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Cozy Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup

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This slow cooker ham and white bean soup transforms a leftover ham bone into a creamy, smoky, and deeply flavorful meal. With simple pantry ingredients and a set-it-and-forget-it method, it’s the ultimate comfort food for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 leftover ham bone (with some meat still attached, if possible)
  • 1 pound dried white beans (great northern, cannellini, or navy beans)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1½ cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • Water (enough to cover beans by 2 inches for blanching)
  • 1 tablespoon salt (for blanching)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish, optional)
  • Crusty bread (for serving, optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the dried beans in a colander and pick through for any stones or shriveled beans. Place them in a large pot and cover with water by about 2 inches. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then boil for exactly 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans.
  2. While the beans are soaking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. Scrape everything into the slow cooker.
  3. Place the ham bone in the center of the slow cooker, nestled into the vegetables. Pour the drained blanched beans around the bone. Tuck the bay leaves and sprinkle the dried thyme and black pepper over everything.
  4. Pour the chicken broth and water around the bone, being careful not to dislodge the beans too much. The liquid should just cover the beans and come about halfway up the ham bone. If it looks low, add another cup of water.
  5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours. The soup is done when the beans are tender and the meat is falling off the bone.
  6. Carefully use tongs to lift the ham bone out of the slow cooker. Place it on a cutting board and let it cool for 5 minutes. Pick off any remaining meat, shred it into bite-sized pieces, and return the meat to the soup. Discard the bone, gristle, and excess fat.
  7. Taste the soup and add salt as needed, starting with ½ teaspoon. If the soup is thicker than you’d like, stir in an extra ½ cup of broth or water. If it’s too thin, mash some of the beans against the side of the slow cooker with a spoon to thicken the broth naturally.
  8. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with fresh parsley, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Notes

Don’t skip the bean blanch; it ensures creamy beans. Salt at the end to avoid over-salting. For a richer flavor, blend 1 cup of cooked beans with ½ cup broth and stir back into the soup. The soup thickens as it sits; add broth when reheating if needed.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker ham and white bean soup, leftover ham bone soup, creamy white bean soup, ham and bean soup, comfort food soup, easy slow cooker soup

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/cozy-slow-cooker-ham-and-white-bean-soup/