This slow cooker 3-ingredient ham and beans is exactly the kind of budget-stretching comfort food my grandma used to make when the pantry was looking a little bare. It’s the definition of simple: just dried beans, a meaty ham bone or leftover ham, and water. Somehow those three ingredients turn into the creamiest, coziest bowl of soup—thick, cloudy broth, tender white beans, and savory pink chunks of ham. It’s the kind of recipe you toss together before work and come home to a house that smells like you’ve been cooking all day, even though the slow cooker did all the heavy lifting.
Ladle the ham and beans into big bowls and serve with crusty bread, cornbread, or buttered toast to soak up the thick broth. A simple green salad or steamed vegetables on the side helps balance the richness. If you like a little kick, add black pepper
Ingredients
1 pound dried great northern beans, rinsed and picked over
1 meaty ham bone or 2 to 3 cups chopped leftover cooked ham
8 cups water
Directions
Rinse the dried great northern beans under cool running water and pick out any broken beans or debris. No need to soak them first unless you prefer a softer texture or shorter cook time.
Place the rinsed beans in the bottom of a large slow cooker (at least 5 to 6 quarts). Spread them out in an even layer.
Nestle the meaty ham bone into the center of the beans, or scatter the chopped leftover ham evenly over the top. Make sure there are plenty of ham pieces or a bone with some meat still attached for the best flavor.
Pour the water over the beans and ham, making sure everything is mostly submerged. The liquid will look clear now, but it will turn cloudy and creamy as the beans cook down and release their starch.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours, until the beans are very tender and the broth has thickened into a creamy, slightly cloudy soup.
If using a ham bone, carefully remove it to a plate once the beans are done. Let it cool slightly, then pull off any remaining meat, chop it into bite-size pieces, and return the meat to the slow cooker. Discard the bone and any large pieces of fat.
Stir the soup well to combine the tender beans and ham, lightly mashing some of the beans against the side of the slow cooker with the back of a spoon to thicken the broth even more, if you like.
Taste the soup. The ham usually adds plenty of salt on its own, so you may not need to add any. If desired, season individual bowls with black pepper at the table. Serve hot, straight from the slow cooker.
Variations & Tips
If you want to keep the spirit of the 3-ingredient recipe but tweak it a bit, you have options. For extra creaminess, use 7 cups of water and 1 cup of milk or cream in place of one cup of the water, adding the dairy during the last hour of cooking so it doesn’t curdle. You can also swap great northern beans for navy beans or cannellini beans if that’s what you have in the pantry. If your ham is very lean, consider using a ham hock or smoked shank instead of (or in addition to) a ham bone to deepen the flavor and richness of the broth. To stretch the soup even further for a tight budget, serve it over cooked rice or with plenty of bread; you’ll get more meals without adding more ingredients. For meal prep, cook a batch on Sunday, let it cool, then portion into airtight containers for lunches—this soup thickens as it chills and reheats beautifully on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen it. If you prefer a smoother texture, use a potato masher to gently mash more of the beans right in the slow cooker until the broth is as thick and creamy as you like.