes in a pot with lots of water, remove them from heat, cover them, and allow them to rest for an hour. Rinse them before using.
📖 Other Crock Pot Ham Bone Soup recipes
If you have a ham bone, check out ham bone soup recipes, such as Ham Bone Vegetable Soup and Puerto Rican Chuletón Soup AKA Xmas Ham Bone Soup.
For other leftover ham recipes, try my Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, or check out What to Do With Leftover Ham.
Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is a classic old-fashioned comfort food with creamy sauce, melted cheese, and slices of tender ham and potatoes—perfect for leftover ham.
🍽️How to serve
I love Cornbread Biscuits or Old Fashioned Cornbread with this soup. Or a crusty bread is also nice.
❄️How to store leftovers
Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. Good in the freezer for 3-4 months.
❓FAQs
The best way is to add a finely diced potato halfway through cooking. You can also add ¼ to ½ cup of potato flakes near the end of cooking.
The second method is to remove about a cup of beans, run them through a blender, and mix them back into the soup.
You can also create a roux with flour and butter and add the last hour of cooking.
I do not suggest corn starch since it may gel with cooling and change the texture later.
None other than the onion in the traditional soup. I suggest carrot and celery since they made it more interesting taste-wise.
A diced potato added halfway through cooking will help thicken the mixture. You can also add half or a full cup of mashed potatoes near the end to thicken the mixture.
All ham soups have a lot of animal fats. By refrigerating, the fat will come to the top and be solid. It can be removed, and your soup will be healthier.
📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 pound dry Navy, Great Northern, or Cannellini beans - or 48 oz. of precooked beans
- 1 ham bone - meaty
- 2 carrots - medium - diced - optional
- 2 ribs celery - - diced - optional
- 1 onion - medium - diced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf - optional
- 6 cups water
Instructions
- You may use one pound of dry beans or 48 oz. of pre-cooked beans—drained and rinsed.
- If using dry beans, rinse 1 pound of Navy or Great Northern dry beans. Pick through the beans for stones or pebbles. Boil in a large amount of water for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let it sit for 1 hour, and then rinse before using.
- Under running water, rinse a meaty ham bone to remove any coating. Scrape off any surface fat. Add to a larger crock pot.
- Dice two medium carrots, two celery ribs, and one medium onion. Carrots and celery are options, but they are recommended.
- Add the beans, carrots, celery, and onion to the crock pot. Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon pepper, and one bay leaf. Add enough water to cover the ingredients (6 to 8 cups).
- Cook on low for 8 hours for precooked beans and 10 hours for dry beans. Two hours before the end of cooking, remove the ham bone to a cutting board. Allow the bone to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then, remove all meat from the bone. Discard the bone, any fat, and any waste.
- Place meat back into the cooker and finish cooking. This is a good point to taste test for adding salt if needed.
- If you have time, refrigerate overnight and scrape the fat off the top the next day before reheating.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use a large crock pot of 6 quarts or above.
- Ham bones (and hams) vary a lot. So, this is like many recipes; these are guidelines and not rules.
- If yours is heavily honey-coated or spiced, you need to rinse off as much of it as possible and scrape off surface fat.
- Most hams have LOTS of salt. Don't add any until you're sure you need it, and use low-sodium products if possible.
- You can use pre-cooked Navy, Great Northern, or Cannellini beans. You will need 48 oz. of beans, which you should drain and rinse. Low-sodium beans are also possible.
- Dried beans are soaked to decrease gas production. The instructions and post discuss a "quick-soak" method.
- It is a good idea to cool this soup in the refrigerator and remove any fat from the top when it is cold.
- If you don't have a ham bone, you can still make this soup with about two cups of diced ham and use low-sodium chicken broth for the water.
- The total cooking time for the dry bean version is 10 hours, and 8 hours using pre-cooked beans.
- Stores well refrigerated for 3-4 days. It will freeze well for 3-4 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published December 13, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Cherie says
What size crock pot would you recommend? I have a 5 quarter crock and I don't think I could have fit all of this in it.
DrDan says
At least 6 qt due to the ham size.
Dan
Maxine G says
I followed your recipe but added a can of stewed tomatoes The seasoning in the tomatoes gives the soup a nice flavor. I also put a few cups of the cooked soup in the blender and added it back into the crockpot to thicken it up a bit and give it a nice consistency. Great recipe and so easy to use the crock pot!
Monica says
Wonderful recipe! Thanks!
