4.88 from 111 votes

Crockpot Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes

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Crockpot Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes, um, YUM!!! Fresh Green beans with ham and potatoes are one of the most hearty, filling, and delicious side dishes.

Complementary to just about every main dish dinner menu, the ease of dropping all ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot makes this one recipe that you cannot mess up.

Crockpot Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes in a white bowl ready to serve up as a side dish

Why You Will Love Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes

Now a lot of ham, green beans, and potato side dishes use canned or frozen green beans, and it is always a last-minute option, but the biggest issue is that when you slow cook a veggie and start with it cooked (as is the case for frozen and canned veggies), you run the risk of overcooked or soggy veggies.

Personally, grabbing a bag of fresh green beans is totally worth it, which makes this a great homemade side that everyone will enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 1lb. fresh green beans, washed and ends snipped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cups cubed ham
  • 10 yellow potatoes, washed and quartered
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • Water (as needed)

Note about Salt: Anytime you cook with ham and chicken broth, you can guarantee a slightly salty dish. This recipe does not call for EXTRA salt because chicken broth HAS salt, and it’s easier to add salt than take it away. If you would like to add additional salt at the end, start with 1 teaspoon before serving. 

If you use broth with NO salt, you will likely have to add it, but I very rarely see that.

Bacon or Ham?

This dish is also compatible with bacon instead of ham.

To adapt, just fry up your bacon to optimal crispiness with your onion and then add it in place of the ham. This changes the dish to bacon, green beans, and potatoes, but it’s pretty tasty.

The ham is just a bit more hearty. If you do use bacon, make sure you take heed of that salt warning because bacon has plenty of salt content.

More Fresh Green Bean Recipes

Often, when I buy fresh green beans, I have a lot of extras.

The ones I buy in bags come with snipped ends (which I love) but are usually two pounds. If you buy a lot of green beans too and need some extra recipes so you don’t waste them, try one of these other green bean side dishes.

Yellow or Red Potatoes?

I realize that potatoes can be a very personal choice; in this case, I used and enjoy yellow potatoes. But this dish is also great with blush and baby red potatoes (without skin removed).

  • Red or Blush Potatoes– lower calories than yellows, creamy taste (this is my favorite potato) – great for soups, side dishes, firmer
  • Yellow Potatoes – Also called ‘Yukon gold” – As with all potatoes, a good source of anti-oxidant, has the most iron. All-purpose potato.
  • Russet potatoes – I have never made this dish with russets, but it should be fine. The russet potato has a classic taste, like mashed potatoes, but do not leave the skin on if you go this route. Russet skin is not as tasty as yellow.
yellow yukon potatoes quartered and being dumped into crock pot

How to make Crockpot Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes

Place fresh green beans in a slow cooker and pour your chicken broth over the top.

If your green beans are not covered completely or nearly completely under broth, add water until they are.

This will ensure proper cooking and give you plenty of broth for your potatoes.

fresh green beans in a slow cooker with broth being covered

Add diced onion and cubed ham.

ABOUT HAM: 

This recipe is GREAT to use up leftover holiday Thanksgiving or Christmas ham and to serve in the days following a big holiday meal. That being said, if you want to cook this AS part of the holiday meal and haven’t used up your ham yet, then you can buy precooked ham right near your meats in your department store.

You can get ham already pre-sliced or pre-cubed!

This is how I do ham in meals year-round without getting all fancy.

cut up onions and cooked ham

Cover your slow cooker and heat on high for 2 hours.

Add all of your quartered yellow potatoes and seasonings and heat for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.

The length of time will depend on how small you cut those potatoes, so make sure you keep them even. It’s better to cut them slightly smaller than slightly larger.

slow cooker green beans, ham, and potatoes in a liquid

COOKING NOTE: If the liquid has burned off too much, you can add a little bit of extra broth; it won’t change the meal. That being said, the potatoes do not need to be completely submerged to cook.

Once the potatoes are tender, everything is done and ready to serve.

Side Dish serves 4-6

Ready to serve ham potatoes and green beans for a holiday side dish

I love to hear your feedback, so if you have a way you create this dish in YOUR house that worked great (or didn’t!). I do often go back and update my recipes based on suggestions as well as alterations for larger meals and more.

Your comments are important to me and read!

4.88 from 111 votes

Crockpot Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes


Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Crockpot Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes, um, YUM!!! Fresh Green beans with ham and potatoes is one of the best hearty, filling, and delicious side dishes. Complimentary to just about every main dish dinner menu, the ease of dropping all ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot make this one recipe that you cannot mess up. Simple one pot family friendly dish.

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb fresh green beans washed and ends snipped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 cups cubed ham
  • 10 yellow potatoes washed and quartered
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • water as needed

Instructions

  • Place fresh green beans in a slow cooker and pour your chicken broth over the top. 
  • If your green beans are not covered completely or nearly completely under broth, add water until they are.
  • This will ensure proper cooking as well as give you plenty of broth for your potatoes. 
  • Add diced onion and cubed up ham. 
  • Cover your slow cooker and heat on high for 2 hours.
  • Now add all of your quartered yellow potatoes and seasonings and heat for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.

Notes

NOTES: Please see full article for notes about substituting bacon and potatoes as well as information on salt content in this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 781mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g

Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.

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4.88 from 111 votes
Crockpot Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes is a hearty homemade side dish, so filling and PERFECT for holiday menus #sidedish #greenbeans #potatoes #ham #leftoverham #recipes #slowcooker #crockpot
4.88 from 111 votes (105 ratings without comment)

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19 Comments

  1. This was so good, I will be making it again! The only ingredient I didn’t add was onion, only because I am the only one in the family that likes them. Next time I will add more ham. I highly recommend trying this recipe!

