Hearty Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup
This hearty slow cooker ham and white bean soup is incredibly comforting and easy to make, perfect for a cozy meal.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Large pot
- 6-quart or larger crockpot
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound dried navy beans (or other white beans like cannellini) rinsed and sorted
- large ham hock or ham bone
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 6-8 cups chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse dried navy beans and sort out any debris. Soak beans overnight (8-12 hours) or quick-soak by boiling for 10 minutes then resting for 1 hour; drain and rinse.
- Transfer soaked and rinsed beans, ham hock/bone, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper to a 6-quart crockpot.
Cooking
- Pour in 6 cups of broth, ensuring beans and ham are mostly submerged, adding more if needed.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until beans are tender and ham shreds easily.
Finishing and Serving
- Remove ham hock/bone and bay leaf; cool ham slightly, then shred meat and discard fat and skin, returning ham to the soup.
- Stir shredded ham into the soup, taste for salt, and adjust consistency with more hot broth or water if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
For extra flavor, you can sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in a little olive oil before adding them to the slow cooker.