Description
Warm, comforting and brimming with flavor, this Crockpot Bean and Ham Soup is a bowl of nostalgia on a chilly day. This soup recipe is incredibly easy to prepare, and is the perfect solution for utilizing that leftover holiday ham bone.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 cups dried navy beans, rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ham bone or two ham hocks
- 2 celery stalks with leaves, minced
- 1/2 white or yellow onion, minced
- 1 carrot, minced
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- chopped celery leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by rinsing the beans thoroughly and discarding any beans that are damaged, or discolored.
- Place the rinsed beans in the crockpot. Add in the ham bone (or ham hocks), minced celery, onion, carrot, chicken stock, water, bay leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper. Give it a good stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Set your crockpot to cook on high for 5 to 6 hours.
- If possible, monitor the liquid levels a few times. If needed, add additional stock, or water.
- About an hour before the bean soup is done, remove the ham bone and break apart the meat into smaller pieces. Add the meat back to the soup.
- If you want a thicker soup, blend about 2 cups of the beans with an immersion blender and add back to the soup.
- As the cooking time nears its end, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt, if necessary.
- Once done, ladle the steaming soup into bowls, garnishing each serving with chopped celery leaves and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Rinse and inspect the dried beans, thoroughly before adding them to the crockpot.
- Soaking the beans overnight is optional.
- If you prefer a chunkier cut on the vegetables, feel free to dice.
- Vegetable stock or all water can be used in replacement of the chicken stock.
- Ensure there is enough liquid to cover the beans by at least an inch.
- If possible, monitor the liquid levels a few times. If needed, add additional stock, or water.
- If leaving the soup to cook while at work, add extra stock or water, just in case.
- Taste the soup towards the end and adjust for salt, if needed (the ham is salty).
- Break apart the ham into smaller pieces during the final hour of cooking. Remove the ham bone.
- Check the liquid levels at least twice while the soup is cooking. Add more stock or water, as needed.
- Alternatively, cook this bean and ham soup on low for about 8 hours.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Soup, Dinner
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American