Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup combines dried navy beans, aromatic vegetables, and a meaty ham bone slowly simmered together for hours to create a hearty, comforting soup. The beans soften fully in the slow cooker alongside carrots, celery, onion, and a blend of garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and thyme. The addition of the ham bone infuses a rich pork flavor throughout the broth, which is finished with chopped ham for extra meatiness and seasoned with salt and pepper. This filling soup works well for batch cooking and is ideal with crusty bread or salad on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup carrot sliced (3-4 carrots
- 1 cup celery sliced (3-4 ribs)
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth (see note 1)
- 4 cups water
- 1 pound Navy beans or pinto beans, rinsed and picked over (see note 2, dried
- 1 meaty ham bone or ham hocks (see note 3)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1 bay leaf
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
- ham chopped, optional, cooked, additional
Instructions
- In a 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sauté carrots, celery, and onion until softened and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in broth, water, beans, ham bone, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
- Pour into slow cooker. Heat on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours or until beans are tender.
- Remove ham bone and bay leaf. Chop ham from bone and return to slow cooker. Add additional leftover ham, if using, and cover until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to four days to maintain freshness.
- Soaking dried beans is optional but reduces cooking time and may improve digestibility; either overnight soak or quick soak methods work.
- A meaty ham bone or ham hocks provide depth of flavor; select based on availability.
- The recipe yields about twelve servings, suitable for a large group or batch cooking.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 158
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 serving | |
| Calories | 158kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 27g | 9% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 310mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 672mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 1909IU | 38% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 63mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.