  2. What is the best ham to use in this recipe?

    1. Trisha Haas says:

      I purchase precooked and cubed ham that comes in bags at the store. They are a perfect size. Usually, you can find them in the deli meat section of the store.

  3. Made this today as directed. It has been cooking for three hours and nothing is dine – beans, onions and potatoes still essentially raw. So now I’m looking frantically for something to serve for dinner!

    1. Trisha Haas says:

      Kathy, if your crockpot has beans/broth/onions for 2 hours on high, its impossible that they are raw. Now on the potatoes, the only thing I can think that would prevent them cooking is that you didn’t quarter them. If all of it is still stiff, there is definitely something wrong with your crockpot. If all the food is properly cut and covered, I would absolutely be seeing what is going on with your appliance.

  4. I have had fresh green beans from the farmers market cooking in my crockpot for almost 3 hours now. Added the potatoes at the 2 hour mark. Everything is still not cooked. Now Everything is going on 5 hours. I believe you have your timing messed up or you are using an insta pot instead of a crockpot. You should not post incorrect recipes.

    1. Trisha Haas says:

      Respectfully, this recipe isn’t incorrect. First, I don’t use an instapot. On occasion, I use a Ninja Foodi pressure cooker but that is clearly marked when we do so. If your potatoes are not cooked in 2 hours, they are not cut small enough. As you can clearly see in the image and in the instructions, we quarter the potatoes. That means the small yellow potatoes are done in 4 parts, which makes them pretty easy to cook. Occasionally, potatoes need a little longer but that doesnt happen often. And if the green beans are not done in 5 hours, honestly, something is wrong with your crockpot. This recipe has over 100 ratings without anyone having 5 hours of cooking and nothing cooked…so, and I mean this in all nicety, this is on your end. I cant imagine in any world green beans and potatoes wouldnt be done in that long unless a crockpot wasnt turned on.

      Trisha

    2. kathy Vorse says:

      Maybe some people had crock pot set to warm and if it was, no cook

  5. Hi Is it possible to cook on low while at work? If so, what is the cook time for this? Thank you

    1. Trisha Haas says:

      Typically that is not an issue but the one thing you wont be able to do is add potatoes at a later time. That means if you put it all in at once, you risk the potatoes being fall apart soft. Personally I dont find that an issue, but some may. WIthout experimenting, its hard to give you an exact time. What I would do (This is personally, not tested) is cut my small potatoes in halves instead of quarters so they take longer to cook and then leave on low for 6-8 hours during work. If small enough, maybe even leave hole, just poke some holes into them (not the large ones, but the itty bitty ones).

  6. Catherine says:

    I was really hopeful about this recipe. With it getting the excellent reviews, i figured it would be a no brainer. For those complaining that your food isnt cooked here is some advice, maybe pick a new hobby, honestly. Cooking anything on high for 3 hours isnt going to be raw and its ridiculous to blame the recipe for your incompetence. As for the actual dish, everything is timed perfectly and the food is all at the perfect texture, doneness, however i am finding the flavors really bland. And its weird to me that the blandness is uniform throughout all of the items added. I added a few herbs and some red pepper flake and its better, but i think the damage is done. Probably not making this one again.

    1. Trisha Haas says:

      Catherine, thank you for the comment and feedback. I do find that when you cook in a slow cooker w/ lots of liquid, some of the spices really get into the liquid and less on the actual potatoes or vegetables. Its hard to control the spices in some ways – but maybe some additional out of pot seasoning would work for your tastebuds. Thank you so much for trying it!

  7. Ron Bollinger says:

    Ham Hocks are by far the meat to use, with thick cut bacon, & black eyed peas & everything else you mentioned in your recipe… Other than I loop up onions & garlic instead of the powder…
    Very good recipe though…

  8. I loved it. Hubby, not so much.

  9. Is the carb nutritional count correct? Seventy grams sounds extreme.

    1. Trisha Haas says:

      It may not be. This isnt a calculation that I do. Its pulled automatically from the recipe card as sort of a courtesy but its not always right. That is why I make sure it says please check your own apps. I would say carbmanager does a good job.

  10. Jason Fessel says:

    Well I was like MANY of the other and fell for the 3hr cook time in the crock pot, knowing full well this was a mistake. 100% this recipe is incorrect on the time for a crock pot. Luckily, I have an instant pot and was able to save this within the 3 and half hour mark. Fresh garden green beans, after being in a crock pot, on high for 2hrs, tasted just as crunchy as they did when 1st put in. I’m not sure what special crock pot you use but I’d love for you to post a picture of that. Anyway, I added so many more seasonings and a jalapeño just to help out this fairly bland recipe. Hope others have much better luck.

    1. Trisha Haas says:

      The full time is 3 hours as they cook an additional hour when you add the potatoes. I have had no issues and make this every thanksgiving. I use a Hamilton Beach crockpot. The only thing I can think of is that the green beans local to me are smaller than some areas. While the comments are typically people with reciepe trouble, the overall recipe rating from regular people testing has been hgih so there are just as many people without issues. Obviously its not my goal to ever have anyone with an issue with a recipe but its hard to account for all changes in size of food per area. Perhaps doubling the time and instead cooking on low would be better for some. I will have someone out of the area I know test it this year again.

  11. Susan Ditursi says:

    I have made this recipe several times and it’s my go-to recipe for green beans, when I make them. The recipe is made exactly as written and I have always had my beans, potatoes and ham cooked through, using the 3 hour time frame. I like the seasonings that are used, also.