15 Bean Soup Recipe (Crock Pot/Slow Cooker)
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This slow cooked 15 Bean Soup is the kind of meal that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together. It’s hearty, full of flavor, and just the thing to throw in the crockpot on a busy morning.
Let it bubble away all day while you do literally anything else, and come home to a house that smells amazing and dinner basically done. Just four easy steps, mostly hands off, and you’re looking at a warm, comforting bowl that’s both filling and good for you.
Try my Black Eyed Pea Soup, my White Bean Soup or my Vegetable Barley Soup too!
15 Bean Soup Recipe
The Husband and I were talking about how certain smells can instantly take you back to memories. We started talking about childhood favorite foods, and I found myself wondering what meals our kids will remember and which recipes their future spouses might be calling me for one day.
When I asked if there was anything he especially loved from his childhood, he said, “some kind of bean soup, with every bean under the sun… it cooked all day in the crockpot, and I think there was ham in it.” Challenge: accepted. I knew I had to try and recreate that 15 bean soup for him.
Now it’s a go-to whenever we have a ham bone in the fridge. If I don’t, I just use smoked ham steaks or even skip the meat entirely and go vegetarian. No matter how I make it, it always hits the spot.
More American Homestyle Favorites
Try my Meatloaf Recipe, paired with Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Green Beans. Or, try this yummy recipe for Red Beans and Rice!
Why you’ll love this recipe
This is a great recipe to set and forget. Just soak the beans overnight and add them with the other ingredients to the slow cooker in the morning. Dinner will be ready when you get home!
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What to serve with 15 bean soup
A crusty roll or thick slice of bread slathered with butter completes this meal!
FAQs for making 15 Bean Soup:
Soaking the beans is optional, but it removes some of the indigestible sugars responsible for the unfortunate side affects of beans.
Soaking the beans also speeds up the cooking process, so if you were making a soup on the stove top, you’d absolutely want to do this. Since we’re cooking these for a really long time – you can absolutely ditch the soaking. I prefer to do it, but it’s not compulsory!
Whew!! There are a lot! The brand I buy contains northern, pinto, large lima, blackeye, garbanzo, baby lima, green split, kidney, cranberry, small white, pink, small red, yellow split, lentil, navy, white kidney, black, yellow eye.
It’s the combination of carrots, onion, and celery. Carrots, onion and celery form the basis of many soups. The “Holy Trinity” is onions, celery and bell peppers.
Well, yes – but that honestly depends on your diet and nutrition goals. I’ve listed the nutrition under the recipe card, but briefly – bean soup is a great source of protein, and is high in fiber.
YES! I like to put all the ingredients except for the ham bone and beans in a slow cooker, pop the lid on and put it in the fridge. Add the ham bone and soaked beans in the morning. Easy!
Some chopped ham steaks, leftover ham, or smoked sausage. Really, anything you can find! I do love the flavor of a leftover ham bone (from Easter, perhaps). However, I have been known to sub in smoked ham hocks that I’ve gotten from the butcher.
Absolutely. It does exceptionally well when stored correctly. I portion it into pints, and freeze for up to 6 months. Whatever you are using – make sure to leave a little room at the top as things expand when frozen! To eat – just thaw in the refrigerator and then cook in the microwave until piping hot. Alternatively, you can store in zipper bags, and lay it flat in the freezer! It takes a lot less time to thaw, but you will need to then transfer to a saucepan for stove-top reheating, or a microwave safe bowl.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- 15 Bean Blend. This can be found at the grocery store with the other dried beans. It’s a small package and comes with a seasoning packet (that you discard. we don’t need it!) When using dried beans, you need to pick them over and make sure there aren’t any stones or things that shouldn’t be there.
- Onion. Part of what is called a “mirepoix” Finely dice, it will form part of the flavor of the soup
- Carrots. Peel and cut into coins, or half coins if your carrots are especially big
- Celery. Cut these to roughly the same size as the onions.
- Garlic. Use 6 whole cloves and mince them
- Smoked Ham Bone. Leftover ham bone, or smoked ham hock from the deli at the grocery store will both work)
- Chicken Stock. Try my recipe for homemade chicken stock, or grab it from the store.
- Diced Tomatoes. Don’t drain these, the juices add flavor.
How to make this recipe
Scroll for Recipe
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Step 1 Soak your dried bean mix overnight. Discard the seasoning packet – we won’t need this!
- Step 2 Add the remaining ingredients to a crock pot, and add the soaked beans in the morning (discard the soaking water).
- Step 3 Cook for 8-10 hours. Beans are tender, vegetables are soft but not mushy.
