Got a leftover ham bone? Donât toss itâturn it into a slow cooker ham and bean soup thatâs hearty, comforting, and old-fashioned in the best way. This classic crock pot (slow cooker) recipe is perfect after the holidays (or whenever youâve 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 workâno sautĂŠing, no stirring.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- â¤ď¸ Why I Love This Recipe
- đˇ Ingredients for Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
- đ¨âđł How to Make Ham and Bean Soup in a Crock Pot
- đ Tips for Crock Pot Success
- đ Choosing and Using the Ham
- đŤ BeansâTypes, Prep, and Tips
- đ More Recipes for Your Ham Bone
- đ˝ď¸ How to Serve
- âď¸ Leftovers and Storage
- â FAQs
- đThe Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Andie:
âââââ
"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!"
â¤ď¸ Why I Love This Recipe
- Leftover solution: A great way to use every bit of that holiday hamânothing wasted, and nothing better.
- Old-fashioned flavor: Tastes like something your grandma wouldâve 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 beansâwhatever youâve got on hand.
- Easy and filling: Budget-friendly, freezer-friendly, and no kitchen skills required.
đˇ Ingredients for Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
Just a meaty ham bone, white beans, simple veggies, and pantry seasoning. Use dried or canned beansâwhatever works.
- đ Ham Bone â Meaty, trimmed of fat and coating. Or use diced ham if needed.
- đŤ Beans â Navy, Great Northern, or Cannellini. Dried (pre-soaked) or canned.
- đĽ Vegetables â Onion, carrot, and celery. Optional, but highly recommended.
- đ§ Seasoning â Garlic powder, black pepper, bay leaf. Hold the salt until the end.
- đ§ Liquid â Water to cover, or low-sodium broth if not using a bone.
đ¨âđł 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 6â8 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 hotâor refrigerate overnight to skim off fat before reheating.
đ Scroll to the recipe card for complete step-by-step photo instructions, or keep reading for pro tips, FAQs, and serving ideas.
đ Tips for Crock Pot Success
- Donât overdo the liquid: Add just enough water to cover everythingâusually about 6 cups. If the ham bone sticks out too far, trim it down. Donât 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 moreânot 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 theyâre more delicate.
- No bone? No problem: You can skip the ham bone entirelyâjust use 2â4 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 wonât magically improve in the crock pot. The texture wonât 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.
đ Choosing and Using the Ham
A meaty ham bone is bestâleave 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 problemâjust add about 1â2 cup of diced ham to supplement. The bone will still help flavor the broth.
No bone at all? Use about 2â4 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 saltyâdonât add more until the end. If youâre using broth, choose unsalted or low-sodium.
Prep matters:
Trim off any thick fat or sugary glaze before cookingâit 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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đŤ BeansâTypes, Prep, and Tips
Choose your bean:
Navy beans are the traditional choiceâsmall 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 addingâthis cuts the salt and extra starch.
Quick soak method:
If using dry beans, donât 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.
đ More Recipes for Your Ham Bone
If youâve got a ham bone to use, here are a few more crock pot favorites:
- Ham and Vegetable Soupâa heathier version packed with lots of veggies.
- Puerto Rican ChuletĂłn Soup AKA Xmas Ham Bone Soupâour 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 potatoesâperfect for leftover ham.
đ˝ď¸ How to Serve
This soup is hearty on its own, but itâs even better with something to mop the bowl. Try it with:
- Cornmeal Biscuits â Soft, buttery, and so easy to make
- Old Fashioned Cornbread â A classic side for old-school comfort
- Basic Homemade Stand Mixer Bread â Simple, satisfying, and a basic staple
âď¸ Leftovers and Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3â4 days, or freeze for 3â4 monthsâthaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Cut the fat some by chilling overnight and skim off the fat before serving.
â FAQs
There are a few good ways to thicken this soup:
1. Add a finely diced potato halfway through cooking.
2. Stir in Ÿ 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.
đI donât recommend cornstarchâit 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 cookedâjust 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 3â4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The beans stay tender, and the flavor actually improves after freezing.
Yes. Let the soup cool, then store it in airtight containers or freezer bags for 3â4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The beans stay tender, and the flavor actually improves after freezing.
