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Tender, white beans, ham, along with a few veggies, good stock and herbs make a soup that’s hearty and satisfying. It’s a great, no-stress meal on its own especially when the slow cooker does all the work for you! Load up your crockpot and you’ve got an amazing dinner that the whole family will love.
According to those who know, this soup is the best I’ve ever made. Uh, really? Yes, that was my response. Not that I’m ungrateful or anything but this new dish came together so quickly that I hardly thought it’d be in the “best ever” category. The incredible part of the recipe is that it’s made with leftovers and simple pantry ingredients.
In our house, we all love leftovers. That’s where the ham comes in. I always make a beautiful ham for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and this year was no different. We were able to get quite a few yummy sandwiches from the leftovers then what was left was the tender, juicy meat next to the ham bone. There was no way that I was going to throw all that deliciousness out, so I got my noggin working, shopped my pantry, and decided to make soup.
Since I had a busy schedule that day, I knew using my slow cooker would be best for helping get a hot dinner on the table plus guaranteeing that my dried beans would be cooked. I put a bag of dried beans along with the chopped ham into my crockpot. With the addition of sauteed carrots, onions, garlic, and my homemade stock, all I had to do is add some seasoning along with a little water and dried herbs. Six hours later, I had the “best soup” I’ve ever made. I’m still not sure about “best ever” but then again, I’ll take it. No arguing here.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bag great Northern beans (SMALL white beans) I use Goya brand
- 2 cups chopped ham (leftover or deli sliced)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium yellow onion – chopped
- 2 carrots – chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Ā¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Ā¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 2 cloves garlic – grated I use a microplane
Instructions
- Place beans, ham, stock and water in crockpot.
- Heat olive oil in a small skillet. Add onions, carrots, garlic and cook until tender. Add salt, pepper and thyme. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Place lid on and set to cook ON LOW/6 HOURS (check for tenderness and cook longer if needed), ON HIGH/4 HOURS.
- When done, serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and or hot sauce.
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Thank you for a recipe that’ll get rid of the rest of this Christmas ham. Looks yummy. Good meal also for right now since we’re going through a freeze down here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Happy New Year!
Girl, I’m right there with you! It’s 29 here right now and this soup is just what’s needed. I hope you like the recipe. My guys loved it and my son actually ate it for breakfast the day after making it! Have a great 2018, Pamela!
XO,
~Donya
I am going to make this this weekend, it sounds so good, i was going to make lima beans and ham but this looks so much bettet
Awesome, Jodi! I think you’ll really like it. Thank you so much for stopping by A Southern Soul. I hope you’ll keep coming back.
XO,
~Donya
In the slow cooker right now. We will enjoy this with cornbread tonight.. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
WOW! You are so welcome, Christine. Thank you for sharing and I am so thankful you like this recipe. Keeping on coming back to hang out with us…it’s always more fun with friends.
Have a great weekend,
XO,
~Donya
It looks good Donya . Can”t wait to make it
Thanks Maddy! Hope you like it.
XO,
~Donya
Do you need to soak the beans overnight?
I do not Mary. Make sure you use the small beans though. They cook beautifully without soaking every single time. Thanks for stopping by and please let me know how you like the recipe.
XO,
~Donya
This is a favorite recipe of my sister Deb and I, It also freezes well, which is good because this recipe makes a lot. Don’t leave out the red pepper flakes or the garlic, that’s what gives this recipe a kick. As a suggestion, I usually use 2 tsp of Herbes de Provence instead of the separate herbs (or if you prefer use 1 tsp Italian Seasoning Herbs). Whatever way this stuff is addictive. And if you’re in a hurry, just rinse and dump a can of cannelini or great northern beans instead of the LONG cooking method!
OOps, that’s 2 tsp Italian Seasoning Herbs! Sorry, fat fingers.
Mmm I love ham and beans and this looks perfect for this time of year!
Hi — Would diced Country Ham work in this? Or would it be too salty with the Chicken Stock?
Thanks…
Hey Joe! I think country ham would be too salty. You can use ham steak like you get in the grocery store. Just dice it up. I hope this helps!
~Donya
Yes, it does help a lot — THANKS!
You said navy beans in the blog but great northern in the recipe itself. Which is it? They are different. Great northern are larger and cook up much softer than navy beans. Thanks.
Sorry Billie for the confusion.
I use the Goya, Great Northern Beans. They come in a bag and can be found where the dried beans are sold in the grocery.
Thanks!
~Donya
I don’t have a crockpot. Can this be made on the stove? It looks delicious.
Hy Kym!
Yes, you can cook this soup on the stove. Just adjust the cooking times so that the beans are done. I would follow the cooking time listed on the bag of beans. Hope this helps!
XO,
~Donya
Made this today and it was wonderful. Can’t believe you do not even have to soak the beans. I rarely make ham and beans, but had some ham frozen from Christmas and I will do it again after this recipe.
Thanks again
My dad passed away this past year on November 5th. He was a great cook and he took pride in making his Beans and Ham soup! He mastered it! Yours is just like it, what a wonderful surprise. We the 2 oldest have been trying to replicate it. This is perfect! Thank you
Debbie Bradley
Rocky Mount, NC
Hey Debbie.
This message means the world to me. Food does bring back so many beautiful memories and I’m honored that you shared this with me.
It’s nice to meet a “neighbor” as well.
Have a wonderful day,
~Donya
I searched & found your recipe last year & made it in the crockpot 1st time ever. It is excellent. My family & friends ā¤ļø It. I am making it again Sunday For the same gang. . Your recipe is so Hearty & Good! ššāļø
Hey there Karen!
Wow! Thank you so very much for your kind words, I am absolutely thrilled to hear y’all have been enjoying this recipe. I love Slow Cooker soups because you don’t have to babysit the stove, you can just walk away and forget about it for a while. If you liked this recipe, you should check out my Beef and Bean Slow Cooker Soup, it’s another favorite hearty meal along with the Slow Cooker Taco Soup. Thank you so much for your support, I hope you have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
I’ve made bean soup for years but this is the BEST! I will definitely be making this again.
Jean
Hey there Jean!
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, slow cooker soups like this are perfect for busy weeks! If you enjoyed this recipe, you should check out my Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup. It’s just as easy to make, thanks to the magic of the Crock Pot, and it’s super tasty. Thank you so much for your kind words and this phenomenal rating, I really appreciate your support!
~Donya