Ida says
My husbands beloved Aunt always made great ham and bean soup. This is my second try and it looks delicious. My question is can I add potatoes to this or will it ruin it? I am making it tomorrow. Thank you!
DrDan says
The potato should be fine. Put it in with the carrots. I think two medium diced would be about right but just guessing there.
DrDan
Barry says
The recipe is great with onion, celery, and carrots. One more thing my mother always put in
was diced potatoes.
Theresa says
Do you set the crock pot on low price high?
Theresa says
Sorry, I meant low OR high.
DrDan says
Low and I just edited to make it more apparent. Thanks for the note.
Dan
Joan Holschuh says
Ina, I have never made ham an bean soup before. I have this great ham bone an decided to look at you site for a recipe. My husband's mom always made soup with the ham bone an he thought it was a great idea. I will try it in the next day or two. Thanks Joan
Carole Milligan says
My husband asked me to make ham bone and bean soup today. I found this post for your recipe, and it looks like an ideal recipe for the crockpot. I'll add spices at the end, as you and others suggest. Thanks!
Carole Milligan says
I made this yesterday, and it turned out very well. At the end, I added garlic powder and fresh ground pepper, as well as more ham. Delicious! Thank you for this easy recipe.
Gigi Schultz says
Dr. Dan
I've made a similar soup like this ages ago and couldn't remember the ingredients. Thank you for reminding me! This soup is simple and wonderful. For a little more flavor I add about a cup of V8-juice or tomato juice and a shake or two of Tabasco sauce at about the 8th hour of cooking. Now on to my fabulous ham bone I have thawing on the counter next to my soaking beans and ready to get cooking!
Dawn says
Made this today! I've never made a bean soup like this before. It only took me 8 total hours to cook. It really needs to be seasoned at the end. I added garlic, salt, pepper, and Cayenne Pepper. Very good!
DrDan says
Hi Dawn,
Yep this is a bland soup and seasoning to taste at the end is a good idea. The salt especially should wait to the end since many ham's have lots of salt already.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Dustin says
Dr. Dan,
Just finished prepping this recipe. It is now cooking on low in the crockpot. In substitution of the six cups of water, I used the four cups of remaining juices that cooked off the spiral ham I cooked two days ago for Thanksgiving. Then I added another four cups of water. Looking forward to trying this rendition of a childhood favorite with the added carrots, celery, and onion. Will let you know how it turns out.
DrDan says
Given those choice... none would be my choice. Don't add any sugar of any type. And ham usually has too much salt to begin with. None of the other spices or veggies do much for me.
Hopefully you have some pepper. It will be nice without the veggies and other spices. If you like spicy then a pinch of the crushed red pepper since it is a bit bland anyways.
DrDan
Naya says
I need some help with spics to put in my great northern beans. The only veggies I have are cucumbers and green bell peppers. I have two of each. The spices I have are Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, table salt, sugar, paprika, oregano leaf, crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, ground cumin, tarragon leaves, thyme leaves, and chili powder. I usually use brown sugar but was not able to get it this time around. Please help as soon as you are able. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Lorrie says
Great recipe, I add smoked ham hocks and the ham bone. My mom always used the smoked ham hocks.
Elane says
Hi Dr. Dan,
Just found your site while I was looking for a healthier carrot cake. So I have been scrolling through your recipes and admiring your wonderful dogs. I saw this recipe and I thought I would let you know that I like using smoked turkey parts to make the soup when a ham bone is unavailable. It works out great! Oh yeah, can't wait to try your carrot cake!!! I like your site, thank you and love your dogs.
plantcrone says
Great take on the typical "Senate Bean Soup" that my mom and grand mother made. I liked the emphasis on low sodium and, like the author, have decided to use dried beans rather than more expensive (and highly processed) canned beans.
I used several healthy twists of ground black pepper, a tsp of chili pepper flakes and a shake of hot chili powder to spice it up a bit..I thought it was a tad too bland for my spice loving family.
I'd always used chicken or vegetable broth in my ham bone soup before but this time I let the ham bone and ham do the flavoring of the 6 C of water and didn't notice the difference.
Appreciate your easy crock pot version of this American Staple.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. It is a bit bland like most ham/bean soups so your additions are a good idea if you want a little more spice. To me, that bland ham and bean taste is childhood...
In one of my previous ham bone soups, a commenter suggested that the broth was not needed. I now agree.
Again thanks for the comment and rating.
DrDan