The Magical Slow Cooker » Recipes » Soups » Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup with Ham
by Sarah Olson on | Updated 111 Comments
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This recipe is sponsored by Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup® though all opinions are mine alone.
Leftover Ham? Look no further than this recipe for Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup with ham! This is a classic recipe with added kale to make it a complete meal! Add some garlic bread, and you are good to go!
This recipe uses some of that leftover ham from the holiday and turns it into a delicious soup along with Hurst’s Ham Beens 15 Bean Soup mix. The colors of this soup are beautiful, Christmas colors from the red tomatoes and the green kale. The soup turns out a bit creamy, with some of the beans breaking down into the broth after the long 6 hour cook time.
Suppose you have leftover turkey instead; head over to my Cajun 15 Bean Soup with Leftover Turkey recipe. Both of these soups transform the leftovers into something different flavor-wise and are both very comforting.
Ingredients
- 15 bean Soup Mix – This mix is found in the same section of the store as the other dried beans, if you are unsure that your store carries them you can look up locations here.
- Vegetables – Onions, carrots, celery and garlic flavor this 15 bean soup. Chopped Kale and diced tomatoes are added at the end of the cooking time.
- Seasonings – Bay leaf, dried thyme, dried basil and the included ham seasoning packet that comes with the beans.
- Lemon Juice – Lemon juice added at the end of the cooking time brightens up the flavor of the beans, try it!
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Rinse and sort beans, discarding any debris. Add the beans to the crockpot. Save the ham flavor packet for after the entire cooking time is up.
Step Two – Add ham, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, thyme, and water. Stir. Add the bay leaf on top of the soup.
Step Three- Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Step Four -After the cooking time, I add lemon juice, Italian diced tomatoes, and a few cups of chopped kale. I love the added kale in this recipe. The kale takes about 20 minutes to soften at the end of the cooking time of this recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Is this crockpot soup healthy?
Yes! Use a lean ham in this recipe, and you have healthy soup. It is full of vegetables and even healthy kale.
How can I thicken my soup?
Drain off part of the liquid, then take a cup of beans out and smash, add back into the soup.
Can this be frozen after cooking?
Yes! 15 bean soup freezes very well. Add to airtight containers or freezer ziplock bags. Freeze for up to three months.
Do I need to soak 15 bean soup mix?
There is no need to soak the beans before cooking. Though, be sure to cook them on high to ensure they cook up nicely.
What do I serve with this?
15 ham and bean soup is excellent with biscuits, garlic bread, or cornbread. It’s a very hearty complete meal.
Can I use a ham bone?
Yes! Use one large ham bone (or two small) in place of the diced ham in this recipe. If you use a ham bone, you will want to degrease the beans after cooking. Degrease the beans by laying a paper towel over the beans in the slow cooker, soaking up the grease. Discard the paper towel and serve!
Can I use chicken broth in 15 bean Soup with Ham?
You can use chicken broth in place of water for extra flavor if desired. You can even use four chicken bouillon cubes with the water if desired.
How can I spice this recipe up?
Add two teaspoons of chili powder to this recipe at the beginning of cooking.
Can I make it with a Cajun 15 bean Soup mix?
Yes! The cajun 15 Bean Soup mix works well with this recipe.
I hope you give this recipe a try now or after Christmas with your leftover ham. What a great meal this is to have simmering away the day after the Christmas festivities. Hurst’s Hambeens has many more recipes like this one on their site, and you can find them here. I hope you have a great holiday, and let me know if you try this recipe.
Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup Recipe
4.92 from 79 votes
15 bean soup made in the slow cooker along with ham. You can use leftover ham in this recipe.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 6 hours hours 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Sarah Olson
Ingredients:
- 20 oz. Hurst’sⓇ HamBeensⓇ 15 Bean Soup mix (save ham flavor packet to add a the end of cooking time)
- 2 cups diced ham (leftover ham works great!)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs, peeled and diced
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 8 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
Add these ingredients at the end:
- 14.5 oz. can Italian flavored diced tomatoes
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
US Customary – Metric
Instructions:
Rinse and sort beans, discarding any debris. Add the beans to the slow cooker. Save the ham flavor packet for after the entire cooking time is up.
Add ham, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, thyme and water. Stir. Add the bay leaf on top of the soup.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
After the six hour time is up remove the bay leaf. Add the lemon juice, diced tomatoes and chopped kale. Stir. Replace the lid and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes more.
Add the ham flavor packet and stir once more. Serve and enjoy!
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
How can I thicken my soup?
Drain off part of the liquid, then take a cup of beans out and smash, add back into the soup.
Do I need to soak my beans?
There is no need to soak the beans before cooking. Though, be sure to cook them on high to insure they cook up nicely.
Can I use a ham hock?
Yes! Use one large ham bone (or two small) in place of diced ham in this recipe. If you use a ham bone, you will want to degrease the beans after cooking. Degrease the beans by laying a paper towel over the beans in the slow cooker, this will soak up the grease. Discard the paper towel and serve!
Can I freeze the leftovers?
Yes! 15 bean soup freezes very well. Add to airtight containers or freezer ziplock bags. Freeze for up three months.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 514mg | Potassium: 869mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4246IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
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This recipe is sponsored by Hurst’s® HamBeens® Cajun 15 Bean Soup® though all opinions are mine alone.
More 15 Bean Soup Slow Cooker Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Cajun 15 Bean Soup with Turkey
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken 15 Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker 15 Bean Chili
- Slow Cooker Pizza 15 Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Cajun 15 Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Taco 15 Bean Soup
