Slow Cooker Bean and Bacon Soup {Campbell’s Copycat}
52 CommentsUpdated Mar 20, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Skip the canned version of Campbell’s delicious soup and go for this Slow Cooker Bean and Bacon Soup copycat recipe. It’s a hearty soup made with white beans, carrots, tomatoes, and bacon (of course!). This is a soup your family is sure to enjoy.
Featured Comment
WOW! This tastes JUST like the Campbell’s version but MUCH better and fresher!! I made it mainly as you stated but with a can of diced petite Italian tomatoes and 7 cups of better than bouillon chicken flavor. I did mash it a bit at the end to thicken it. SOOOO very good!
– anne
Does this taste like Campbell’s Bean and Bacon Soup?
Pretty darn close! Campbell’s Bean with Bacon soup is known for its classic savory flavor, which can be hard to replicate. With just a few simple ingredients and your crockpot, you can recreate that familiar taste at home. This recipe is especially great when you need to feed a large family or a crowd.
Key Ingredients
White Beans: This recipe calls for dried small white beans, also known as navy beans. You can also use great northern beans if needed.
Vegetables: Carrots, tomatoes, and a white onion are diced and added to give this hearty soup a chunky texture.
Cooked Bacon: Although the bacon is cooked prior to adding, it adds a smoky flavor and whatever bacon fat is left from cooking enhances the soup.
Chicken Bouillon Cubes: These are used to make the soup’s flavorful chicken stock base.
Hickory Liquid Smoke: A little goes a long way when using liquid smoke, but this is the key to getting the classic smoky taste of bean and bacon soup.
Seasonings: All you need is dried thyme, salt, and pepper to enhance the other flavors in this soup.
How to Make Bean and Bacon Soup
- Start with dried beans, smoky bacon, and simple pantry seasonings for big, old-fashioned flavor.
- Let the crockpot work its magic until everything turns tender, rich, and cozy.
- Mash a few beans for extra creaminess.
Tips & Variations
Meat Swap: To keep the smokey flavor profile you can swap out the bacon for cubed ham or a large ham hock.
Bean Swap: You can use black eyed peas or pinto beans in place of the small white beans.
Additional Seasonings: You can add red pepper flakes or creole seasonings for a spicy bean recipe.
What to Serve with Bean and Bacon Soup
Cornbread: One of the best ways to serve bean and bacon soup is with a slice of cornbread and soft butter.
Toppings: This soup is great as-is, but you can always add shredded cheddar cheese, freshly ground black pepper and crushed saltine crackers.
Other Sides: You can serve these beans over rice or pair them with collard greens or a green salad.
Do I need to soak the dried beans overnight?
No. That is not necessary for this recipe. Not soaking them will help maintain the texture of the beans during the cooking process.
Can I use Canned Beans?
No, this recipe was developed for dried beans. The amount of liquid and cooking time would be quite different.
Slow Cooker Bean and Bacon Soup Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried small white beans, (navy beans)
- 8 slices thick-cut apple wood smoked bacon, cooked and chopped (I use a 10 oz. package of Hempler's brand)
- ½ tsp. hickory liquid smoke
- 4 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1 white onion, diced
- 3 Roma Tomatoes, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 6 cups water
- salt to taste, add when done
Instructions
- Add the beans, chicken bouillon cubes, hickory liquid smoke, onion, tomatoes, carrots, thyme, pepper, and cooked and chopped bacon.
- Add the water. Stir.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 6-7 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time. You want the beans to be very soft.
- When the cooking time is up, check to see if it needs salt.
- For creamier beans, mash about 1/4 of the beans.
- Serve with cornbread and butter.
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.
More Slow Cooker Bean Recipes
Pinto Bean and Bacon Soup, Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup, and 15 Bean Soup with Ham are hearty slow cooker meals packed with flavor and perfect for busy days.
Slow Cooker Ham and Beans and Slow Cooker Refried Beans are classic comfort food recipes that use simple ingredients and cook low and slow.
Sausage White Bean Soup and Tuscan White Bean Soup are cozy, satisfying soups with rich broth and bold seasonings.
My hubby loves bean and bacon soup. I will try this for him. I love the crock pot. I have questions. Can this be frozen after cooking? What can be subbed for a ham hock? Thanks
I haven’t froze it before, I bet it would do fine. If I didn’t have a ham hock, I would throw in one of those 5 dollar ham steaks whole. And when the soup was done cooking you could dice it up and put into the soup.
Hi, Im looking for a ‘moist’ cakey corn bread recipes. Ive had issues with making cornbread in the past of not being moist enough, no matter if the recipes say ‘moist’. Can you HELP with this!?! Thanks……C
If you mix a Jiffy cake mix and a Jiffy corn muffin mix together, follow the directions for ingredients on both, it turns out great. But I also recommend the Fleishman’s brand cornbread mix, it turns out so moist!
Hi, Celita, When making corn bread always remember to mix the dry ingredients and the wet separate ,then add the wet to the dry but only stir JUST till wet.. Never over stir cornbread:-)
Looks amazing and can’t wait to try it!! I did notice the carrots in front of the crock pot and in the soup, but it’s not listed in the ingredients or instructions. Is it two peeled and chopped carrots?
Thanks Karen, yes 2 peeled and chopped carrots. 🙂
I know we would love this soup! The flavors are great and it’s so hearty! Yum!
I love a good slow cooker soup and this one looks amazing! Love the addition of the bacon in this-yum! 🙂
The second it cools down here, I am making this. Amazing!!
Wow, Sarah! This soup looks amazing. I love that you used fresh tomatoes and the ham hock! It’s still VERY hot here in FL, but I’m pinning this one to try later in October when the weather finally starts to cool down.
Looks like a meal that I would love to have ready for me when I got home from work. It only feels like fall in the evening here in NY right now, but I am so ready for some cooler weather. I may change my mind when winter is full blown. Why can’t we just have fall year round? 🙂
I agree with fall year round.
This looks like comfort in a bowl right here! Love that it’s so easy with the crockpot! Definitely making this one soon!
This is the kind of soup that reminds me of my Dad. He called it navy bean soup and it was yummy. But as it is going to be 90 here again today I think I’m waiting on this one!