How to Make 15-Bean and Bacon Soup in the Crock Pot

This is my kind of comfort food. Simple ingredients. Hearty flavor. Easy to make while you go live your life.

I’ve been making this 15-bean soup recipe for 20 years. My mom made it before me, so it has been a favorite for a long time. It’s a total original recipe kind of dish. No frills. Just a warm cup of hot soup waiting for you after a busy day. It is one of those cheap, hearty, healthy slow cooker recipes that I go back to all the time. 

What You’ll Need for This Simple Soup with Dried Beans

This is a five-ingredient crock pot recipe. Seriously. That’s it.
• 1 bag of 15 Bean Soup (I use the Hurst’s HamBeens® brand – yes, HamBeens with a capital H and B!)
• 8 cups of water or broth (vegetable broth, chicken broth, or even chicken stock)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 4 slices of fried bacon, crumbled
• Optional: splash of lemon juice, bay leaf, or leftover bacon grease
• Add the ham flavoring packet from the beans during the last 30 minutes of cooking

If you don’t have bacon, you can use a ham hock instead. Or try great northern beans if you’re out of the 15 bean mix. Freeze the leftover ham bone to flavor another soup later on. 

The HamBeens bag contains a flavor packet that you will want to add in during the last 30 minutes of cooking. 

How to Make This Delicious 15-Bean Soup on a Cold Winter Day

Step 1: Rinse the 15 bean soup mix. You don’t have to soak it overnight.

Step 2: Add the beans, 8 cups of water, chopped onion, diced tomatoes with green chilies, taco seasoning packet, and the crumbled bacon to your slow cooker.

Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Go run your errands. Go to work. Clean your house. This is hands-off.

Step 4: Stir once or twice if you’re home. Just keep an eye on the cooking time toward the end. If it’s getting too thick, add a splash more water.

Step 5: During the last 30 minutes, open the bean bag’s ham flavoring packet and stir it in. This brings it all together.

That’s it. Dinner is done.

Serving Ideas

Scoop a big ladle into a bowl. Pair it with cornbread, a crusty roll, or just eat it plain. It’s good either way.

The beans are soft. The broth is rich. The seasoning packet gives it a kick, and the crumbled bacon adds that smoky edge. Want to boost the flavor? Add a spoonful of the bacon grease you saved from frying.

This makes a hearty soup that keeps you full and warm—especially on a cold winter night.

Storing and Reheating

This makes a big batch. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4–5 days.

Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a bit of water or broth if it thickens up too much. The flavors just get better by the next day.

You can also freeze it. Let it cool, ladle into containers, and pop them in the freezer. Just thaw and reheat when you need a quick slow cooker bean dinner.

Time to Be a Doer

This is a classic. It’s a delicious soup that doesn’t ask much of you. Just a little prep, a handful of pantry staples, and your trusty slow cooker.

It’s the perfect dinner for a busy day. One you’ll make again and again.

Save it. Print it. Share it with a friend. And next time you’re craving a bowl of bacon soup with bold, cozy flavor—this is the one.