Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

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This slow cooker ham and bean soup is thick, savory, and full of smoky ham flavor, with beans that cook until soft and creamy. The ham bone gives the soup slow-cooked depth, while browned ham added near the end keeps each bowl hearty and meaty.

Ham and bean soup crockpot style with creamy beans and hearty vegetables

This bean and ham soup in the Crockpot is an easy way to use leftovers from my Crockpot Ham or oven-baked Spiral Ham, but you can also make it with a ham steak. Serve it with my homemade cornbread for a filling dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Mostly hands-off: This slow cooker recipe cooks for hours without needing much attention, so there’s very little to do until it’s time to finish the soup.
Uses leftover ham: It gives both leftover ham and the ham bone another use after a holiday meal.
Filling enough for dinner: The beans, smoky ham, and tender vegetables make this a hearty meal with just a simple side.

ingredients to make Crockpot ham and beans soup

Ingredients Needed

Get the exact ingredient amounts from the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Great Northern beans: Use dried beans. There’s no need to soak them before making this recipe.
Ham: I made this soup with leftovers from my Crockpot Ham, but leftover oven-baked Spiral Ham works too. Cut the ham into bite-size pieces. If you don’t have leftover ham, use a ham steak or thick-sliced ham instead.
Ham bone: Use a meaty leftover ham bone if you have one. It adds more ham flavor to the soup but isn’t required.
Yellow onion
Carrots
Celery
Fresh garlic
Low-sodium chicken broth: I prefer low-sodium broth because the ham and Cajun seasoning can both contribute salt.
Water: You’ll need 2 cups to start, plus more if needed.
Cajun seasoning: I use my homemade blend, which has its own balance of salt and spice. Store-bought blends vary, especially in saltiness, so keep that in mind when seasoning the finished soup.
Dried oregano
Black pepper
Worcestershire sauce
Bay leaves
Apple cider vinegar: This goes in at the end.
Fresh parsley: Optional for serving.

How to Make Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

Use the step-by-step photos as a guide. The recipe card below has the full cooking times and instructions.

Build the Soup

Add the rinsed beans and vegetables to the slow cooker, then nestle the ham bone into the mixture. Pour in the liquids and add the seasonings. The beans should be surrounded by plenty of liquid before you cover the slow cooker.

Rinse the beans under cold water, then add them and the vegetables to the slow cooker.

Cook Until the Beans Are Creamy

Slow cook until the beans are very tender. Taste one rather than relying only on the cooking time. The beans should be creamy throughout without a firm or grainy center. If the beans still need time but have absorbed most of the liquid, add a little more water.

Add the ham bone, broth, and seasonings to the slow cooker, then sear the ham until browned.

Brown the Ham

Near the end of cooking, sear the pieces of ham in a hot skillet. Look for lightly browned edges before adding them to the soup. Browning gives the ham lightly crisp edges instead of letting it soften in the soup for hours.

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Thicken the soup until creamy, then add the seared ham and simmer to finish the soup.

Thicken and Finish

Remove the ham bone and bay leaves, then mash some of the softened beans and vegetables directly in the slow cooker. A few mashes are enough to thicken the soup while still leaving plenty of whole beans. Stir in the browned ham, let it finish cooking in the soup, then add the apple cider vinegar before serving.

Tips for the Best Ham and Bean Soup

Watch the beans, not just the clock: Start checking around 5 hours on High or 8 hours on Low. They should be very tender and creamy without becoming so soft that most of them fall apart.
Adjust the liquid as needed: If the beans need more cooking time and the soup is getting too thick, add more water.
Wait before adding salt: Ham varies in saltiness, so taste the soup near the end before deciding whether it needs additional salt.
Mash some of the beans: This naturally thickens the soup without adding flour, cornstarch, or cream.

Crockpot ham and bean soup with leftover ham and a rich, flavorful broth

Swaps & Variations

Try another dried white bean: Great Northern beans are my preference, but dried navy beans, cannellini beans, or a combination of white beans can work too.
No ham bone: You can still make this soup without one. A smoked ham hock can be used instead, or sear the ham and add it about an hour before the beans finish cooking so it has more time to flavor the soup.

What to Serve With Ham and Bean Soup

Serve this soup with homemade cornbread to soak up the savory liquid, or crumble a piece right into your bowl. Cornbread muffins work too if you want individual portions.

You can also add warm Hawaiian dinner rolls for dipping. For some greens on the side, try my stovetop collard greens with bacon, pressure cooker collard greens, or Crockpot collard greens.

Ham and bean soup with ham bone cooked low and slow until the beans are creamy

FAQs

Do you have to soak beans before putting them in a slow cooker?

No. This recipe is designed for unsoaked Great Northern beans, so you can rinse them and add them directly to the slow cooker.

Can I use canned beans instead of dried beans?

I don’t recommend canned beans for this recipe. The amount of liquid and cooking time are designed for dried beans, so using canned beans would require other changes to the recipe.

How do you thicken ham and bean soup?

Mash some of the cooked beans and vegetables directly in the slow cooker with a wooden spoon or potato masher. This thickens the soup while still leaving plenty of whole beans.

Why are my beans still hard after slow cooking?

Dried beans can vary in how long they take to soften. If they’re still firm or grainy, continue cooking until they’re creamy throughout, making sure they stay covered with enough liquid as they cook.

Storage & Reheating

Store: Keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 30 days.
Reheat: Warm the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. It will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of water or broth if needed.