Go Back
Crockpot ham and bean soup made with dried beans and ham bone
Jana Rae

Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup

This old-fashioned crockpot ham and bean soup is made with dried beans, a ham bone, and simple pantry ingredients. A hearty slow cooker soup that cooks all day and tastes like home.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 6 hours
Servings: 6 people
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb dried beans navy, great northern, or pinto beans
  • 1 ham bone
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 7 –8 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • Optional: A few slices chopped ham lunch meat for extra flavor.

Method
 

  1. Rinse the dried beans thoroughly and remove any debris or damaged beans.
  2. Add the rinsed beans, ham bone, chopped onion, water, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, soy sauce, paprika, and bay leaf to the crockpot. Stir gently to combine.
  3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5–6 hours or LOW for 8–10 hours, until the beans are tender.
  4. Remove the ham bone from the crockpot. If there is meat attached, shred it and return it to the soup.
  5. Stir in the butter, vinegar, and sugar. Cook for another 10–15 minutes.
  6. Taste the soup and add salt as needed.
  7. For thicker soup, mash about 1 cup of beans with a fork and stir them back into the soup before serving.

Notes

Add salt at the end of cooking. Salt added too early can slow the softening of dried beans.
If the soup becomes too thick, stir in ½–1 cup hot water until it reaches your desired consistency.
For thicker soup, mash about 1 cup of beans and stir them back into the pot.
A ham bone adds the most flavor, but chopped ham can also be used if you don’t have one.
Ham and bean soup often tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.
Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.