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Soups & Stews

Slow Cooker Bean Soup

A creamy, savory white bean soup with carrots, celery and an optional smoked ham hock. Budget-friendly and easy to freeze.

By CrockBites · Published

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Placeholder illustration: overhead view of a slow cooker full of white beans, carrots and celery in a golden broth.

Editorial draft. This recipe has not been cooked and tested by a person yet. Quantities and times are estimates, so use your judgment and a food thermometer. Images on this page are placeholder illustrations.

Prep
25 min
Cook
8 hr
Total
8 hr 25 min
Serves
8 servings

Low 8 to 9 hours, or High 4 to 5 hours. Plus an overnight soak and a short boil before cooking.. Times are estimates; slow cookers vary, so cook to temperature and tenderness.

Bean soup is inexpensive, filling and well suited to a slow cooker. White beans turn creamy as they cook, and carrots, celery, onion and garlic build a savory base. A smoked ham hock adds depth, but it is optional.

Dried beans need a little planning: they are soaked first, then boiled briefly before they go into the slow cooker. That short boil matters for food safety, and it also gives you more predictable cooking.

The soup freezes well, so it is a good one to make in a big batch.

CrockBites · https://crockbites.com/recipe/slow-cooker-bean-soup/

Slow Cooker Bean Soup

Prep 25 min · Cook 8 hr · Total 8 hr 25 min · Low 8 to 9 hours, or High 4 to 5 hours. Plus an overnight soak and a short boil before cooking.

Servings

8
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

Tick items off as you gather them.

The soup

To finish

Equipment

  • 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker
  • Large pot for the 10-minute boil
  • Colander

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Soak the beans

    Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water by about 2 inches. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. For a quick soak, bring the beans and water to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from the heat, cover and let stand 1 hour.

  2. Step 2: Boil the beans for 10 minutes

    Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Put them in a pot, cover with fresh water, and boil hard for 10 full minutes, then drain. Dried beans contain natural compounds that can make you sick if they are undercooked, and a slow cooker may not get hot enough to neutralize them. This step is essential for kidney beans and a good habit for any dried bean.

  3. Step 3: Load the slow cooker

    Put the drained beans, ham hock (if using), onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes (if using), broth, bay leaves, thyme and pepper in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Do not add salt yet, since the ham hock and broth can be salty.

  4. Step 4: Cook

    Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 9 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours, until the beans are completely tender. Beans that are still firm need more time, and old beans can take noticeably longer.

  5. Step 5: Shred the ham

    Remove the ham hock and bay leaves. When the hock is cool enough to handle, pull off the meat, discard the skin, fat and bone, and stir the meat back into the soup.

  6. Step 6: Thicken and season

    For a creamier soup, mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the crock with a spoon, or blend a small portion and stir it back in. Add the vinegar, then salt to taste. Sprinkle with parsley.

Food safety

  • Never put raw dried kidney beans in a slow cooker. Boil all dried beans hard for 10 minutes first.
  • Make sure the beans are fully tender before serving.
  • Cool large batches of soup quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Serving suggestions

  • Serve with warm cornbread or crusty bread.
  • Top with a spoonful of plain yogurt or a drizzle of olive oil.
  • Pair with a simple side salad.

Tips for success

  • Salt at the end because ham hocks and broth vary a great deal in saltiness.
  • The splash of vinegar at the end wakes up the flavors without making the soup taste sour.
  • Leave the soup chunky or mash more beans. Both are good.
  • Scale carefully: this recipe fills a 6-quart slow cooker well. Do not fill any slow cooker more than about two thirds to three quarters full.

Substitutions

Dried beans
Four 15-ounce cans of white beans, drained and rinsed. Skip the soaking and boiling, reduce the broth to 4 cups, and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours.
Ham hock
Leave it out for a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth, and add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Or use diced cooked ham added at the end.
Navy beans
Great northern beans, cannellini beans, or a mixed dried bean blend (discard any seasoning packet and follow the soak and boil steps).

Storage and reheating

Refrigerator
Cool within 2 hours (divide into shallow containers so it cools quickly) and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. The soup thickens as it sits; thin with broth or water.
Reheating
Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until steaming hot throughout (165°F / 74°C), stirring occasionally.