đThe 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 ingredientsâusually 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 5â10 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) varyâthese 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. Donât 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 2â4 cups diced ham and low-sodium broth, bouillon, or soup base for the liquid.
- Keeps well in the fridge for 3â4 days and freezes for 3â4 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.
Andie says
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!
Maria says
Hi. I plan on making this next week. I just want to know, how big is a serving?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Maria,
Welcome to the blog.
I have a honey-baked ham coming for Christmas, so I have plans for this for New Year's.
The volume and nutrition are a bit variable; You don't know how much meat, sodium, or fat cooks off the hambone. Having said that, I have done this recipe many times, and the serving size is usually 1 1/2 cup or a little more. So it is not a huge amount of soup like some other recipes.
I hope that helps. Enjoy some soup.
Dan
Christina says
My mom made this a lot when I was a kid. So excited to have come across this recipe as itâs exactly as I remember it. Lately, she started adding all kinds of uncommon leftovers like stuffing (I didnât get to try it).
Alas, I am making this soup as I type and wondering if adding leftover turkey gravy at the end will thicken up the broth and still taste good!! Iâll keep you posted!!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Christina,
Welcome to the blog.
I hope the soup works for you. A suspect that adding the gravy will thicken some. The thickening works by the starch (usually flour) absorbing liquid. I think the ham taste will dominate the taste so it will probably taste fine.
Dan
Christina says
Thank you Dan! The soup turned out wonderfully and I ended up in a hurry and forgot to add the gravy after all! Since so much was eaten, I decided to add to what was leftover. So the next day I added more ham (this time, country style), chicken broth, and orzo (cooked in the pot after the broth came to a boil). Also added some dried thyme and parsley which really enchanted the already wonderful flavor!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Karen says
I keep my recipe for this soup pretty simple. I prefer to use navy beans, donât use chicken stock, carrots or celery. I use water, white onion and lots of ground black pepper with a meaty ham bone studded with whole cloves. This was my motherâs way of making it and I find it very tasty.
Trudy K Spicer says
I like Navy beans and I use half chicken broth and water in my bean soup. It really gives the soup a great flavor
Sam says
Try a bowl with a squirt of ketchup. Got that idea as kid from a neighbor who was a cook on a battleship in WWII.
DrDan says
Hi Sam,
Welcome to the blog. Sorry for the delayed response, a bit of minor surgery.
I love old ideas like this. And it sounds tasty.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Carol says
In the crock pot now and thinking about adding spinach at the end of cooking time. Thoughts?
DrDan says
Hi Carol,
Welcome to the blog.
I see the spinach as a more "delicate" taste. I think the ham might just over power it. But it won't hurt to try.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Carol says
Thanks for the quick response. I tried a small handful in a sample bowl and just let the heat of the soup wilt it. Didnât like the texture it added. Iâll leave well enough alone! Thanks for the great recipe.
Heather C says
Super excited to have found this recipe! We make a ham along with turkey for Friendsgiving and I found your recipe yesterday - I appreciated the simplicity of it. I soaked the beans and let it sit all day in the crockpot. I used the immersion blender to make it a bit creamier - seriously the best soup ever. We are hot sauce people so we added a few dashes at the end and poured the soup over cornbread. Thank you for the awesome recipe!!
DrDan says
Hi Heather,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad it worked so well for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Bill Conklin says
You can use instant mashed potatoes as a thickener. I also use my immersion blender.
Amy says
Just made this and it was amazing. I did add about 1/2 cup of left over mashed potatoes the last 30 minutes and it thickened up perfectly. Definitely making again.
Lynne says
What do you prefer to use : Northern beans or Navy beans- and why ? Love to hear everyone's responses as I am a new chef!
DrDan says
Hi Lynne,
Welcome to the blog.
Old habits die hard and if using dry, I tend to grab Navy beans. If precooked, I tend to buy Great Northern.
The obvious difference is the size. Navy is a bit smaller and the Great Northern is slightly bigger and slightly firmer.
I think I prefer the Great Northern a bit due to size. But when cooking dry, the smaller Navy bean will cook a little faster and I'm sure it is done.
