Throw raw chopped green beans in the pot and 4 other ingredients to get a hearty meal so delicious your family will be begging for more.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker ham and green beans is the kind of weeknight dinner I lean on when work runs late and the kids are starving. You literally throw raw chopped green beans into the slow cooker, add just four more basic ingredients, and let it do its thing. By the time you’re ready for dinner, the beans are tender, the ham is perfectly salty and smoky, and the broth is rich and cozy—like something your grandma might have made, but with almost no effort.

Serve this ham and green bean mixture in a bowl with plenty of the flavorful broth. It’s especially good ladled over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered egg noodles to soak up all the juices. Add a simple side salad or some sliced fresh tomatoes to brighten things up, and if you have time, warm rolls or cornbread on the side make it feel like a full Sunday-style dinner, even if it’s a rushed Tuesday night.

5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Ham and Green Beans

Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed and chopped into 1–2 inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds ham (ham steak, leftover ham, or ham hocks), cut into bite-size pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (or to taste)

Directions

Place the raw chopped green beans in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. This should look like a full bed of green beans covering the base of the crock.

Scatter the chopped onion evenly over the green beans so the flavor can cook down into the vegetables.

Add the ham pieces on top of the onions and green beans, spreading them out so every scoop later gets a good mix of ham and veggies.

Pour the chicken broth over everything in the slow cooker. The liquid should mostly cover the green beans; it’s okay if a few are peeking out.

Sprinkle the seasoned salt over the top. Give everything a gentle stir in the slow cooker to combine the ham, green beans, onion, broth, and seasoning without disturbing the green beans too much from the bottom layer.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the green beans are very tender and the ham is heated through and flavorful.

Once cooked, taste the broth and beans, and adjust with a little more seasoned salt if needed. If you want a slightly thicker, richer broth, remove the lid and let it cook on HIGH for another 15–20 minutes.

Serve the ham and green beans hot, making sure to spoon some of the savory broth into each bowl. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the flavors get even better the next day.


Variations & Tips

For a smokier flavor, use smoked ham hocks or a smoked ham shank in place of the chopped ham, then pull the meat off the bone before serving. If you like a little heat, add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes along with the seasoned salt. To make it heartier without adding more ingredients, serve the mixture over leftover mashed potatoes or rice—this stretches the meal and makes it extra comforting. If you need to prep ahead, chop the green beans, onion, and ham the night before and store them in separate containers in the fridge; in the morning, just dump everything into the slow cooker, add broth and seasoning, and turn it on. For a slightly lighter version, use lean ham and skim off any excess fat from the top of the broth before serving. You can also swap the seasoned salt for a mix of 3/4 teaspoon regular salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder if that’s what you have on hand.