Name: Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 meaty Ham bone; 1 large Onion, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 3 stalks Celery, diced; 1 (16 ounce) bag dried White beans, rinsed (Great Northern or Cannellini); 3 Garlic cloves, minced; 6 cups Water; 3 Bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken; 1 teaspoon Salt; 1/2 teaspoon Pepper; 2 dried Bay leaves

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Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup is the perfect way to get a second meal from your leftover ham bone. It simmers all day for rich flavor from frugal ingredients.

ham and bean soup in white bowl with title text

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The easiest way to stretch your budget is to make the most of your ingredients. When you cook a ham, don’t throw out the ham bone. Use it to make Ham and Bean Soup.

Not only is it the perfect way to use the last bits of meat, the bone contains tons of flavor that makes for a deliciously rich soup. We add super affordable dried beans and some aromatics, and dinner is served!

For another frugal meal, make sure to check out this Easy Quiche Recipe.

Ingredients

Ham Bone: Bone-in hams are way cheaper than boneless, so use that savings to your advantage. If you want to go straight for the soup, you can even buy ham bones from your local butcher.

Dried White Beans: White bean varieties work best in this soup because they are neutral in flavor and will really take on the flavor of the ham bone. I recommend using Great Northern or Cannellini beans. It’s best to rinse the beans in a strainer to remove any dirt or debris that might be in the bag.

Onion, Carrots and Celery: Onion, Carrots and Celery are also known as mire poix. They are the standard for building flavor in any dish. Dice them in 1/2 inch pieces.

Garlic: Mince 3 garlic cloves or use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Bouillon Cubes: Bouillon cubes are basically dehydrated broth. In the crock pot, they will dissolve into the water and add so much flavor. You can also use prepare vegetable or chicken broth if that is what you have on hand.

Bay Leaves: Dried bay leaves are a great addition to your pantry. They last forever and add next level flavor to soup. If you only have fresh bay leaves, just use one.

diced celery, onion and carrots on cutting board with knife

Equipment

Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)
Cutting Board
Knife
Measuring Cup
Ladle

ham and bean soup in crock pot with ladle

Can You Freeze Ham and Bean Soup?

Soup freezes beautifully! Allow the soup to cool completely, and then package in freezer containers. These 64 ounce plastic containers are my absolute favorite for packaging freezer meals in a family size. If you’d rather pack in individual servings, these 16 ounce containers work perfectly. Both are reusable, so you’ll get lots of use out of them.

The trick to avoid freezer burn is to make sure that whatever container you use is filled pretty much to the top. This will keep ice crystals from forming. Soup will keep in the freezer for at least 2 months.

To reheat, allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight. You can reheat individual servings in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. For larger portions, reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until heated, about 5-7 minutes.

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