Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup

There is something comforting about a slow cooker soup that fills your kitchen with rich, savory aromas all day long and this Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup is exactly that. With a mix of 15 beans, hearty veggies and warm spices this is the perfect comforting, protein packed soup your family will love. For the best texture and flavor, I suggest soaking your beans overnight before using them. Once everything is in the crockpot the soup will simmer away easily and with minimal clean-up. You might also remember my Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup that I shared recently in case you would prefer to make in the pressure cooker.

This makes a great meal-prep soup that you can make on the weekend for the week ahead and freeze for later. I like to garnish this soup with fresh Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and oyster crackers. If you like bean soups you also might like this Pinto Bean Soup, Tuscan Bean Soup, Navy Bean Soup Recipe or this Mediterranean White Bean Soup.

• 15 Bean Soup Mix: You can find a 15 bean soup mix bag near the dried beans or canned beans section in the grocery store (I use the Hurst’s dried 15 bean soup mix). Sometimes it might say 16 bean soup mix which is fine too! I throw out the seasoning packet and use my own spices to control the additives and salt. For this recipe I soaked the beans overnight. If you prefer to not soak you will just need to adjust the liquid in the recipe.
• Vegetables: I added onion, carrots, celery and red bell pepper to this soup. You can use other vegetables like zucchini, green beans, broccoli or cauliflower also. It is a great soup for lots of veggies. You also could add in canned or frozen veggies. It is a great clean out the fridge, pantry or freezer kind of soup.
• Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce adds a sweetness to the soup. You could also use leftover homemade spaghetti sauce if you have any on hand.
• Tomatoes: I used a can of diced tomatoes. Don’t drain them because the juice the tomatoes are in helps the bean soup with flavor and extra juice to cook the beans in. You could use fire roasted diced tomatoes for that smoky flavor.
• Spices: I added a variety of spices to this soup to add a depth of flavor. I find if this soup doesn’t have enough spice in it the soup can be bland. I added turmeric, paprika, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, basil, thyme or cayenne red pepper.

Recipe Tip: I pre-soaked the beans overnight. I find it helps my stomach to be able to handle the beans better. Soaking helps to reduce the amount of indigestible sugars that cause gas and bloating. If you prefer to not soak the beans you will need to add an extra cup of broth to the crockpot.

Recipe Variations

• Vegetables: add other veggies like broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, zucchini or poblanos. Make sure to dice your veggies into a uniform size so they cook evenly.
• Spices: add additional spices like Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, curry or coriander.
• Greens: spinach, kale or swiss chard makes a great green to add. You can stir it in a the end of cooking and let them wilt.
• Herbs: stir in fresh herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, dill or cilantro.
• Heat: if you like heat in your soup you could stir in hot sauce, crushed red pepper or add chopped jalapeños.

What Beans are in a 15 Bean Soup Mix?

The hurst’s beans mix that I use contains 15 of these bean varieties: northern beans, pinto beans, large lima beans, yellow eye, garbanzo beans, baby lima beans, green split pea, kidney beans, cranberry beans, small white beans, pink beans, small red beans, yellow split peas, lentils, navy beans, white kidney beans, black beans.

How to Make this Crockpot 15 Bean Soup

Step 1: Prepare Beans: Pick through your beans to remove any small stones or any debris. Rinse beans with cold water.

Step 2: Soak Beans: Place the beans in a large pot or bowl and cover with at least 8 cups of fresh water (or enough water to cover them by about 2-3 inches), ensuring there is enough room for them to double in size. Soak the beans to soak for a at least 8 hours, or overnight, at room temperature. Drain the beans and rinse again with cold water.

Step 3: Add Ingredients to Crockpot: Add the beans to the slow cooker along with all the other soup ingredients. Stir well. Cook on high for 4 hours or until the beans are tender. 

Step 4: Puree Half of Soup: If you want your soup to be creamier, use a hand held immersion blender to puree a portion of the soup. This will thicken the soup but isn’t necessary. Garnish the soup with crackers, Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and crushed red pepper. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

• Store the leftover soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat you can heat on the stove or you can microwave.
• You also can freeze this soup. Make sure to completely cool it off before you store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• To reheat you can heat in the microwave or on the stove.