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A yummy slow cooked 15 Bean Soup recipe, packed with flavor and goodness – this meal is a great one to set and forget!
Nothing beats a slow cooked meal that cooks all day, and fills your home with the delicious aroma of this 15 Bean Soup! Just 4 steps, which are mainly hands off – and you’ll have a delicious, nutritious meal ready for dinner.
15 Bean Soup Recipe
Recently, The Husband and I were talking about how food/smells can evoke memories, and we started talking things we ate as children. I wondered which dishes our children would love about growing up with, and what recipes their future wives would be asking ME for!
When I asked if there was anything he particularly loved that his mother made, and he said: “some kind of bean soup, with every bean you can think of… she put it in a crock pot, and I think there was ham involved”… I knew I had to try and find a way to recreate this 15 bean soup for him.
I regularly make this recipe whenever I have a ham bone, but I sub smoked ham steaks, or make it vegetarian if I have to!
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!
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.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and quantities 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
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.
- African Peanut Soup. This yummy soup is really rich, warmly flavored – it tastes like… nothing else on earth! Peanutty, curry-y, deliciousness!
- Avgolemono Soup (from Country Living)
- ALL SOUP RECIPES
If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on Kylee Cooks, leave a comment and rating – I truly love to hear from you!
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15 Bean Soup (Crockpot)
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 20 oz 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 tsp cracked pepper (coarsely ground)
- 2 tsp dried thyme ( )
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup soy sauce ( )
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
Directions
- Add beans to a large bowl or pot, and cover with 8 cups of water. Leave overnight. Discard the soaking water.
- Combine onion, garlic, carrots, celery, black pepper, thyme, bay leaf, soy sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes in slow cooker. Add the hambone in 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.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
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.
Kara says
I only have white beans on hand. Do you think the soy sauce (tamari) would still taste ok?
Kylee says
I think it will taste just fine.
Richard says
Amazing flavor. Didn’t use smoked ham hocks. Wanted to reduce salt. The flavor was amazing
Natalie says
I made this bc it relatively high reviews. However, if I’m honest, it lacked depth of flavor for me, personally.
I feel it’s missing something, even though I made it exactly as specified (as I always do the 1st time & before u review anything).
I’ve seen other recipes which add chili powder & paprika, so perhaps maybe I’ll add some of each if I make this again.
Thank you posting the recipe to try.
Natalie says
I’m making this tomorrow. Sp you discard the flavor packet, or use it in addition to the other seasonings? TIA
Kylee says
I discard the packet
Kandy says
My sister made this for my brother-in-law and he loves it. I don’t have any pictures for I don’t know how to put them on my computer. I just changed a couple things in it. We couldn’t find a ham hock so as you suggested she used ham steak. Second, he’s not strong on garlic so she just used a little garlic powder and she used thyme leaves, crushed. As I rated it he gave it a five out of five. Thanks for the recipe, Kandy
Cindy Guenette says
This is the best soup ever! I have made it 3 times now and everyone loves it. Kudos to the creator of this recipe. We love it so much.
Ardys says
Thank you for this. I had to make it with diced fennel bulb instead of onion because I can’t eat onion. And I live in Australia and have never seen 15 bean mix here, but I can buy 5 bean mix. I made it with homemade chicken stock and a ham hock and it was delicious. Making it for guests this weekend, and adding homemade cornbread to the menu. Thanks again.
Jan Forbes says
Made this yesterday. It is awesome. Even got a really positive reaction from the super fussy eater in my household. Thank you so much for the inspiration
Jan Forbes says
This is in my crockpot for tonights dinner.
Having friends over and this will be great.
Thanks
kerry says
any suggestions on how to make it thicker or creamier? can I /should I puree up some of the beans after done cooking? Or what’s another good suggestions?
Kylee says
Yes, pureeing some of the beans would thicken this nicely.
Michael says
Very good! The soy adds depth. I added chopped kale for more greens. To serve, I added a few dashes of tobacco, though I bet lemon juice or red wine vinegar would be tasty too. I also tried a dollop of fermented chili paste (gochujang) which was delicious!
Tuba player says
Would like to make this vegetarian and omit the chicken broth. I don’t like vegetable broth. Has anyone used tomato juice?