Got a leftover ham bone? Don’t toss it—turn it into a slow cooker ham and bean soup that’s hearty, comforting, and old fashioned in the best way. This classic Crock Pot recipe is perfect after the holidays (or whenever you’ve got ham to use up).
Just dry or canned white beans, simple seasoning, a meaty bone (or some diced ham), and time. The slow cooker does all the work—no sautéing, no stirring.
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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!"
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- Leftover solution: A great way to use every bit of that holiday ham—nothing wasted, and nothing better.
- Old-fashioned flavor: Tastes like something your grandma would’ve made (if she had a Crock Pot and less time).
- Nothing fancy: Just a ham bone, some beans, and a little patience.
- Pantry-friendly: Use canned or dry beans—whatever you’ve got on hand.
- Easy and filling: Budget-friendly, freezer-friendly, and no kitchen skills required.
🛒 Ingredients for Ham and Bean Soup
Just a meaty ham bone, white beans, simple veggies, and pantry seasoning. Use dried or canned beans—whatever works.
- 🐖 Ham Bone – Meaty, trimmed of fat and coating. Or use diced ham if needed.
- 🫘 Beans – Navy, Great Northern, or Cannellini. Dried (pre-soaked) or canned.
- 🥕 Vegetables – Onion, carrot, and celery. Optional, but highly recommended.
- 🧂 Seasoning – Garlic powder, black pepper, bay leaf. Hold the salt until the end.
- 💧 Liquid – Water to cover, or low-sodium broth if not using a bone.
👨🍳 How to Make Ham and Bean Soup in a Crock Pot
Just load it up and let the slow cooker do the work.
1. Prepare the beans, ham bone, and veggies
If using dry beans, do a quick soak (see tips below). If using canned beans, drain and rinse well.
Rinse a meaty ham bone under running water and scrape off any surface fat or coating.
Dice the carrots, celery, and an onion.
2. Load the crock pot and cook
Add the beans, ham bone, vegetables, and seasoning to the crock pot.
Cover with water (about 6–8 cups) and cook on low for 8 hours (precooked beans) or 10 hours (dried beans).
3. Strip the ham bone
About 2 hours before the end of cooking, remove the ham bone.
Shred off the meat, discard the bone and fat, and return the meat to the soup.
4. Finish and serve
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve hot—or refrigerate overnight to skim off fat before reheating.
👇 Scroll to the recipe card for complete step-by-step photo instructions, or keep reading for pro tips, FAQs, and serving ideas.
😊 Tips for Crock Pot Success
Don’t overdo the liquid: Add just enough water to cover everything—usually about 6 cups. If the ham bone sticks out too far, trim it down. Don’t exceed 8 cups.
Using broth instead? Use low-sodium or no-salt-added chicken broth to avoid an overly salty soup.
Vegetables are flexible: Adjust the amount to your taste. I usually add more—not less. You can also toss in chopped potatoes, green beans, or other vegetables you like. Just make sure they can hold up to long cooking, or add them later if they’re more delicate.
No bone? No problem: You can skip the ham bone entirely—just use 2–4 cups of diced ham and broth instead of water. More in the ham section below.
Bad ham = bad soup: If your ham lacked flavor to begin with, it won’t magically improve in the crock pot. The texture won’t get better either. But if the soup tastes flat, you can try adding a little ham bouillon (like Better Than Bouillon) or ham soup base to boost the flavor.
Make it today, eat it tomorrow: The soup is great day one, but chilling overnight lets you skim the fat and brings the flavors together even better.
🐖 Choosing and Using the Ham
A meaty ham bone is best—leave a little extra meat on it if you're planning ahead. It adds flavor and helps build a rich broth as it simmers.
If the bone is a little skimpy on meat, no problem—just add about 1–2 cup of diced ham to supplement. The bone will still help flavor the broth.
No bone at all? Use about 2–4 cups of diced ham, and replace the water with low-sodium chicken broth, ham bouillon, or ham soup base to boost flavor.
High in salt:
Ham is salty—don’t add more until the end. If you’re using broth, choose unsalted or low-sodium.
Prep matters:
Trim off any thick fat or sugary glaze before cooking—it can make the broth greasy or overly sweet. Rinse the bone under running water and scrape off anything that looks suspect.
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🫘 Beans—Types, Prep, and Tips
Choose your bean:
Navy beans are the traditional choice—small and creamy. Great Northern beans are a bit larger but work well too. Cannellini (white kidney beans) hold their shape and stay a bit firmer. Any of the three are fine.
