There’s nothing better than a warm, comforting bowl of soup, and this 15 Bean Soup recipe is a game-changer for busy home cooks. Packed with protein, fiber, and rich flavors, this soup is not only delicious but also incredibly easy on the wallet. Whether you’re looking for a hearty meal to feed a crowd or a simple way to meal prep for the week, this slow cooker soup checks all the boxes.
Why This Recipe Works
- Budget-Friendly – 15 bean soup mix is affordable and stretches to multiple servings.
- Easy to Make – Just toss the ingredients into the slow cooker and let it do the work.
- Nutritious & Filling – Beans are packed with fiber, protein, and essential nutrients.
- Great for Meal Prep – This soup stores and reheats well, making it perfect for leftovers.
- Customizable – You can switch up ingredients based on what you have on hand.
What is in a 15 bean soup mix?
You can find bean soup mixes where ever your local grocery store stocks dried beans. Typically these mixes are sold in a bag with a seasoning packet. You might see 10 bean, 12 bean or 15 bean soup mixes on the shelf. These are the most common bean mixes.
Here’s some of the bean varieties that are found in Hurst’s HamBeens bean soup mix: great northern beans, pinto beans, large lima, yellow eye, garbanzo, baby lima, green split, kidney, cranberry, small white beans, pink, small red, yellow split peas, lentil, navy beans, white kidney, black bean.
Grab a bag or two and keep them on hand for easy soup making.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe. You don’t have to make your own ham bone broth for this recipe. You can use a store bought ham broth or bouillon base to make the soup. Check out the ingredient swaps below.
Ingredients for 15 Bean Soup With Ham
15 bean soup mix – you’ll need a 20 ounce 15 bean soup mix for this recipe or similar dry beans mixture found in your local stores.
Onion – You’ll need a small onion for making the broth and a medium onion for the finished soup.
Carrots – use sliced, whole carrots or shredded carrots. For this recipe I had some sliced carrots that I used for making the broth and some whole carrots that I diced for the finished soup.
Celery – you’ll need several stalks of celery for the broth as well as some for the finished soup.
Diced Tomatoes – use a 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes.
Leftover Ham Bone – to make the ham broth you can use a leftover ham bone or swap it out for a store bought smoked ham hocks or about 1 ½ cups diced ham.
Seasonings – you’ll want to use garlic powder, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, salt and black pepper.
Don’t have a ham bone or want to make homemade ham broth? Then swap out the ham bone and additional vegetables for making the broth (onion, carrots and celery) for 8 cups of store bought ham broth. You’ll still want onion, carrots and celery for the finished soup.
How to make 15 Bean Soup
Prep the Beans – Rinse the beans thoroughly and remove any debris. Soaking overnight is optional but can help with digestion.
Make the broth: If making homemade ham broth, place the ham bone, some of the onion, carrots and celery into the slow cooker along with the bay leaves.
Add 1 to 2 quarts of water or however much water is needed to fill your slow cooker up leaving about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of space at the top.
Cook on high for 8 to 10 hours. Strain solids from the broth. Add salt and pepper to taste and the broth is ready to be used to make this delicious 15 Bean Soup.
To make the soup:
Shred the Ham (If using) – If you added a ham bone or a smoked ham hock, remove it after cooking and shred the meat.
Add the diced onions, carrots and celery to the crockpot. Mix in the ham meat as well as the diced tomatoes, beans and seasonings. If using a bean soup mix that also includes a ham flavor packet add that into the soup.
Set the slow cooker to LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours or until the beans are soft and tender.
Ingredient Swaps & Variations
Vegetarian/Vegan – Skip the ham broth and added ham and use vegetable broth or vegetable stock.
Spicy Version – Add diced jalapeño, a teaspoon of red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper..
Protein Options – Add in smoked sausage, andouille sausage, shredded chicken, or bacon for a different flavor.
More Veggies – Add carrots, bell peppers, spinach or collard greens for extra nutrients.
Creamier Texture – Blend a portion of the soup and mix back in before serving to create a creamier texture.
Leftover Storage & Reheating
Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Warm in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if needed to thin it out.
This Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup is the perfect meal for anyone looking for an easy, nourishing, and budget-friendly dish. With minimal effort and maximum flavor, it’s a staple recipe that will keep you warm and satisfied all season long. Try it out and customize it to your taste. Serve it up with some crusty bread or sliced of cornbread for a filling meal.
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15 Bean Soup Recipe (with ham, in the Slow Cooker)
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
For Ham Broth:
- 1 Ham Bone or ham hock
- 1 small Onion
- 1 carrot shredded or diced
- 2 stalks celery cut into 4 pieces
- 8 cups water
For Soup:
- 1 medium Onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons parsley
- 2 teaspoons Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 8 cups Ham broth
- 8 ounces Ham from the ham bone
- 20 ounces 15 Bean Soup Mix
Instructions
Make the broth:
- Add the ham bone, onion, celery, carrots and seasonings into the slow cooker. Add water and cook on high for 8 to 10 hours.1 Ham Bone, 1 small Onion, 2 stalks celery, 8 cups water, 1 carrot
- Strain out solids and use broth to make the 15 bean soup.
To make soup:
- Add the diced onions, carrots and celery to the crockpot. Mix in the ham meat as well as the diced tomatoes, beans and seasonings. If using a bean soup mix that also includes a seasoning add that as well.1 medium Onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks celery, 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes, 3 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons parsley, 2 teaspoons Thyme, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 8 cups Ham broth, 8 ounces Ham, 20 ounces 15 Bean Soup Mix
- Set the slow cooker to LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours or until the beans are soft and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.Salt and Pepper to taste
Nutrition
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