This slow cooker ham and beans recipe delivers deep, smoky flavor with minimal effort. Just toss everything in your crockpot and let it simmer into a hearty, comforting meal. The aroma alone makes this a family favorite.
Nothing beats a great Slow Cooker Ham and Beans. Whether you're a fan of Crockpot Recipes or want to try something from our Burgers selection, keep scrolling!
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Ham and Beans
- Hands-off cooking: Set it and forget it until dinnertime.
- Deep smoky flavor: Ham hock infuses rich, savory taste.
- Wonderfully adaptable: Easily tweak vegetables, beans, or seasonings.
- Fantastic leftovers: Flavors improve overnight and it freezes beautifully.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1 lb dried great northern beans or navy beans
- 1 large meaty ham hock or ham bone
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Salt, to taste (added at the end)
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish (optional)
Tools: A 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
Notes: Using low-sodium broth gives you control over saltiness. Don’t skip the bay leaves—they add subtle aromatic depth.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 380 kcal |
| Protein: | 25 g |
| Fat: | 8 g |
| Carbs: | 52 g |
| Fiber: | 18 g |
Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 8 hours on Low | Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Do I really not need to soak the beans? Nope! The long, gentle cooking in the slow cooker ensures they become perfectly tender without a pre-soak. Just give them a good rinse and pick out any debris.
- What’s the best ham to use? A smoked ham hock or a leftover bone from a spiral ham is ideal. It should have a good amount of meat still attached. That smoky flavor is the soul of this dish.
- Can I use a different bean? Absolutely. Navy beans, pinto beans, or even a mix of beans work well. Just avoid very large beans like giant limas, as they may require a longer cooking time.
- Why add salt at the end? Ham can be quite salty, and as it cooks, it seasons the broth. If you add salt at the beginning, you risk ending up with an overly salty pot. Tasting and seasoning at the end is the safest bet.
How to Make Slow Cooker Ham and Beans
Step 1: Start by giving your dried beans a good rinse in a colander. Sort through them with your fingers to check for any small stones or bits of debris—it’s a rare find, but always worth a quick look. This is your only real prep work for the beans, I promise.
Step 2: Dice your onion, carrots, and celery. You’ll want them in a fairly uniform, small dice so they cook evenly and soften nicely into the broth. Mince the garlic as well. There’s no need for fussy chopping here; rustic is just fine.
Step 3: Now, the easy part: combine everything in the slow cooker. Add the rinsed beans, the diced vegetables, minced garlic, ham hock, bay leaves, dried thyme, and black pepper. Pour the chicken broth over everything. The liquid should just cover the ingredients. Give it a gentle stir to combine.
Step 4: Place the lid on your slow cooker and set it to cook on Low for 8 hours. The low and slow heat is key here—it gently coaxes the starch from the beans, naturally thickening the broth, and makes the ham fall-off-the-bone tender. Resist the urge to open the lid frequently, as this lets out heat and slows down the cooking process.
Step 5: After 8 hours, the beans should be perfectly tender and the ham hock will be falling apart. Carefully remove the ham hock and bay leaves from the pot. Set the hock on a cutting board to cool slightly until it’s safe to handle.
Step 6: Once the ham hock is cool enough, shred the meat using two forks. Discard any skin, excess fat, and the bone. Return all the delicious shredded ham back to the slow cooker and stir it in. You’ll notice how the broth has thickened beautifully.
Step 7: This is the most important step: taste your ham and beans. Now, and only now, season with salt as needed. Remember, the ham is salty, so you may only need a little pinch. Give it one final stir, and it’s ready to serve. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like for a pop of color and freshness.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Portion into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reviving: Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if too thick.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A thick slice of crusty cornbread — There’s nothing better for sopping up that flavorful broth. The slight sweetness of the cornbread is a perfect counterpoint to the savory beans.
- Simple sautéed greens like kale or collards — Their slight bitterness and robust texture make a wonderful, healthy side that balances the meal beautifully.
- A crisp, simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette — The freshness and acidity help cut through the richness of the beans and ham, lightening up the whole plate.
Drinks
- A cold, crisp lager or pilsner — The carbonation and mild hop bitterness cleanse the palate between bites of the rich, smoky beans.
- Unsweetened iced tea with a lemon wedge — Its brisk, tannic quality is a classic Southern pairing that just feels right with this kind of comfort food.
Something Sweet
- Warm apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream — The warm, spiced fruit and cold cream provide a comforting, homey finish that doesn’t feel too heavy.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Adding salt at the beginning. This is the number one way to end up with an inedibly salty dish. The ham will season the broth as it cooks, so always wait until the end to taste and adjust.
- Mistake: Using old, stale beans. Beans that have been sitting in your pantry for years can take forever to cook and may never become properly tender. If possible, buy your beans from a store with good turnover.
- Mistake: Cooking on High to save time. While you can cook this on High for about 4-5 hours, the low and slow method yields a much creamier texture and more developed flavor. It’s worth the wait.
- Mistake: Skipping the bay leaves. I know it seems like a small thing, but those leaves add an essential, subtle layer of flavor that makes the broth taste complex and well-rounded.
Expert Tips
- Tip: For a thicker, stew-like consistency, take about a cup of the cooked beans and a little broth, mash them with a fork or blend them briefly, and stir them back into the pot. This is a chef’s trick for instant body and creaminess.
Slow Cooker Ham And Beans
Make the easiest Slow Cooker Ham and Beans with this simple recipe. Just toss everything in your crockpot for a hands-off, flavor-packed dinner. Get the recipe now!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
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1 lb dried great northern beans or navy beans
-
1 large meaty ham hock or ham bone
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1 large yellow onion (diced)
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2 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
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2 celery stalks (diced)
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4 cloves garlic (minced)
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6 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
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2 bay leaves
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1 tsp dried thyme
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½ tsp black pepper
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Salt (to taste)
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Fresh parsley (chopped for garnish (optional))
Instructions
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Start by giving your dried beans a good rinse in a colander. Sort through them with your fingers to check for any small stones or bits of debris—it’s a rare find, but always worth a quick look. This is your only real prep work for the beans, I promise.01
-
Dice your onion, carrots, and celery. You’ll want them in a fairly uniform, small dice so they cook evenly and soften nicely into the broth. Minate the garlic as well. There’s no need for fussy chopping here; rustic is just fine.02
-
Now, the easy part: combine everything in the slow cooker. Add the rinsed beans, the diced vegetables, minced garlic, ham hock, bay leaves, dried thyme, and black pepper. Pour the chicken broth over everything. The liquid should just cover the ingredients. Give it a gentle stir to combine.03
-
Place the lid on your slow cooker and set it to cook on Low for 8 hours. The low and slow heat is key here—it gently coaxes the starch from the beans, naturally thickening the broth, and makes the ham fall-off-the-bone tender. Resist the urge to open the lid frequently, as this lets out heat and slows down the cooking process.04
-
After 8 hours, the beans should be perfectly tender and the ham hock will be falling apart. Carefully remove the ham hock and bay leaves from the pot. Set the hock on a cutting board to cool slightly until it’s safe to handle.05
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Once the ham hock is cool enough, shred the meat using two forks. Discard any skin, excess fat, and the bone. Return all the delicious shredded ham back to the slow cooker and stir it in. You’ll notice how the broth has thickened beautifully.06
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This is the most important step: taste your ham and beans. Now, and only now, season with salt as needed. Remember, the ham is salty, so you may only need a little pinch. Give it one final stir, and it’s ready to serve. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like for a pop of color and freshness.07
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