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This Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup is packed with tender mixed beans, smoky ham, onions, garlic, and warm spices for a hearty, comforting meal. It's an easy dump-and-go recipe that's perfect for cozy family dinners, meal prep, or using leftover holiday ham.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

This Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup is packed with tender mixed beans, smoky ham, onions, garlic, and warm spices for a hearty, comforting meal. It's an easy dump-and-go recipe that's perfect for cozy family dinners, meal prep, or using leftover holiday ham.
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Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Soup
  • * 1 pound dried mixed beans or 15-bean soup mix, rinsed
  • * 1 pound smoked ham diced (or 1 smoked ham hock)
  • * 1 medium onion diced
  • * 3 garlic cloves minced
  • * 6 cups chicken broth or water
  • * 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • * ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • * ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • * 1 bay leaf
  • * Salt to taste

Equipment

  • * 6 to 8-quart slow cooker
  • Cutting board
  • Chef's knife
  • measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle
  • * Soup bowls

Method
 

  1. Rinse the dried beans and remove any debris.
  2. Add the beans, diced ham, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth.
  4. Stir in the smoked paprika, black pepper, cumin, and bay leaf.
  5. Cover and cook on **LOW for 8 hours** or **HIGH for 5 hours**, until the beans are tender.
  6. Remove the bay leaf. If using a ham hock, shred the meat and stir it back into the soup.
  7. Taste and season with salt if needed.
  8. Serve hot with cornbread, biscuits, or over cooked rice.

Notes

* Wait until the end to add salt since ham can be naturally salty.
* Mash a cup of the cooked beans for an even creamier broth.
* Leftovers taste even better the next day.
* Store refrigerated for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.