Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup is an easy recipe to make that uses a ham bone, white beans, and a few other ingredients. Let the slow cooker do all the work for a delicious dinner for any night of the week.

I could eat soup any day of the year, including the middle of the summer. This Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup hits the spot when it’s cold out – or not. If you enjoy beans in your soups, then you will also enjoy this Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean with Sausage soup or this quick 30 minute Two-Bean Tomato Soup. With any of these soups, you can add pasta, if you feel the urge.

Using my slow cooker is such a time-saver and comes in handy when your oven is broken. Which happened to me last week. The oven heating element went out and I was so glad for the slow cooker and the grill.

It’s #NationalSlowCookerMonth and all week fellow food bloggers and I are sharing delicious recipes with you. We have delicious recipes from across the country to fill your meal plans with delicious slow cooker recipes – look for the recipes at the bottom of this post.

This Week I am Sharing:

• Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes (Monday)
• Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup (that’s this recipe)
• Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Fajitas (Friday)

Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup

This ham and white bean soup recipe has just a little bit of prep work but you can totally do that prep work the night before and then the next day it’s a matter of adding it all to the slow cooker. By using canned white beans, you are saving a step by not having to soak dry beans overnight.

Also, if you have a ham for a holiday meal, save that ham bone! Freeze it along with about 3 cups of chopped ham pieces! Then when you want to make this soup, you’ll have a ham bone ready to go. I had a spiral ham bone saved from Christmas that I used for this recipe.

However, if that craving hits for this delicious soup, by all means you can buy a few ham steaks to use OR head to the deli and ask them for a a few THICK slices of your favorite ham. You can even ask your butcher for a ham bone or a couple of ham hocks to use in this recipe. The ham bone adds more flavor to the soup but I’ve made this without it and was yummy, too.

Growing up, the only soup I can recall my dad making homemade was chicken noodle or vegetable soup, and he didn’t use the slow cooker. That seemed to be reserved for beef stew or spaghetti sauce. I never even thought to have ham and white bean soup until I was an adult. I’ve been missing out!

Can I use other beans in this soup?

Yes, you can. Canned Great Northern or Navy beans would be delicious in this soup. Just be sure to rinse and drain the beans before adding to the soup.

If you want to use dried beans, the best way would be to add the beans to your slow cooker and cover with cold water. Leave it in the slow cooker overnight. In the morning, drain the water add the ingredients and cook according to the recipe directions.

Can you Freeze the Leftover Soup?

Of course! I like to freeze the leftovers in individual serving containers so that we have for lunches plus single servings defrost faster.

Ingredients

• onion
• celery
• carrots
• garlic
• canned white cannelini beans
• ham bone with some meat left on it plus 3 cups of chopped ham pieces
• 4-5 cups unsalted vegetable stock
• dried thyme
• bay leaves
• dried rosemary
• salt and pepper

How to Make Ham and White Bean Soup in the Slow Cooker

Step 1

In your slow cooker, add the ham bone, chopped ham, garlic, onion, celery, carrots, beans, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and the vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Watch the salt, as the ham will most likely have enough salt to season the soup. I use unsalted stock for this reason.

Step 2

Give the soup a good stir, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Remove the ham bone and discard.

Serve with cooked Ditalini pasta or egg noodles, if desired.

Tips, Tricks, and FAQs

• Chop vegetables the night before to save time.
• No ham bone? Use a few thick slices of your favorite deli ham chopped up.
• Ask you butcher for a ham bone or a couple of ham hocks.
• Canned Great Northern or Navy beans can be used in place of cannelini beans.
• If you want to use dried beans, the best way would be to add the beans to your slow cooker and cover with cold water. Leave it in the slow cooker overnight. In the morning, drain the water add the ingredients and cook according to the recipe directions.
• Freeze leftover in individual serving containers for easy lunches.

Enjoy these Recipes to Celebrate #NationalSlowCookerMonth!

• Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon and Rice Soup from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken from Jen Around the World
• Slow Cooker Gingerbread Oatsfrom Magical Ingredients
• Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup from Blogghetti
• Slow Cooker Chicken Nachos from The Spiffy Cookie
• Slow Cooked Asian Chicken from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Crockpot London Broil from The Fresh Cooky
• Pan de Elote/Slow Cooker Corn Bread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup from Life Love and Good Food
• Dr Pepper Pulled Pork from Devour Dinner
• Slow Cooker Salmon from Our Good Life

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Enjoy!