Dry or canned:
- Dry beans need to be soaked before cooking. One pound of dry beans is about the same as three cans (or a 48 oz jar) of precooked.
- Canned beans should be drained and rinsed well before adding—this cuts the salt and extra starch.
Quick soak method:
If using dry beans, don’t just toss them in. Bring them to a boil in a large pot of water for 3 minutes, cover, and let sit for 1 hour. Then drain and rinse before using.
Why soak at all?
Soaking improves texture and helps remove some of the indigestible starches that can cause gas or GI upset. You can do the traditional overnight soak instead, but the quick soak is faster and more effective.
Other options:
Want something heartier? A 15-bean mix also works great in this recipe. Just check for stones and give it a good rinse.
📖 More Recipes for Your Ham Bone
If you’ve got a ham bone to use, here are a few more crock pot favorites:
- Ham and Vegetable Soup—a heathier version packed with lots of veggies.
- Puerto Rican Chuletón Soup AKA Xmas Ham Bone Soup—our Christmas tradition. A wonderful change from other ham soups.
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
This soup is hearty on its own, but it’s even better with something to mop the bowl. Try it with:
- Cornbread Biscuits – Soft, buttery, and so easy to make
- Old Fashioned Cornbread – A classic side for old-school comfort
- Basic Homemade Stand Mixer Bread – Simple, satisfying, and a basic staple
❄️ Leftovers and Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days, or freeze for 3–4 months—thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Cut the fat some by chilling overnight and skim off the fat before serving.
❓FAQs
There are a few good ways to thicken this soup:
1. Add a finely diced potato halfway through cooking.
2. Stir in ¼ to ½ cup of potato flakes near the end.
3. Remove about a cup of beans after cooking, blend, and mix them back in.
4. Make a roux with flour and butter and add it during the last hour.
👉I don’t recommend cornstarch—it can gel when cooled and change the texture.
Traditionally, just onion—but I recommend carrot and celery for more flavor.
You can also add other hearty vegetables like chopped potatoes or green beans. Just avoid delicate ones that can break down during the long cooking time.
Ham soups contain a lot of animal fat. Chilling overnight lets the fat rise and solidify so you can skim it off before reheating. It also improves the flavor.
📖The Recipe Card
Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup (With Ham Bone)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry Navy, Great Northern, or Cannellini beans - or 48 oz. of precooked beans drained and rinsed
- 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 to 8 cups water or low-sodium broth - enough to cover ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the beans, ham bone, and veggies
- If using precooked beans, drain and rinse 48 oz. (about 3 cans).
- If using dry beans, rinse 1 pound of Navy or Great Northern beans. Boil in a large amount of water for 3 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour. Then drain and rinse.
- Rinse a meaty ham bone under running water to remove any coating or glaze. Scrape off excess surface fat.
- Dice two medium carrots, two celery ribs, and one medium onion. Carrots and celery are options, but recommended.
Load the crock pot and cook
- Add the beans, ham bone, diced vegetables, garlic powder, pepper, and bay leaf to a large crock pot. Add just enough water or broth to cover the ingredients—usually about 6 to 8 cups. Cook on low for 8 hours (canned beans) or 10 hours (dry beans).
Strip the ham bone
- About 2 hours before the end of cooking, remove the ham bone to a cutting board and let it cool 5–10 minutes. Remove the meat, discard the bone and any fat or waste, and return the meat to the soup.
Finish and serve
- Place meat back into the cooker and finish cooking. This is a good point to taste test for adding salt if needed.
- Serve hot, or refrigerate overnight and skim the fat off the top before reheating.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use a 6-quart or larger crock pot.
- Ham bones (and hams) vary—these are guidelines, not rules.
- If your ham is glazed or heavily spiced, rinse and scrape off as much as you can.
- Ham is high in salt. Use low-sodium broth and canned beans. Don’t add salt until the end and only if you are postive it is needed.
- It is a good idea to cool this soup in the refrigerator and remove any fat from the top when it is cold.
- No ham bone? Use 2–4 cups diced ham and low-sodium broth, bouillon, or soup base for the liquid.
- Keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days and freezes for 3–4 months
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published December 13, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Marie says
Is there a point that I’m missing in the steps that says add the hambone to the crockpot? Should the hambone go in when the onions carrots celery & Beans go in?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Marie,
It is at the end of the second step of rinsing off any coating. Before the veggie chopping.
