Looking for a hearty and refreshing meal idea for the coldest months of the year? Why not put your slow cooker to work for you and prepare one of these delicious and comforting recipes for bean soup?

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound of dried split peas
• 1 ham bone (save the bone in your freezer the next time you cook a ham for this purpose!)
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 8 cups of water
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions

Rinse the split peas and place them in your slow cooker. Dice the carrot, celery, and onion and add them to the peas. Place the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and allow to simmer on low for between 8 and 10 hours. Remove the bay leaf. Remove the ham bone; dice any meat on the bone and place in the soup. Stir and serve.

Slow Cooker Great Northern Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound of dried Great Northern beans
• 1 ham bone (save the bone in your freezer the next time you cook a ham for this purpose!)
• 2 carrots
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 medium onion
• 1 small bell pepper
• 1 can of diced or crushed tomatoes (15 ½ ounces)
• 8 cups of water
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the Great Northern beans and place them in your slow cooker. Dice the carrots, celery, onion, and bell pepper. Place the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker, including the juice from the tomatoes. Cover and simmer on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Remove the bay leaf. Remove the ham bone; dice the meat left on the bone and place in the soup. Stir and serve.

Slow Cooker Navy Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound of dried navy beans
• 1 ham bone (save the bone in your freezer the next time you cook a ham for this purpose!)
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 8 cups of water
• 1 chicken bullion cube
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the navy beans and place them in your slow cooker. Dice the onion and add to the beans.  Place the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on your appliance's low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Remove the bay leaf. Remove the ham bone; dice the meat left on the bone and place in the soup. Stir and serve.