Use that leftover ham bone to make this hearty, old-fashioned Crock Pot ham and bean soup. This classic slow cooker recipe cooks all day with dry or canned white beans, a meaty ham bone (or some diced ham), and veggies. Perfect slow cooker comfort food after the holidays.
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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 Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
A meaty ham bone or diced ham, white beans (dry or canned), veggies, and simple seasoning.
- 🐖 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 canned beans, drain and rinse well. Dry beans must be soaked first — see the bean section below.
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).
✅ Pro Tip: A slow cooker works best when it’s no more than about ¾ full. If the pot looks too full after adding everything, scoop out a little liquid so it cooks evenly.
3. Strip the ham bone
In the last 1-2 hours 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.
If the soup seems thin, simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes or mash a few beans in the pot.
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.
- Hold the salt: If your ham was salty, the broth may taste salty early on — always wait until the end to add salt.
- 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.
Remove extra fat and any glaze:
Trim off any thick fat. If your leftover ham came from a sweet glazed spiral ham, rinse well and scrape off the glaze — it can make the soup too sweet.
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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 15–16 oz 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 Ham Bone Recipe
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:
- Cornmeal 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 carrot and celery add great flavor. Hearty options like potatoes or green beans also work. Avoid delicate vegetables that break down with long cooking.
Yes. Canned beans are already cooked—just drain and rinse before adding for faster results. If using dry beans, be sure to quick-soak or soak overnight first. Skipping the soak can leave beans undercooked even after a long day in the crock pot.
Yes. Let the soup cool, then store it in airtight containers or freezer bags for 3–4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The beans stay tender, and the flavor actually improves after freezing.
Yes. Use 2–4 cups of diced ham and replace the water with low-sodium chicken broth for flavor. It won’t taste exactly the same as a bone-based soup, but it still turns out hearty and delicious.
📖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.
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