How to Make Hearty Navy Bean and Ham Soup in a Slow Cooker
This slow-cooker navy bean and ham soup pulls you in with its warm, rustic aroma and no-nonsense charm. Beans soak up rich broth, carrots and celery soften around the edges, and the ham bone stars at the center, turning humble pantry staples into something you can’t wait to taste. Every bowl feels like coming home—hearty, honest, and just the right amount of cozy, exactly how my family liked it. We always called it Bean Soup, and honestly, there’s nothing more comforting on a cool evening.
Ingredients
1 (16 oz.) package dried navy beans, soaked overnight according to package directions, drained, and rinsed
4 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 large, meaty roasted ham bone
Instructions
1. Add beans and vegetables to slow cooker: Place beans, water, broth, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and pepper in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker; stir to combine.
2. Add ham bone to mixture: Place ham bone in center of mixture.
3. Remove ham meat from bone, and add back to soup: Remove ham bone and any gristle. Return any ham meat to soup.
Notes
To make it, you’ll need:
- Dried navy beans: Soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed.
- Water: The base of the broth, water soaks up flavor from the beans, mirepoix, and ham.
- Vegetable broth: Adds deep flavor to the broth.
- Yellow onion, carrot, and celery: For a classic mirepoix to build flavor and bulk up the soup.
- Garlic clove: Adds depth of flavor.
- Black pepper: Adds a hint of peppery flavor.
- Large, meaty roasted ham bone: Adds flavor to the broth and gets shredded to incorporate meat into every bite of this soup.