Slow Cooker Ham Bean Soup (Printable)

A comforting bowl featuring tender ham, creamy beans, carrots, and celery simmered for deep flavors.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound cooked ham, diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Beans & Legumes

06 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
12 - Salt to taste

# Method:

01 - Add diced ham, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and beans to the slow cooker.
02 - Pour chicken broth into the slow cooker. Add bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
03 - Cover and cook on low setting for 7 hours until vegetables are tender and flavors have melded together.
04 - Remove bay leaf from soup. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
05 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot, optionally accompanied by crusty bread or crackers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It practically cooks itself while you live your day, no hovering required.
  • The ham transforms into something elegant without any fussy technique.
  • You end up with enough soup to freeze half and still have dinner sorted for another week.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—I made that mistake once and the soup turned gray and cloudy, which broke my heart a little.
  • The bay leaf is not a suggestion; it's essential, but you absolutely have to remove it before serving or someone will bite into it and regret everything.
03 -
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the soup at the six-hour mark—every cooker is different, and vegetables can turn to mush if you're not paying attention.
  • Fresh thyme from your garden beats dried every single time if you have it, so use half the amount and add it in the last hour instead of the beginning.
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