A flavorful slow cooker Ham and Bean Soup made with Great Northern beans, smoked ham, and savory seasonings. A delicious way to use leftover ham or a ham bone for a hearty homemade soup.

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Ham and Bean Soup

Course: Soups

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 12

Total Time: 12 15

Servings:

Calories: 159.6kcal

This is clearly not my mother’s ham and bean soup. This version is very flavorful and is a delicious way to use leftover ham or a ham hock. The ham bone adds plenty of flavor on its own, so there is no need for broth unless you prefer it.cks.

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Ingredients

16 oz dried Great Northern beans
1 smoked ham bone or ham hock
½ large onion diced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
½ tablespoon sage
2 teaspoons celery seed
½ tablespoon Salad Supreme seasoning
1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
1½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Cook the beans:

Place the dried Great Northern beans in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with 8 cups of water. Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours, or until the beans are tender. Do not drain.

Add the ham and seasonings:

Add the ham bone or ham hock, diced onion, salt, sage, celery seed, Salad Supreme, dried garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, and pepper to the cooked beans.

Slow cook:

Continue cooking on LOW for about 8 hours, or on HIGH for about 6 hours.

Remove the ham bone:

Once the soup is finished, remove the ham bone or ham hock. Strip off any edible ham and discard the bones, skin, and gristle.

Adjust the consistency:

For a creamier soup, use a potato masher to mash some of the beans directly in the pot. This will naturally thicken the broth. I prefer to leave the beans whole, but either way works.

Add the ham:

Shred or chop the reserved ham and return it to the soup. Stir well and serve hot.

Notes

Beans: Other varieties of beans work well too. Cannellini beans or small white beans are good alternatives.

Water vs. broth: Some recipes call for chicken broth, but I find that a ham bone with meat attached, or added ham, provides plenty of flavor. I use water, but you can substitute chicken broth, turkey stock, or another broth if you prefer.

Extra ham: Add extra ham to achieve the texture, flavor, and consistency you prefer.

Important: Avoid adding ingredients containing sugar while the beans are cooking. Sugar can interfere with the beans softening properly. If you want to add a sweet ingredient for flavor, wait until the beans are fully tender.

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Nutrition Disclaimer

Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.