15 Bean Soup - Slow Cooker Recipe
This 15 bean soup crock pot recipe transforms simple pantry staples into a thick, hearty meal your whole family will love. Just dump everything in your slow cooker in the morning, and by dinnertime you'll have a soul-warming crockpot bean soup with smoky ham and bright tomato flavors. It's comfort food that tastes like hours of work but takes just minutes to prep.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 263kcal
Equipment
- colander for rinsing beans
- Crockpot slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound 15 bean soup mix I usually use Hurst Ham-Beens 15 bean soup mix, but any brand or variety like 13 or 17 beans works
- 8 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 large ham bone or ham hock or use 2 cups diced ham
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder optional
- 15 ounce canned diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or juice of 1/2 lemon
Optional
- 2 cups kale, fresh or frozen chopped
Instructions
- Open the beans package and spread them on a light-colored baking sheet or large plate. Look carefully for any small pebbles, debris, or shriveled beans and remove them. This only takes a minute but is important - you don't want anyone biting into a rock! Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold running water for 30 seconds. Set aside the seasoning packet - we'll use it later.In a colander or sieve, rinse beans thoroughly.
- Pour the rinsed beans into your crock pot (6-quart or larger works best). Add 8 cups of water or chicken broth. If using broth, I recommend using low-sodium so you can adjust salt at the end.
- Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and chili powder (if using). Stir everything together so the beans are coated with the liquid and seasonings.
- Nestle your ham bone, ham hock, or diced ham into the bean mixture. If using a ham bone, make sure it's mostly submerged.
- Cover with the lid and set your slow cooker to HIGH for 5-7 hours, or LOW for 8-10 hours. After 5 hours on HIGH, check a few beans - they should be tender and creamy inside. If you're cooking on LOW, check after 8 hours.If they're still firm, continue cooking and check every 30 minutes
- Once beans are tender, stir in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), lemon juice, and the seasoning packet that came with the beans. Cook on HIGH for 20-30 more minutes to let those flavors meld.
- For extra nutrition and color, stir in chopped kale in the last 20 minutes of cooking. It wilts down and adds a beautiful pop of green.
- Carefully remove the ham bone or ham hock from the soup. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then use two forks to pull off any meat. Shred the meat and stir it back into the soup. Discard the bone.
Notes
Do You Need To Soak Dried Beans Before Cooking? NO! This is a no-soak recipe. The long, slow cooking time in the crock pot softens the beans perfectly without any pre-soaking.
Absolutely! This recipe works with 13 bean soup, 17 bean soup, or even just a single type of dried bean. Adjust cooking time if using just one bean variety - some cook faster than others. Our recommendation: Skip the soak! It's one more step you don't need, and we've never had issues with beans getting tender using the no-soak method. Recipe Variations: Make ahead tip: You can prep all ingredients the night before. Put everything except ham bone and beans in the slow cooker insert, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, add the soaked beans (if using) or rinsed beans and ham bone, and start cooking.
Old beans take longer to cook. Beans lose moisture over time, so if your beans have been sitting in the pantry for over a year, they may take 2-3 hours longer. Also, did you add the tomatoes at the beginning? Acidic ingredients can prevent beans from softening - always add them at the end. My soup is too thin and watery.
Remove 1-2 cups of the soup (beans and liquid), blend or mash it thoroughly, then stir it back in. The mashed beans will naturally thicken the soup. Or, thicken it by adding cornstarch slurry: mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into soup, and cook 15 more minutes. You can also let it cook uncovered on HIGH for 30-45 minutes to reduce the liquid. My soup is too thick.
Simply add more broth or water, ½ cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Remember that soup thickens as it sits, so it may seem thinner when hot and thicker once cooled. My soup tastes bland.
Did you add the seasoning packet? Did you use plain water instead of broth? Salt is your friend here - taste and add salt gradually until the flavors pop. A splash of vinegar or extra lemon juice also brightens the flavors.
Storing Instructions:
- Why some people soak: Soaking beans overnight can help reduce the natural enzymes that cause gas/bloating for some people. If you prefer to soak your beans for digestive reasons, that's totally fine - just reduce the liquid from 8 cups to 6 cups.
- Quick soak method: If you want to soak but don't have overnight time: Bring beans and water to a boil in a pot, boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit covered for 1 hour. Drain, then proceed with the recipe using 6 cups liquid.
Absolutely! This recipe works with 13 bean soup, 17 bean soup, or even just a single type of dried bean. Adjust cooking time if using just one bean variety - some cook faster than others. Our recommendation: Skip the soak! It's one more step you don't need, and we've never had issues with beans getting tender using the no-soak method. Recipe Variations: Make ahead tip: You can prep all ingredients the night before. Put everything except ham bone and beans in the slow cooker insert, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, add the soaked beans (if using) or rinsed beans and ham bone, and start cooking.
- Make It Heartier
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- Add root vegetables: Dice 2 large carrots and 2 celery ribs; add with the beans at the beginning
- Add potatoes: Dice 2-3 Yukon gold potatoes into ½-inch cubes; add in the last 2 hours of cooking
- Use smoked sausage: Slice 12 oz smoked sausage into coins and add in the last hour (skip the ham)
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Boost the Flavor:
- Cajun-style: Use Cajun 15 bean soup mix instead of regular, add 1 tsp Cajun seasoning and ½ tsp cayenne
- Italian-inspired: Add 1 tsp Italian seasoning, a parmesan rind, and top with fresh parsley
- Southwestern: Add 1 can diced green chiles, 1 tsp cumin, and top with shredded cheese and sour cream
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Dietary Modifications:
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Skip the ham, use vegetable broth, and add 1 tsp liquid smoke for that smoky flavor
- Low-sodium: Use no-salt-added broth, skip the seasoning packet, and season to taste at the end
- Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free! Just check your broth and seasoning packet labels
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Texture Preferences:
- Thicker soup: Remove 2 cups of soup, blend or mash it, then stir back in. Or add a cornstarch slurry (2 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp cold water) in the last 30 minutes
Old beans take longer to cook. Beans lose moisture over time, so if your beans have been sitting in the pantry for over a year, they may take 2-3 hours longer. Also, did you add the tomatoes at the beginning? Acidic ingredients can prevent beans from softening - always add them at the end. My soup is too thin and watery.
Remove 1-2 cups of the soup (beans and liquid), blend or mash it thoroughly, then stir it back in. The mashed beans will naturally thicken the soup. Or, thicken it by adding cornstarch slurry: mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into soup, and cook 15 more minutes. You can also let it cook uncovered on HIGH for 30-45 minutes to reduce the liquid. My soup is too thick.
Simply add more broth or water, ½ cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Remember that soup thickens as it sits, so it may seem thinner when hot and thicker once cooled. My soup tastes bland.
Did you add the seasoning packet? Did you use plain water instead of broth? Salt is your friend here - taste and add salt gradually until the flavors pop. A splash of vinegar or extra lemon juice also brightens the flavors.
- In the fridge, store the 15 bean soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- In the freezer, It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it cool down completely before transferring it to containers or freezer bags and freezing.
- Stovetop: Place it in a pot and reheat it on the stovetop until warmed through.
- Microwave: Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and reheat in the microwave according to your microwave’s instructions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 4mg