Yes, I said it. The “K” word. KALE. But please, don’t run screaming away! You KNOW kale is good for you. And you may think it’s a bitter pill (or leaf) to swallow, but wilted in soup it’s absolutely delicious. In fact, you won’t even taste it! This soup is the perfect way to enjoy one of the healthiest leafy greens out there, since cooking is one of the ways you can take the bitterness out of bitter greens. (There are other ways too, such as soaking them or massaging them, like in this massaged kale salad). If you really, REALLY don’t like kale, fear not. You can easily substitute spinach or some other leafy green in this soup. Have you ever heard of 15 bean soup before? In the dried beans section of your grocery store, you will find a pack of beans that is labeled “15 Bean Soup Mix.” Or it might be “16 bean soup mix” or “13 bean soup mix.” The numbers don’t really matter- you can use this recipe with any of them. 15 bean soup mixes include a combination of TONS of legumes, that may include pinto beans, red beans, pink beans, kidney beans, northern beans, small and big lima beans, white beans, black beans, black eyed peas, chickpeas, peas, split peas (yellow and green), lentils, and sometimes even pearl barley. Phew! That’s a lot of beans… and a TON of nutrients! Add the kale and you have a nutritional powerhouse that simply cannot be beat. Some 15 bean soup mixes may come with a flavoring packet. You can just toss it for this recipe- it’s likely packed with preservatives and artificial flavoring, anyway. Traditionally, 15 bean soup is made with ham and chicken broth. I used both, with kale as an added bonus. It’s a great way to use up leftover ham (or ham bone) from the holidays you may have hanging around, but you can also use a cut up ham steak from your deli or meat department. I recommend using smoked ham for this, as it will lend a smoky flavor throughout the soup. Yum. Alternatively, you can easily make this soup vegetarian/vegan by omitting the ham and using vegetable broth instead. If you do this, I recommend adding a little bit of smoked paprika to get that smoky taste you’ll be missing without the ham. The BEST thing about this slow cooker 15 bean soup is that it cooks all day in your crockpot. It can cook for about 10 hours on low, so it’s great for a long work day. I used to work 10 hour days before I became a full-time blogger, and I always struggled with slow cooker recipes since they usually only took 6-8 hours. This one was always perfect. But you can also cook it for 4-6 hours on high if you’re in a crunch for time! This is a classic dump-everything-all-at-once-in-the-crockpot recipe. There aren’t any multiple steps, aside from adding a little fresh parsley in at the very end. All you have to do to prep is make sure you pre-soak the beans in salted water (which will help with lessening the indigestion beans are well-known to create and help flavor them) overnight and rinse them well just before adding them to the slow cooker. Chop some carrots, onion, and celery, and throw it all in your slow cooker with the beans, ham, kale, and broth. Season with salt and pepper, cook, and serve! Add some parsley at the end if you want. As an added bonus, this 15 bean soup freezes extremely well for a future meal (and this recipe makes a ton!). If you like this Slow Cooker 15 Bean Soup with Ham and Kale, you’ll love this Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup, this Instant Pot Split Pea Soup (slow cooker friendly), this Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea Soup (also slow cooker friendly), and this Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup with Curry and Ginger. Hope you enjoy this cozy, inexpensive, delicious, and nutrient-packed meal!
