Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup with Ham
131 Comments Jan 01, 2022
Updated Nov 19, 2024
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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!
Table of Contents
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
Yes! Use a lean ham in this recipe, and you have healthy soup. It is full of vegetables and even healthy kale.
Drain off part of the liquid, then take a cup of beans out and smash, add back into the soup.
Yes! 15 bean soup freezes very well. Add to airtight containers or freezer ziplock bags. Freeze for up to three months.
There is no need to soak the beans before cooking. Though, be sure to cook them on high to ensure they cook up nicely.
15 ham and bean soup is excellent with biscuits, garlic bread, or cornbread. It’s a very hearty complete meal.
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!
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.
Add two teaspoons of chili powder to this recipe at the beginning of cooking.
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.
More 15 Bean Soup Slow Cooker Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Cajun 15 Bean Soup with Turkey
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken 15 Bean Soup
- 15 Bean Soup with Ham and Collard Greens
- Slow Cooker 15 Bean Chili
- Slow Cooker Pizza 15 Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Smoked Turkey Cajun 15 Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Cajun 15 Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Taco 15 Bean Soup
Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup Recipe
How to Video
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
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!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
This recipe is sponsored by Hurst’s® HamBeens® Cajun 15 Bean Soup® though all opinions are mine alone.
I have frozen my own 15 bean soup but it does not have Kale in it. I would like to try this recipe with Kale and I read that this soup freezes well. Does the texture of the soup change at all because of the kale? Thank you!
No, the kale doesn’t change the texture at all!
Thank you for answering my question and for the great recipe. I have it in the slow cooker right now and I can’t wait to try it.
Randy, you’re (not ‘your’) an idiot.
Go get yourself a grease burger; wash it down with some Fanta and cyanide.
Kale: healthy fare, and deliciously complementary to this soup.
Yes, Randy, “You’re” an idiot!
Do you drain the can of tomatoes or dump it all in? Thanks!
Dump it all in. 🙂
I was looking for something different when I read the Italian diced tomatoes and kale, I knew I had to try this. Absolutely the best I have ever tasted. Even my husband said that after the first bite. Thanks for sharing and I look forward trying more recipes!
One of the best soups I have ever made. My personal choice was to leave the Kale out of it and add 1 tsp ground red pepper, 1 tsp chilli powder, and 1/2 tsp liquid hickory smoke for added favor. It turned out excellent. I’m going to bottle some of it in the pressure cooker and add to my food storage. I rate this 5 stars.
I have this recipe in my crock pot now. I really dont want to add that “ham flavor” packet. Do you think if i just added salt and pepper and some paprika, maybe Thyme, it would be ok?
Yes it would OK!It’s actually better to use your own than what’s in the packet because you know the herbs you like.
Hi, I love your recipes. They always come in handy with company. I don’t have the spice packet that comes with the 15 bean soup bag. What other spices can i add to complete this meal.? Thank you
If I have to add seasoning to a soup without it, I would do about 5 chicken bouillon cubes and maybe some oregano.
What temperature is high my crockpot has different temperatures
I’m not exactly sure since I don’t have that kind of slow cooker. Try searching on google for an exact answer.
I am also adding kale. I am making it today. I will write a review after eating.
This sounded okay until I saw kale in the recipe. Your out of your mind. This ruins the bean soup.
If I could give negative stars I’d give it 20. This recipe sucks.
Never ever make this with kale.
If you don’t like kale, leave it out.
Kale is a good idea to me. I’ll be adding it at the end of slow cooking it today.
Ignore Randy, he’s a troll.
Randy Dame. No way. I add a form of green to mine all the time. This time I’m about to use turnip greens. I’ve used all except mustard greens.