Slow Cooker Black Bean and Ham Soup
What do you do with black beans? Make soup, of course! This rich, thick bowl of Slow Cooker Black Bean and Ham Soup is so comforting. I put black beans in the slow-cooker and simmered them for 6 hours with onion, celery, carrots and a ham bone. Then, I removed the bone and added some spices and a cubed, sweet potato. It couldn’t be easier or more delicious. Serve the soup with homemade tortilla chips, sour cream and slices of avocado. A flavor combination that can’t be beat!
Homemade tortilla chips are easy to make and a great way to add some crunch to the top of this hearty bowl of soup. You can also serve the soup topped with sour cream, avocado slices, chopped fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon or lime.
How to make Homemade Tortilla Chips?
Cut flour tortillas into triangles or 3-inch strips and lay them on a sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray. Broil the tortilla strips for 3-4 minutes in 400 degree oven. Watch them and turn them if needed, so they don’t become too brown. Remove the tortilla strips from the oven and sprinkle with salt. Allow to cool and serve with the soup.
Black Bean and Ham Soup Recipe
What’s needed?
- 2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and drained
- 6 cups of water
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into cubes
- salt to taste
Toppings:
- avocado slices
- lemon wedges
- sour cream
- homemade tortilla chips
How to make Black Bean and Ham Soup?
- Place the first 7 ingredients in a slow-cooker. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high.
- Remove the ham from the slow-cooker and remove the meat from the bone and return it to soup. Add the garlic powder, chili powder, green pepper, and chicken stock. Cook for 1 hour more.
- While the soup is cooking, boil the cubed sweet potato in a medium saucepan for about 10 minutes over medium high heat. I do this on the stove instead of adding it to the soup to cook, so that the sweet potato retains its orange color. You will see that all other veggies cooked with the black beans will turn black as well.
- Remove the bay leaves from the slow-cooker. Carefully use an immersion blender to blend some of the beans on the bottom of the slow-cooker. A few short blasts with the hand-blender will do the trick. Make sure the blender is completely submerged so you don’t splash hot soup out of the slow-cooker. Try to leave some beans whole. If you do not have an immersion blender, remove about 3 cups of the soup to a regular blender and puree it before adding it back to the slow-cooker. This helps to thicken the soup and gives it a smoother texture.
- Add the cooked sweet potato and stir all to combine. Salt again to taste. Serve the soup in bowls topped with sour cream, avocado slices, chopped fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon or lime.
This recipe makes 6 hearty servings of Black Bean and Ham Soup. Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Are Black Beans healthy?
Black beans are high in protein and the ham bone gives the beans a wonderful flavor, while the sweet potato adds a slight sweetness and texture to the soup. And the squeeze of lemon is a must to finish it off, giving the soup a touch of acid to balance the rich beans and sweet potato.
You could serve this soup over rice to make it even more hearty. Enjoy the soup and be sure to check out the ‘Soups and Stews’ page under the LUNCH tab in the menu at the top for more great recipes.
Slow-Cooker Black Bean and Ham Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and drained
- 6 cups water
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into cubes
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the first 7 ingredients in a slow-cooker. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high.
- Remove the ham from the slow-cooker and remove the meat from the bone and return it to soup. Add the garlic powder, chili powder, green pepper, and chicken stock. Cook for 1 hour more.
- While the soup is cooking, boil the cubed sweet potato in a medium saucepan for about 10 minutes over medium high heat. I do this on the stove instead of adding it to the soup to cook, so that the sweet potato retains its orange color. You will see that all other veggies cooked with the black beans will turn black as well.
- Remove the bay leaves from the slow-cooker. Carefully use an immersion blender to blend some of the beans on the bottom of the slow-cooker. A few short blasts with the hand-blender will do the trick. Make sure the blender is completely submerged so you don’t splash hot soup out of the slow-cooker. Try to leave some beans whole. If you do not have an immersion blender, remove about 3 cups of the soup to a regular blender and puree it before adding it back to the slow-cooker. This helps to thicken the soup and gives it a smoother texture.
- Add the cooked sweet potato and stir all to combine. Salt again to taste. Serve the soup in bowls topped with sour cream, avocado slices, chopped fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lemon or lime.
Equipment
- 1 slow-cooker, 4 quarts or larger