Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

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I absolutely love making slow cooker ham and bean soup—it’s the ultimate comfort food, especially during the colder months! This recipe is perfect for using up leftover ham, and it’s so easy to put together. Soak the beans the night prior and then just toss everything into the Crockpot and let it simmer all day. The combination of creamy white beans, ham, and veggies creates a hearty meal that feels like a warm hug in a bowl. Plus, it’s budget-friendly and can feed a crowd, making it a staple in my kitchen!

A bowl of slow cooker ham and bean soup garnished with black pepper sits on a wooden table, surrounded by a whole onion and fresh parsley, with a striped cloth napkin adding the perfect touch.

This delicious slow cooker ham and bean soup is easy to make and your kitchen is going to smell incredible while it cooks. As for the flavor, everyone will love it.

Do you like ham? You might also enjoy ham and cannellini bean soup, a ham, green beans and potatoes dish, or this easy sheet pan ham dinner.

A spoonful of slow cooker ham and bean soup with chunks of meat and vegetables in a bowl.

Why You’ll Love It

Easy to make: Simply add your ingredients to a slow cooker and wait patiently for the delicious aromas to flood your kitchen.
So tasty: Ham and bean soup offers so much flavor in every spoonful.
Warming and hearty: This is a great soup to make when the weather is chilly and you’re craving something cozy and nourishing.

A bowl of slow cooker ham and bean soup sits on a wooden table, surrounded by a crockpot, spices, a spoon, a whole onion, fresh parsley, and a striped napkin.

Ham and Bean Soup Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Cooked ham: Use leftover ham or freshly cooked diced ham. You can use a ham hock, ham meat and/or a ham bone.
Dried great northern beans: These need to be pre-soaked.
Dijon mustard: So good with the ham flavor. The taste is quite subtle because of the long cooking time.
Vegetables: Onion, carrots and celery add color and flavor.
Ham bone: Optional but throw one in if you have it, to strengthen the ham flavor.
Chicken broth: The basis of the soup. Use a good quality broth for the best taste. I prefer to use low sodium chicken broth (this one is tasty!) since the ham can be pretty salty.
Rubbed sage and bay leaf: For aromatic flavor. Omit the bay leaf if you don’t have one.

Ingredients for this slow cooker ham and bean soup include diced ham, a ham bone, onion, carrots, celery, white beans, spices, mustard, and broth on a white surface.

How to Make Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the dried beans: Soak the beans overnight in water.
Add some ingredients to the crockpot: Drain and rinse the beans and then add them to the crockpot with the ham, vegetables, chicken broth, mustard, garlic, bay leaf, and sage. Add the ham bone too, if using.
Slow cook the soup: Cover and cook until the beans are tender. Discard the ham bone, putting any excess meat that’s on it back into the soup.
Season and serve: Season the soup if it needs it and then serve hot sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley if liked.

A slow cooker brimming with tender ham and bean soup, featuring diced meat and vegetables in a seasoned broth.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free chicken broth.
Dried great northern beans: Sub navy beans, cannellini beans, pinto beans or white beans if you like.
Cooked ham: You can swap the ham with smoked ground sausage for a different flavor.
Garlic powder: Use minced fresh garlic for a bolder flavor.
Onion: Use shallots for a sweeter taste.
Rubbed sage: Use fresh sage if you prefer but use less because fresh herbs are more potent in flavor. You can sub ground sage but, if you do, only use half the amount.
Celery: Green bell peppers can be used instead if you prefer.
Chicken broth: Sub beef broth or vegetable broth.
Dijon mustard: Ground mustard or spicy brown mustard can be used instead if you want a bolder flavor.

A ladle brimming with slow cooker ham and bean soup hovers over a simmering pot.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers: Start your meal with Italian sliders.
Side dishes: Enjoy this slow cooker ham soup with sweet skillet cornbread or crusty bread. You could pair it with a salad, perhaps this parmesan lemon salad, a baked potato, or even grilled cheese.
Desserts: Finish up with cornflake cookies or a chocolate swirl cheesecake.

Close-up of a bowl filled with slow cooker ham and bean soup, featuring chunks of ham, white beans, and small pieces of vegetables, seasoned with black pepper.

How to Store Crockpot Ham and Beans Soup

Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 or 4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze ham and beans soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: You can warm it back up in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.

A bowl of hearty slow cooker ham and bean soup with a spoon rests on a wooden table, surrounded by a slow cooker and partially visible onion.

Top Tips

All the ham flavor: If you have a leftover ham bone, you should definitely add that to the soup. Not only will it add flavor but you can cut off the excess meat before discarding the bone (for even more flavor).
Adding sage: Dried sage can be either rubbed or ground (powdered). Rubbed sage is less concentrated and has a lighter flavor. If you only have ground sage, use half the amount.
Season the soup last: Don’t add any salt to the soup in the crock pot until it’s cooked. Ham can be very salty and you might find the soup doesn’t need additional salt.

A ladle scoops slow cooker ham and bean soup from a pot, brimming with beans, diced ham, and tender carrots.

Ham and Bean Soup FAQs

Can I make this recipe ahead?

Sure. I sometimes find the flavors are even richer and better the following day! As long as you keep it refrigerated, you can make the soup a day or so in advance.

Can I use canned beans rather than dried beans?

Yes. As they’re already cooked before canning, the cooking time will be slower. Also, they won’t absorb as much flavor during the cooking process. If you still want to use canned beans, drain and rinse 2 cans of either great northern beans or navy beans. Add to the crockpot during the final hour of cooking time so they can absorb some flavor and heat up without getting mushy. Since the beans won’t absorb as much liquid as using dried, you might want to reduce the added broth by 1 or 2 cups.

A slow cooker brimming with white beans, diced ham, and vegetables showcases a deliciously hearty texture. A spoon lifts the satisfying medley, capturing the essence of homemade ham and bean soup in every delectable scoop.

Crockpot Leftover Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

A black slow cooker ready to transform uncooked white beans into a hearty ham and bean soup sits invitingly on a marble surface.

This cozy, nourishing slow cooker ham and bean soup is a comforting classic that’s ideal for warming you up on chilly days. It has smoky ham, tender beans and a flavorful blend of simple spices that create a rich, hearty broth. Easy to make, this soup simmers in the crockpot until wonderfully fragrant and ready to serve up and enjoy.

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Bella Bucchiotti

Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.