So no big preference for me.
Dan
Jonette says
Used a honey baked ham bone, but the beans turned out too sweet. Any idea how to fix this?
DrDan says
Hi Jonette,
Welcome to the blog.
Most of mine are honey baked for the "Honey Baked Ham Store". A lot of running water to rinse off the sugar and if there is crust on it, take a knife to it. Some brands get the sugar down into the cuts on the meat and it will be hard to get them clean.
You are right, you need to get as much of the sugar gone as possible.
Dan
Ash the Homelyhappychef says
Hi Dr.Dan I have a ham bone from my family easter, I had removed almost all the meat, as much as possible anyway lol. It is mainly bone with a little bit of meat and not much fat on it from what I can tell. This is my first time making this soup, I remember it fondly from my early childhood. Would it still work with just the bone and some meat added?
DrDan says
Hi Ash,
You do need some "meat on the bone" so if you stripped it, you don't have much to work with. You could try it by adding some ham from elsewhere like a slice of ham from the meat department. I'm not sure how well that would work. Or just wait until next time.
Melissa says
I made this ham and bean soup for New Years Day. I made it with smoked ham hocks-it was absolutely fabulous. Super thick and tasty, effect for a winter day. Iâm making it again tomorrow for my Community âSoupâ Pot Luck. Iâm sure it will be a major hit!! Thank you so much for such a GREAT recipe!! Iâm now going to look at all of your other recipes as I believe they will be just as good.
DrDan says
Hi Melissa,
It is one of my favorite soups.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Michele Anderer says
Do you put any broth in this?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Michele,
Welcome to the blog.
I doubt that Melissa will see this, so I will jump in.
No broth is needed as long as you have a ham bone and it is used as directed. That will produce its own broth. I do discuss an option in the post in the Ham Bone section making this without the bone and suggest broth if you do that.
Dan
Deborah Watson says
I made this soup tonight with a good, meaty hambone that had been frozen from our Christmas ham. Ample bone and about 1 lb of meat. Instead of using 2 crockpots, I cooked the soup on high instead of low and added the hambone after about 1.5 hours of cooking. Total cooking time was 5.5 hours. I also did not soak the beans but picked through them, rinsed them andded them straight away. The meat gave the broth a great flavor and it needed only a small amount of salt at the end. My last alteration was removing 1/3 of the beans and 2 cups of broth to a medium sized, deep container and using an immersion blender to puree it smooth to add thickness and body to the finished product without using cream/ milk and flour or cornstarch. This is a definite make again! Excellent comfort food! It was served with fresh, hot cornbread.
DrDan says
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Your thickening method is probably the preferred. At this point, I don't think corn starch is a good idea due to the trouble with reheating. Other options would be some potato flakes, tapioca or arrow root.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Lynne says
This soup is incredibly good. I soaked a pound of white peas to use and found 8 hrs on low to be perfect in my 6 qt. pot. It didn't need any more spice and the smokey flavour from my spiral ham gave it the right touch. After it was done I added about a tbsp. of potatoe starch to thicken it up a bit. My husband raved about it and I will definately be making this version again....thank so much
Terry says
Hi Doc, love your site. I'm making ham and bean soup as I type. My recipe is very similar except I use chicken broth instead of water (or 4 cps broth 2 cps water) and don't soak the beans (I don't get the gas). I also add a teaspoon of thyme and rosemary and about 1/8 cup of ketchup and a teaspoon of red wine vinegar. Give it a try. Like you say recipes are guidelines, and I'm always tweaking recipes to my liking. I also am impressed with your recipe calculator so much I made my own excel spreadsheet to mimic it, I bet many don't know it's even there. Thanks for that and having recipes for us that don't have children at home anymore (retired folks).. and hate wasting food, nice. Wonderful job keep it up.
DrDan says
Hi Terry,
Glad you are enjoying the site. It is a great hobby for me. I'm glad you saw the "guidelines" comment. That is something many people just don't understand about recipes. But I try to make them complete enough as written for most people.
You soup modifications sound great but watch the salt.
Thanks for the note.
Dan