Description
This Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup is the ultimate comfort meal for chilly days—hearty, flavorful, and effortlessly easy to make.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) dried white beans (navy, great northern, or cannellini), soaked overnight and drained
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 medium carrots (diced)
- 2 celery stalks (diced)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 cups cooked ham (diced, about 8 oz / 225g)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional, for extra smokiness)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables.
- Dice onion, carrots, and celery.
- Mince the garlic.
- Sauté aromatics (optional but adds flavor).
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- Cook 3–4 minutes until onions are soft and fragrant.
- Add to slow cooker.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker.
- Add soaked beans, bay leaf, thyme, black pepper, smoked paprika (if using), and chicken broth.
- Cook.
- Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours until beans are tender.
- Add ham.
- Stir in diced ham about 30 minutes before the end of cooking.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Serve.
- Remove bay leaf.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve warm.
- Optional: garnish with fresh parsley or a sprinkle of black pepper.
Notes
- Perfect for cozy family dinners or meal prepping for the week.
- This dish fills your kitchen with irresistible aromas.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 420 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 14g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: ham and bean soup, slow cooker soup, comfort food