Easy Slow Cooker Green Beans And Ham Recipe

When dinnertime rolls around, it helps to have an easy recipe full of great flavor.

This easy slow cooker green beans and ham recipe is one of my favorite ways to feed my family a belly full of comfort food.

With delicious smoked ham, this fresh green bean recipe rises to the occasion for Thanksgiving dinner, the holiday season, Easter, as well as weeknight dinners.

An Easy Recipe

In this super easy recipe, there’s so much flavor from the ham, and since it’s made in your slow cooker, it’s a no-fuss dish that is fit for any large gathering. 

The ham and green beans turn out so tender and flavorful.

DISCLAIMER: This post is sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association. As always, the opinions are honest and are all my own. 

Delight Your Whole Family With This Southern Green Beans Recipe

Add a little Southern style to your holiday meals. These tender green beans are a snap, literally! With fresh beans added in rather than canned green beans, it makes all the difference.

It’s great for weeknight meals, too, something you’ll love to come home to.

You can serve it with your favorite potato recipe using new potatoes or red potatoes. Or grab one of my other recipes to keep that southern vibe going throughout the whole meal. 

I love adding ham to so many dishes. Not only does it make a wonderful difference in flavor, but it also makes a difference for our country by helping U.S. farmers and their families.

And, as the granddaughter of a farmer, I love to help out and support other farmers in any way I can.

Did you know that when you buy pork it supports those farmers in Iowa and around the country? The pork you buy at the grocery store is raised right here in the States, and a third of it is raised in Iowa.

So you’re money is going back to helping others in your community.

Plus, these farmers help youth with programs such as Future Farmers Of America, youth contests, and the association offers scholarships, too, for a brighter future.

Helping local farms helps our economy, and if I can help by eating more pork, that makes things even easier!

Pork Is A Great Source Of Nutrients

One of the things I like about pork is that it’s a great source of protein. So, if you’re looking for ways to up your protein intake, this is not only a great way to do it but also a delicious way.

When you’re eating green beans and ham it’s low in carbs, and you can feel good about getting plenty of nutrients, including iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B12.

Pork Is A Versatile Meal

After I made this recipe, I had some leftover ham and made ham and potatoes au gratin for the next night. Or, you can slice some for a sandwich, add to a skillet meal, or cook it on the grill.

There are endless ways to make pork a part of your meal plans.

Ingredients For Slow Cooker Green Beans And Ham

• Fresh green beans
• Classic smoked ham, fully cooked
• Diced onions
• Salt and black pepper
• Chicken broth
• Water

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

This simple dish comes together with just a handful of ingredients. You’ll need boneless smoked ham. I choose smoky ham because it adds such great flavor.

How To Slow Cook Fresh Green Beans for a Perfect, Easy Dish

Once you’ve gathered everything, you basically put it all in your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Talk about simple! 

1. Rinse and snap the green beans in half. Add them to the slow cooker.
2. Add the diced onions to the slow cooker.
3. Next, slice the ham into cubes and add to the cooker.
4. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the ingredients.
5. Pour the chicken broth and water into the slow cooker. Make sure the green beans are covered in liquid.
6. Place the lid on the cooker and cook for four hours on high or eight hours on low.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Start by adding the green beans to a slow cooker.

I sprayed the cooker with some nonstick cooking spray before starting.

For the green beans, I chose the fresh kind and snapped them in half. 

Next, add the diced onions to the slow cooker.

For this recipe, I used white onions, but you can also use yellow onion or red onion to give it a little bit of a different flavor.

Slice the ham into cubes and add to the cooker.

Sprinkle the salt and black pepper over the top.

Pour the chicken broth and water into the slow cooker. Make sure the green beans are covered with liquid so they will get soft and tender.

Give everything a stir, making sure the green beans are under the liquid, and place the lid on the top. Cook on low for eight hours.

If you want to shorten your cooking time, you can cook on high for four hours.

I like to cook the dinner for eight hours because it gives the flavors more time to marinate, and it turns out so tender.

Because the ham is precooked and has been cooking in the slow cooker for eight hours, you will not need to check the temperature.

Optional Ingredients

• Red pepper flakes to make it spicy.
• Cut and cubed potatoes.
• Minced garlic cloves for a different flavor.
• Crispy bacon to sprinkle on top when serving.
• Yellow or red onions.
• French-style green beans.
• Worcestershire sauce or red wine vinegar to add some punch to the flavors.

How To Store The Green Beans And Ham Dinner

Store the green beans and ham dinner in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This Southern classic slow cooker green beans and ham recipe is going to delight everyone, even the picky eater in your family.

More Delicious Pork Dinners

• Ham and potato casserole
• Slow cooker ranch pork chops
• Sausage bake with hash browns
• Crock Pot sausage and peppers
• Slow cooker pork shoulder
• Kielbasa and sauerkraut from Plowing Through Life

I love this recipe because it has ingredients you can easily find at your local grocery store. And because it tastes amazing without you having to do anything except dump it all in the slow cooker. 

Don’t forget; it’s perfect for everyday meals or holidays as special as Christmas dinner.