Dan
Celesti says
I tried several times to use your print button on this recipe. I like to print out recipes because I have a small kitchen that doesn't accommodate space for my computer. Your French Onion Soup recipe was a copy and paste on word which is a pain. I am having difficulty printing your recipes to my printer. I don't have this problem from other cooking sites. Any suggestions ? ... Thanks.
Stacey says
I wanted to do this too, but what do you put in your stock? It looks like Everything is put in at once. Thank you.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Stacy,
The water is put in at the start. Later, the hambone is removed and stripped with the meat going back in and the bone and waste discarded.
In all probability, you just the water will make broth with the hambone and veggies. You could use chicken/vegetable/ham broth instead if water if you want.
Dan
Stacey says
Can you add parsley at the end?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Stacey,
Yes, if that is what you like.
Dan
Carolyn S. says
Great recipe and perfect for cool weather!
Maybe it's my imagination, but I think that making the ham stock ahead of time improves the flavor. So I put a ham shank in the slow cooker the day before and let it cook all day. Then I chill the stock overnight and skim off the fat.
Angel says
Could I make this with dried baby Lima beans?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Angel,
Welcome to the blog.
It should be similar but I have never cooked dry Lima beans. What I know about Lima beans is that cooking time is simular to Great Northern and other white beans. I'm not sure I would like the taste combination though.
Dan
Karen Conder says
Love this soup! However, in all my white bean soups I always add some mashed potatoes. i have left over mashed potatoes today, but if not, I nuke 1 or 2 large baking potatoes, when done let cool, then peel, then mash and add to the soup. I believe this is what they did in the original Senate Bean soup as one of the Senators was from Idaho. It is delicious, and you really don't taste the potato. It thickens it fantastically, and you don't have to mash any of the beans
Karen
Hillary says
I've made this soup a few times and my household LOVES IT! I sometimes bake a ham just so I can make this soup the next week 😄 I was curious if you have ever added corn or potatoes to this soup, do you think it would be a good addition and do you think it would change the consistency at all?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Hillary,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad you are enjoying the recipe. We made this last week and I had two meaty bones. I would call it ham, ham, and bean soup.
About the additions. I have not heard of corn being added. It is a matter of taste, but the corn has lots of sugar and I would hesitate adding it if you had a honey coated ham. Also, I would add it the last hour or so.
Now the potatoes are more interesting. Many recipes include diced potatoes including another version of "Senate Bean Soup." It will tend to thicken a bit due to the release of starch (not a lot). Add with the other veggies.
So I'm a probably yes on the potatoes and a possible but with care on the corn.
Dan
Tammy says
This recipe looks great. Any tips on cooking with a frozen ham bone? Should any adjustments be made? Also, I will be using canned beans. About how much time should I give this in the crockpot?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Tammy,
Welcome to the blog.
First, the frozen hambone. I would caution just like frozen chicken breasts, frozen things in a hot crockpot has been known to break ceramic liners. So thawing is always recommended. But many people do it.
Second, precooked (jar or canned) are covered in the tips but take about 2 hours off the cooking time usually is right. Drain them before adding them.
Dan.
Ron Phillips says
I made this soup today I used a ham bone and home canned navy beans mixed with red beans added carrots celery and onions. I made a pone of corn bread and I cooked 5 hours sampled a bowl it was fantastic left it in the crock pot removed the bone and it is now on low. We will enjoy more around dinner time. Thank you for the recipe.
JLL says
I've been following you for years. Lots of great recipes! When I offer up something new for dinner, my husband asks "Is this from the Pediatrician?".
I'd never made soup from a leftover ham bone, and, had never soaked beans before! It was a bit intimidating at first. The soup turned out amazing and my husband loved it! I followed the recipe exactly with one exception..At the 8 hour mark, I used a slotted spoon and put some of the solids in the blender and then returned it to the pot. This thickened the soup just enough for us. I'll make it again next time we have a ham! Thanks!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi JLL,
Welcome to the blog (or blog commenting).
I have a ham bone in the freezer waiting for a blizzard and this soup. It goes great with the cornbread dropped biscuits.
Glad you two are enjoying the blog.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Linda says
I’m planning on making this soup but I saw a comment about using 2 crockpots. I guess one just for the meat. Is that right?Linda
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the blog.
I remember that comment. It seemed a bit odd but to worked for her. I use only one crockpot for the entire cooking. I think one would be better to have the ham cook along with the veggies/beans and creating broth.
Dan