Easy Crockpot Ham, Potatoes, and Green Beans Recipe

This crockpot ham, potatoes, and green beans recipe is what I am craving whenever I need a simple, hearty dinner. It gives you the taste of a Sunday roast without requiring several hours in the kitchen. It is a hug in a bowl for your entire family.

With everything cooking in the slow cooker all day, you can prepare this dish shortly after breakfast. When you sit down to eat, the ham is falling apart and the veggies are steeped in savory broth. You will only need minimal prep time, freeing you to relax after a long day.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

You will enjoy the savory, hearty texture of this recipe. As the ham cooks in the slow cooker, it mixes with baby potatoes that soak up the flavorful broth and get nice and soft. The green beans add a nice pop of color and texture to balance out the tender potatoes.

When you are too tired to clean a bunch of pots and pans, this is the ideal recipe. You just put everything into the crockpot and let it do its thing. It is a great option when you want some comfort food on a weeknight, but don’t want a huge mess.

The Ingredients

You will need leftover ham, baby yellow potatoes, green beans, chicken broth, diced onion, fresh minced garlic, dried thyme, fresh parsley, and black pepper to make this easy slow cooker meal.

Leftover Ham

If you have some leftover ham, that is a great option for this recipe as it adds a smoky, salty flavor to the dish. Cut the ham into big chunks to give it plenty of surface area for absorbing the broth and hold up well during the cooking process. A thick ham steak works well as a substitute if you don’t have any leftovers.

Baby Yellow Potatoes

Baby yellow potatoes are perfect for this recipe since they retain their shape and cook to a buttery softness. There’s no need to peel the potatoes before adding them to the crockpot. Just wash them and add them to the pot. Russet potatoes work in this recipe, too. Peel them and cut them into large pieces to avoid them getting too soft.

Fresh Green Beans

The fresh green beans give some color and texture to the dish; they have to go on the top of the ham and potatoes to maintain their crispness. If you have frozen whole green beans, you can also add them directly from the freezer, just chop off the ends first!

How to Make It

It only takes a few minutes to make this dump-and-go slow cooker dinner!

Prepare the Veggies

Wash the baby potatoes and cut the ends off the fresh green beans. Chop the yellow onion and mince the fresh garlic.

Layer the Pot

Put the potatoes into the slow cooker insert that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Put the ham, onions, and garlic on top of the potatoes.

Add the Broth

Pour the broth over the ham and potatoes and sprinkle with pepper. The broth will cook the veggies and make a light gravy.

Top with Beans

Put the green beans on top of the ham layer to keep them from getting mushy. This way, the beans will steam instead of boiling in the broth.

Slow Cook

Cook the ingredients in the covered crockpot on LOW for 6-7 hours or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

My Best Tips for Success

Be sure to cut your ham into thick chunks because if you make them too small, they’ll dissolve in the broth after cooking for 7 hours. You want the big chunks so you get nice big bites of ham in your meal.

Don’t put the green beans down in the liquid at the bottom of the slow cooker! Leave them on top of the ham and potatoes so they don’t boil in the liquid. They’ll still get cooked from the steam, but they’ll stay bright green and not fall apart.

If you have a very salty ham, consider using low sodium broth to start with. The ham will release quite a bit of salt as it cooks, seasoning the potatoes nicely. Just taste the liquid when the meal is done, and add salt if necessary.

Storage and Reheating

• To Store: Cool the leftover meal and transfer it, including the broth, to an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for up to 4 days.
• To Freeze: I would advise against freezing this meal because the potatoes and green beans will turn to mush once thawed.
• To Reheat: Gently reheat leftovers in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through. Pour a ladleful of broth over the top to keep it from drying out.

What to Serve with This Meal

• Warm buttery cornbread, which helps sop up all that delicious savory smoky broth.
• A basic green salad with a tangy dressing.
• Hot flaky homemade biscuits.
• Applesauce, which provides a touch of sweet and savory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook this on high?

Yes, you can cook this meal on high for about 3-4 hours, just be sure the potatoes are fully fork-tender before serving.

Can I use canned green beans?

For the very best results, stick with fresh or frozen beans. Canned green beans are very soft and will likely turn into complete mush if you cook them in the crockpot all day.

Do I need to add more liquid?

Nope! That’s all you need. The veggies will release their natural juices as they cook, leaving you with the perfect amount of savory broth (without ending up with soup).