Old Fashioned Ham and Beans Slow Cooker Recipe

This ham and beans slow cooker recipe (aka soup beans if you’re from Appalachia like me) is the epitome of warm and cozy comfort food. 

Beans are a staple in many cultures for good reason – they pack a punch nutritionally, are budget friendly, versatile, and oh so delicious.

Using leftover ham, this recipe is a great way to stretch your grocery budget! 

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Ham and Beans Slow Cooker (Or Pressure Cooker) Recipe

I grew up in Eastern Kentucky and it’s safe to say I have eaten my fair share of soup beans, which is what my family calls ham and beans. 

Fun fact: both of my grandmothers (Granny and Mamaw) were named Betty and they both LOVED making ham and beans. 

As with many Appalachian and Southern women, they loved to show their family love through making delicious food. At some point, I told them both that I loved their beans and for a LONG time every time I visited either of them they’d make them for me.

They were delicious but I eventually got SO tired of them that I didn’t eat them for years.

I’m back on a bean kick now and love making these any time I have leftover ham at home.

If you don’t have ham on hand, they’re almost always on sale around the holidays. That’s a perfect time to stock up and portion them out in the freezer for soups and soup beans like these. Otherwise you can buy country ham or ham steaks to use in this recipe. 

WHY THIS SOUTHERN STYLE HAM AND BEANS SLOW COOKER RECIPE WORKS 

• Budget Friendly: Beans are touted as a budget friendly staple for a reason. They’re SUCH an affordable protein option. Pair them with leftover ham and you’ve got a meal that costs pennies per serving. 
• Minimal ingredients: With only beans, ham, and seasonings, you can keep the ingredients on hand at any time. Freeze leftover ham or buy it on sale and portion it in the freezer for future use. 
• Easy: The process of making this recipe is SO simple. Simply soak the beans overnight then add them to the slow cooker along with the ham and seasonings to cook. 
• Hands off in a slow cooker or pressure cooker: Perfect for those busy weeknight meals when you just don’t have time to be hanging out by the stove. Toss the ham and beans in the slow cooker in the AM and dinner is ready to go when you get home.

INGREDIENTS IN CROCKPOT HAM AND BEANS:

• Dried beans: I like Pinto beans or a mix of white beans and pinto beans.
• Ham: My family typically uses country ham for this recipe. It’s saltier than most ham so adjust your salt amounts accordingly. You can also use leftover spiral ham after the holidays or ham steaks. You can also omit the ham and add vegetables such as carrots, celery and onions to make this a vegetarian bean soup. 
• Water or broth: enough to cover beans in crockpot or pressure cooker by 1-2”
• Seasonings of choice: I like to keep it simple with just salt and pepper but you can flavor these with any herbs and spices you choose. Garlic and onion is great or I like to make them Mexican style with chili powder and cumin as well. 

HOW TO COOK OLD FASHIONED HAM AND BEANS IN THE CROCKPOT:

1. Sort dried beans and look for any rocks or other objects that should be removed. 
2. Rinse then add beans to a large bowl and cover with water to soak.
3. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Drain and rinse beans in the AM.
5. Add beans and ham to a crockpot and cover with water.
6. Add any seasonings aside from the salt. Your beans will be tough if you cook them with salt. Add it at the end!
7. Cook on low for 8 hours.
8. Optional: Puree a small portion of the beans and add them back to the crockpot to thicken. 

HOW TO COOK OLD FASHIONED HAM AND BEANS IN THE PRESSURE COOKER:

1. Sort dried beans and look for any rocks or other matter that should be removed. 
2. Rinse then add beans to a large bowl and cover with water to soak.
3. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Drain and rinse beans in the AM.
5. Add beans and ham to a pressure cooker and cover with water.
6. Add any seasonings aside from the salt. Your beans will be tough if you cook them with salt. Add it at the end!
7. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes then allow natural release for 15 minutes.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

• Cornbread
• Biscuits
• Meatloaf
• Fried Chicken
• Mashed Potatoes
• Turnip Greens

STORAGE

Allow beans to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. 

To freeze, allow beans to cool and portion into Ziplock freezer bags. Beans should last for up to 5 months in the freezer. 

FAQ

Do beans need to be soaked before slow cooking?

It is preferable to soak beans before cooking as the process removes starches that cause gassiness. It also takes longer to cook beans that aren’t soaked. They’ll eventually cook but it can take much longer! 

Will beans get mushy in the slow cooker? 

Cooking beans in a slow cooker on low typically prevents them from getting mushy. I presume they COULD get mushy if you leave them on for an extended period of time but I’ve never had that issue. 

Is it better to soak beans quickly or overnight?

This is all about preference and your timing needs. I prefer to soak the beans overnight because I can just put them in a bowl with some water before heading to bed. Then, in the morning, I drain, rinse, and add to the crockpot. 

If you do a quick soak, you’ll need additional time in the morning to bring the beans to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Then you’ll remove them from the heat, cover with a lid, and soak for at least an hour. 

My mornings are hectic so the quick soak method just doesn’t work at our house.

Does soaking beans reduce gas? 

Apparently, yes! I honestly never knew if this was true so I did a little research. According to The Bean Institute (who even knew that was a thing????), soaking beans DOES help reduce gassiness. Here’s what they have to say about it. 

How much water do you put in beans? 

The typical rule of thumb is to use 3 cups of water per one cup of beans when cooking them on the stovetop. This means you would use 10 cups of water for a one pound bag of dried beans. However, I typically use around 5-6 cups when I cook beans in my crockpot. 

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