- Step 4 Devour!!
Love soup recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup – perfect for feeding the family, and your soul! Enjoy this delicious, rich and flavorful version of a classic.
- Lentil Soup – great as a starter to a main, or as a main itself, this nutritious soup sticks to your ribs and satisfies!
- Butternut Squash Soup (with apple) – my all-time favorite soup, it’s healthy AND low-fat!
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup – hearty and warming with just the right amount of spice, blended with cheese, topped off with jalapenos, cilantro, and crispy tortilla strips.
- Tuscan White Bean Soup. A cozy, veggie-packed Tuscan white bean soup made with simple pantry staples and big on flavor – perfect for busy weeknights or lazy Sundays.
- ALL SOUP RECIPES
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15 Bean Soup (Crockpot)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 20 ounces 15 bean blend picked over and rinsed
- 1 medium onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 4 carrots sliced into rounds (approx. 2 cups)
- 4 stalks celery chopped (approx. 1 cup)
- 1 smoked ham bone
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper coarsely ground
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Add the 20 ounces 15 bean blend to a large bowl or pot, and cover with 8 cups of water. Leave overnight. Discard the soaking water.
- Combine 1 medium onion (diced), 6 cloves garlic (minded), 4 carrots (sliced into rounds), 4 stalks celery (chopped), 1 teaspoon cracked pepper, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 6 cups chicken stock, and 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes in slow cooker. Add in the 1 smoked ham bone too.
- Add beans to slow cooker, mix well, and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
- Remove ham bone and bay leaves from soup, discard.
- Devour.
Notes
- What are the beans in 15 Bean Soup Mix? Whew!! There are a lot! The brand I buy contains northern, pinto, large lima, blackeye, garbanzo, baby lima, green split, kidney, cranberry, small white, pink, small red, yellow split, lentil, navy, white kidney, black, yellow eye.
- What is a mirepoix? It’s the combination of carrots, onion, and celery. Carrots, onion and celery form the basis of many soups. The “Holy Trinity” is onions, celery and bell peppers.
- Is 15 bean soup good for you? Well, yes – but that honestly depends on your diet and nutrition goals. I’ve listed the nutrition under the recipe card, but briefly – bean soup is a great source of protein, and is high in fiber.
- Can I make this ahead? YES! I like to put all the ingredients except for the ham bone and beans in a slow cooker, pop the lid on and put it in the fridge. Add the ham bone and soaked beans in the morning. Easy!
- I don’t have a ham bone – what can I use instead? Some chopped ham steaks, leftover ham, anything you can find! I do love the flavor of a leftover ham bone (from Easter, perhaps), but have been known to sub in a smoked ham hock that I’ve gotten from the butcher.
- Can this crock pot soup be frozen after cooking? Absolutely. It does exceptionally well when stored correctly. I portion it into pints, and freeze for up to 6 months. Whatever you are using – make sure to leave a little room at the top as things expand when frozen! To eat – just thaw in the refrigerator and then cook in the microwave until piping hot. Alternatively, you can store in zipper bags, and lay it flat in the freezer! It takes a lot less time to thaw, but you will need to then transfer to a saucepan for stove-top reheating, or a microwave safe bowl.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
I grew up eating beans at home & hated them bcuz I thought it was bcuz we were poor so I said to myself I would never have to eat beans when I grow up! But now I’ve learned that beans really are healthy. I made this recipe for my bf & he killed the whole thing, minus the cup he allowed me to have. My grocery didn’t have ham hocks so I used a smoked cottage butt. So delicious!
As somebody who always tosses the packets in these mixes, I’m always on the lookout for another recipe that doesn’t use them. This one has gone in with my “tried and true”, as my spouse and I really like it. I followed the recipe exactly the first time I made it, as I do with every new recipe, but I do stray every now and again based on what I have around. We rarely have a ham bone in the house, except after Easter, so I throw a ham hock in instead. If no ham hocks are in the freezer, I will use ham broth instead of chicken, and throw in diced ham the last hour or two of cooking so that it retains its flavor and texture. I also love to add fresh sliced mushrooms to this recipe! It adds a little something extra, but isn’t necessary. I like to serve with fresh parsley on top, along with crusty bread (and butter), and a large salad! A great recipe that cooks in your slow cooker all day, allowing you to catch up on things you need to get done around the house, any time of year!
My family rejected this one. The combo of soy sauce and bay leaves made an unpleasant taste. My family loves the recipe on the package of the 15 bean soup so this was just a bit out of our comfort zone. Next time I’d just leave the soy sauce out. There was plenty of flavor from the chicken broth.