This recipe is sponsored by Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup® though all opinions are mine alone.
Have some ham left over? This Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup recipe is perfect for you! It’s a classic recipe that has been made even better by adding kale. Serve it with garlic bread, and you’ll be all set!
This recipe makes a tasty soup with Hurst’s Ham Beens 15 Bean Soup mix and some of the ham you had left over from the holiday. The colors of this soup are beautiful, Christmas colors from the red tomatoes and the green kale. After 6 hours of cooking, some of the beans break down into the broth, making the soup a bit creamy.
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.
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: I add lemon juice, diced Italian tomatoes, and a few cups of chopped kale after the cooking time is up. 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.
Yes! Use a lean ham in this recipe, and you have healthy soup. It is full of vegetables and even healthy kale.
Pour off some of the liquid, then take out a cup of the beans and mash them up. Put them 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. To get rid of the grease, put a paper towel over the beans in the slow cooker and let it soak 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.
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.
15 bean soup is a hearty protein-packed stew brimming with a colorful medley of bean varieties simmered in a savory broth. Making this satisfying soup in a crockpot allows the beans to break down and become lusciously creamy while developing incredible depth of flavor.
In this article, I’ll provide my easy recipe for crockpot 15 bean soup along with cooking tips for making this filling soup From soaking and seasoning the beans to cooking times, read on to learn how to prepare the perfect pot of 15 bean soup in a crockpot!
An Overview of 15 Bean Soup
15 bean soup contains a mix of 15 different dried bean varieties like navy, kidney, pinto, black beans and more. This variety provides an assortment of colors, shapes, sizes and textures along with a range of nutrients.
To make the soup, the bean blend is combined with broth, onions, garlic, smoked meat and seasonings in a crockpot. The beans are cooked low and slow until extremely soft and creamy. Ham hocks, bacon or sausage add smoky depth. Herbs like cumin, oregano and bay leaves complement the beans.
The long cooking time allows the beans to break down, creating a naturally thickened broth. The end result is a rich, stick-to-your-ribs soup that’s deeply satisfying. Follow my handy tips below for crockpot 15 bean soup success.
Ingredients Needed
- 1 lb bag 15 bean soup mix
- 1 smoked ham hock or 8 oz diced ham
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 6 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1⁄2 tsp cumin
- 1⁄4 tsp thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Rinse the beans thoroughly and pick through to remove any debris. Place in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight (8 hours).
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Drain the beans and transfer to crockpot. Add broth, ham hock, onions, carrots, celery, garlic and seasonings.
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Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. Check beans occasionally and add more broth if needed to keep beans submerged.
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Remove ham hock and shred meat, returning to pot. Adjust seasonings as desired.
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If thicker consistency is desired, use immersion blender to partially blend soup.
Helpful Crockpot Tips
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Soaking the beans overnight softens them for more even cooking.
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Cover beans with 2-3 inches of water as they expand during soaking.
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Add any vegetables besides tomatoes at start for perfect tenderness.
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Give a quick stir occasionally to distribute flavors and ingredients.
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Add more broth if beans start looking dry to keep them covered.
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Garnish bowls with sour cream, cheese and fresh cilantro.
Flavor Variations
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Use smoked turkey legs or necks for a lower-fat option.
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Add diced tomatoes or roasted red peppers for brightness.
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Stir in spinach or kale for greens at the end.
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Season with chili powder, cumin or smoked paprika.
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Finish with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice.
Serving Suggestions
- With cornbread or jalapeno corn muffins
- Topped with crunchy tortilla strips
- Alongside a green salad
- With crusty bread for dipping
- Garnished with avocado slices
- Accompanied by rice or quinoa
More Delicious Bean Soup Recipes
- White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup
- Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili
- Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup
- Smoky Ham and Pinto Bean Soup
- Crockpot Navy Bean and Squash Soup
Enjoy Flavorful 15 Bean Soup From Your Crockpot
Thanks to the crockpot, 15 bean soup couldn’t be easier to make for a savory, protein-packed, budget-friendly one-pot meal. Allowing the beans to cook low and slow coaxes out their full depth of flavor and creamy consistency. Adjust the seasonings to taste and add your own creative mix-ins. Feel good serving up a steaming, soul-warming bowl of nourishing 15 bean soup from your crockpot any night of the week!
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Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup Recipe
- ▢ 20 oz. I used Hurst’s HamBeens 15 Bean Soup Mix. I saved the ham flavor packet to add at the end of the 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
- ▢ 14.5 oz. can Italian flavored diced tomatoes
- ▢ 3 cups chopped kale
- ▢ 1/2 lemon,, juiced
- Rinse and sort beans, discarding any debris. Add the beans to the slow cooker. Don’t add the ham flavor packet until the end of the cooking time.
- Add ham, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, thyme and water. Stir. Add the bay leaf on top of the soup.
- Place the lid on top and cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Do not open the lid during that time.
- Take out the bay leaf after six hours. Add the lemon juice, diced tomatoes and chopped kale. Stir. Put the lid back on and cook for another 20 minutes on HIGH.
- Add the ham flavor packet and stir once more. Serve and enjoy!.
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.