5 Star Featured Comment
Wow, this was so good and is Weight Watcher friendly using extra lean ground beef. The crushed tomatoes really enhances the flavors and I love beans so along with all the other veggies this is super healthy. Made it last week and now I’m craving it again!
Carol
I Never Got My Grandmother’s Recipe. I Got Something Better.
This soup started long before it ever hit my slow cooker. My grandmother had a vegetable soup she made every cold week of my childhood, the kind that filled the whole house with beautiful smells and made you want to come inside. I didn’t inherit her exact recipe, but I did inherit the instinct behind it: a good pot of soup should be simple, filling, and made from what is already in your kitchen.
This is my version of that instinct, built for a slow cooker and a busy week. Hearty beef, creamy white beans, and a vegetable base come together with almost no hands-on effort, and it is one of the first things I plan for when the temperature drops.
Enjoy!
Why This One Beats Waiting Around All Day
Most beef and bean soups ask you to babysit a slow cooker for eight hours or more. This one takes about six hours total: five hours for the soup to build flavor, then one more hour to finish the corn. Start it around lunch, and dinner is ready well before bedtime.
What I’ve Learned From Making This Soup So Many Times
- Brown the beef before it goes in the slow cooker. This step is not optional. The slow cooker will not brown meat the way a hot skillet does, and that browning is where a lot of the flavor comes from. It also will not cook the beef through in just 5 hours if it goes in raw.
- Reach for low-sodium broth. This gives you full control over the seasoning instead of ending up with a soup that tastes like straight salt by the time it is done.
- Do not overfill the crock pot. Keep it about two-thirds full, so the heat can circulate, and everything cooks evenly, not just the ingredients on top.
- Save the corn for the end. Adding it in the last hour keeps it from turning mushy while everything else has had plenty of time to soften and blend.
- Taste before you serve. Seasoning always needs a final check after hours in the slow cooker. A little extra salt or pepper right before serving can make the whole pot taste finished.
What Goes Into This Soup
The base starts with vegetable stock or beef broth, garlic, onion, carrots, and celery, the same foundation that has anchored soup recipes in my family for generations.
Crushed tomatoes, cannellini beans, frozen corn, and ground beef are the hearty add-ins that turn this from a light broth into a full meal.
Salt, fresh cracked pepper, and dried thyme round out the seasoning without overcomplicating things.
Make It Your Own
- No cannellini beans on hand? White navy beans work just as well, or stir in cooked barley for a beef-and-barley twist.
- Sometimes called hamburger soup. Swap the ground beef for ground sausage or ground turkey if you have it.
- Give it a Mexican flair. Black beans and green chilies in place of the dried thyme completely change the personality of this soup.
- Add more vegetables. Green beans, bell pepper, and peas all fold in beautifully.
- Season it your way. Dried oregano, basil, a bay leaf, or a pinch of chili powder are all great additions depending on your mood.
How To Make White Bean And Beef Soup
- Brown the beef with the onion, half of the salt, pepper, and garlic in a hot skillet with oil.
- Once the beef is cooked, place it in the slow cooker.
- Add the carrots and celery, then mix.
- Add the tomatoes, stock, beans, and seasonings.
- Stir to combine, then cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
- Once the time is up, add the corn and cook, covered, for 1 hour. Stir and taste, adjusting seasonings as needed.
Your Cook Time Cheat Sheet
| Step | Setting | Time | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown the beef | Stovetop, medium-high | Until no longer pink | Beef cooked through, onion softened |
| Slow cook the soup | Low | 5 hours | Vegetables tender, flavors blended |
| Add corn and finish | Low | 1 additional hour | Corn heated through |
Turning This Into A Freezer Meal
Let it cool completely first. This keeps condensation from making the texture watery once it is stored.
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Freeze it without worry. Since this soup has no dairy, it freezes beautifully. Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge, then reheat on the stove.
Try More Warm And Cozy Soup Recipes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion – chopped
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 4 carrots – chopped
- 2 celery stalks – chopped
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 can cannellini beans – drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the ground beef and onion. Add half of salt, pepper and garlic. Cook until the meat is done.
- Place meat and onion mixture in the bottom of slow cooker. Add chopped carrot and celery and mix together. Gently pour in tomatoes and stock. Add beans, salt, pepper and thyme. Stir to blend all ingredients.
- Cover and cook soup on low for 5 hours.
- Uncover and add corn. Cook for 1 additional hour.
- Stir soup, taste to adjust seasoning and serve.
Notes
- Use low sodium beef broth or vegetable stock.
- Avoid overcrowding. The crock pot should be about two-thirds full to allow for proper cooking.
- This soup makes a great freezer meal. Make the soup according to the instructions, let it cool then store it in freezer-safe containers. Just reheat on the stovetop when you’re ready to enjoy it.
- Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Recipe Questions And Answers
Yes. The slow cooker will not brown the beef the way a hot skillet does, and that browning adds real flavor and texture. It also will not fully cook raw beef through in just 5 hours.
No, you do not have to. If you are using leaner ground beef, like 90/10, you are fine leaving the fat in for extra flavor.
Yes, you can adapt this recipe for an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Begin by using the sauté function to brown the ground beef and sauté the onions and garlic. After adding the remaining ingredients, seal the lid and cook on high pressure for approximately 15 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow for a natural pressure release before opening the lid.
Yes, but they need to be soaked and cooked first. Canned beans are already cooked, so dry beans straight from the bag will not be tender in time. If you are using pinto or red beans, soak them overnight or use the quick soak method, boiling for 2 minutes and then letting them sit for an hour, then simmer until tender before adding them in. Lentils do not need soaking and cook faster, so they can go in directly as long as there is enough liquid and cook time.
What To Serve Alongside This Soup
Serve a warm bowl of this hearty soup with Cornbread Muffins or Garlic Knots. It’s so good on game day or movie night with Spicy Ranch Crackers and Crescent Roll Pigs In A Blanket. And, I love topping it with Pickled Red Onions and a side of Southern Corn Fritters.
If you tried this Crock Pot Beef And Bean Soup Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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This was so good! Will definitely make again!
Wondereful! Thank you, Carol.
~Donya
Hi This is a fabulous recipe. Haven’t tried it yet , but I know from the ingredients it’s a winner. We love beans and ground beef and together in a tomato base it will be soooo yummy!! Another meal idea is to thicken the broth to a gravy consistency with flour or corn starch slurry and serve over mash potatoes or rice. Melt in your mouth comfort food!
Hugs!!
Wonderful! Thanks so much.
~Donya
Hi This is a fabulous recipe. Haven’t tried it yet , but I know from the ingredient it’s a winner. We love beans and ground beef and together in a tomato base it will be soooo yummy!! Another meal can be made by thickening the broth to a gravy consistency with flour or corn starch and serve over mash potatoes or rice. Melt in your mouth comfort food!
Hugs!!
Wonderful! Thanks so much.
~Donya
I made this with plant-based crumbles and vegetable broth and it is SO good!
WOW! What a great idea. I love this, Elizabeth.
Have a great day,
~Donya
Cant wait to make this recipe during the week for my girlfriend!!!
Donya: I made this recipe using fire roasted crushed tomatoes and it was delicious! The fire roasted gave the soup a kind of smoky flavor – yum! Thank you for sharing.