Crockpot ham, green beans and potatoes is a very quick meal to put together and is so hearty and delicious.
This nourishing dish is all you need for a satisfying meal the whole family will enjoy, adding a side salad and bread if you wish. Or you can make it as a side dish to go with other side dishes such as veggies or salad.
The flavors meld together perfectly, blending ham with herbs and seasonings that are unique but not weird - a little bit of cinnamon and cloves just works with the ham to bring out the best flavor.
💖 Why You'll Love This Recipe
This green beans, potatoes, and ham dish is so easy to love because of the unique mix of flavors. A touch of cinnamon and cloves brings out the natural flavors of the ham and takes it up a notch, making it "company worthy." The addition of the thyme pairs nicely with the green beans without overpowering.
- Easy - This is your typical dump-and-forget recipe, which makes it super easy for busy families to whip together and forget for a few hours. Just dump the ingredients and set your timer for 3-4 hours so you can check the doneness of the veggies.
- Hearty - So filling and satisfying, this recipe is a complete meal in itself, yet it's unique enough with the
- Simple Ingredients - All the ingredients in this recipe are very simple and easy to acquire - green beans, potatoes, ham, and various ordinary spices combine to create a not-so-ordinaryily delicious dinner for you and your family!
🥘 Ingredients
What You'll Need:
- 36 ounces of fresh or frozen green beans
- 3 cups water
- 1-2 pounds pork or ham hock (or 2 cups of leftover cooked ham pieces)
- 4 large thin-skinned potatoes, yellow or red (or a mixture), cut into bite-size chunks (1-½ to 2 pounds)
- Thyme (dry or fresh)
- garlic and onion powder
- salt and black pepper
- ground cloves and cinnamon
- drizzle of oil
(See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and printable instructions)
🔪 Instructions
Making Ham, Potatoes & Green Beans in the Crockpot:
- I like to add the ham hock to the bottom of the crock pot first, then pour in the green beans and potato chunks.
- Next, you will add the thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cloves, and cinnamon. Mix together thoroughly, and then drizzle with a bit of oil (1-2 tablespoons) before covering with the lid.
- I cooked my green beans, ham, and potatoes on high in the Crockpot for 4 hours, but you can cook on low for 5-6 hours instead. Note - This all depends on whether you'll be home or not and how quickly you need it to be done.
- Once the green beans and potatoes are cooked, you will remove the ham hock from the slow cooker and let it cool a bit before dicing up the ham.
- Turn the crock pot on the warm setting while cooling and cutting up the ham pieces. Add the ham pieces back in and serve.
(Scroll down for printable recipe card.)
💡 Tips
- Don't cut the potatoes too large, or they will have a hard time getting done when everything else is ready. I like to go for 1 inch pieces or smaller.
- Don't overcook, as the green beans will turn to mush. You do want the potatoes to get done, though. I found that my potatoes were perfect after 4 hours on high, and the green beans had held up nicely.
📖 Substitutions
Green Beans: Fresh green beans are always best, but frozen green beans are a close second, in my opinion, as they are typically frozen quickly after picking, which helps to maintain flavor and nutrition. If you absolutely must use canned green beans, add them near the end of your cook time, as they are already cooked, and you don't want them becoming mushy by overcooking.
Ham: I have used a ham, or pork, hock, which is a pork bone with a nice amount of ham meat attached. If you don't know what to look for, ask the butcher at your favorite store to help you out. This meat on the bone adds lots of flavor to your green beans and potatoes while they're cooking.
Another option is to use chunks of cooked ham. This is a great option if you trying to use up leftover ham from Christmas or Easter or any other occasion where large hams take center stage.
Bacon and bacon fat are other options to add flavor.
Seasonings: I used garlic and onion powders, but you could use dry chopped onion and/or garlic instead. You can also use fresh, but I would chop both pretty fine in order for the flavors to spread out more evenly.
If you don't have thyme, you can substitute oregano, parsley, marjoram, or an Italian seasoning blend. Just make sure if your seasoning mix has salt in it that you cut back on the salt you are adding to the recipe.
🧐 FAQs
I recommend you utilize a ham hock in this recipe, as the bone will produce extra flavor. However, you can certainly use leftover ham if that's what you have on hand. Simply mix in 2 cups of cooked, cut up ham in place of the ham hock.
It's best to use fresh green beans if you have them, but frozen green beans are a close second. Don't use canned green beans, however, as they are already cooked and will go to mush by the end of the cook time. If, however, all you have are canned green beans, then you could add canned, drained green beans during the last 30 minutes of the cook time just to heat them up.
The first time you make this recipe, keep an eye on it about an hour close to finish so you can make sure the green beans and potatoes are not overcooking (according to how you like them). If you're cooking on high, for example, start checking on it about 3 hours in. If cooking on low, I found that my green beans were done at 5 hours, so you make want to start checking on your food at about 4 hours into the cook time.
If you don't have thyme, you can substitute oregano, marjoram, parsley, or an Italian seasoning blend.
You could make this ahead of time, but this recipe has a time saving element to it already since it is prepared in the slow cooker. If you make it ahead of time - for example, you plan to take it to a covered dish or potluck meal away from your home - I would plan to undercook it slightly, so you can reheat it without it overcooking.
I would keep the recipe at room temperature no longer than a few hours in order to prevent bacteria growth.
I used the powders for convenience, plus I believe they offer a greater flavor punch. You can certainly use fresh garlic and onion if you wish - I would make sure to mince finely and stir in thoroughly to enhance the flavor of the recipe.
🫙 Storing & Reheating
If you have leftovers, they can be safely stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze this meal up to 3 months for best quality.
When reheating, make sure not to overcook, since the beans will already be done and you don't want them to end up mushy. You may need to add a bit of liquid when reheating. I will typically add up to 1 cup of water or broth.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Serve your Crockpot green beans and potatoes with crusty bread or your bread of choice. I recommend serving with my Southern Butter Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits, or Southern Skillet Cornbread.
A side salad would also be a nice option. Try my Mediterranean Cucumber Salad or Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad.
🍲 More One-Pot Recipes
Chicken Divan Crockpot Recipe
Slow Cooker Goulash
Southern Homemade Chili
Tuna and Rice Casserole
Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Recipe
Crockpot Green Beans and Potatoes with Ham
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork hock (also called ham hock) (or 2 cups cooked ham chunks)
- 36 ounces green beans , fresh or frozen (in bite-size pieces)
- 3 cups water
- 4 large potatoes , yellow or red, skin on, cut in bite-size chunks
- 1 tablespoon thyme , dry
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt , more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- oil , just a drizzle (about 1-2 Tablespoons)
Instructions
- Add the ham hock (or ham chunks) to the bottom of the crock pot, then pour in the green beans, water, and potato chunks. Don't cut the potatoes too large, or they will have a hard time getting done when everything else is ready. I like to go for 1 inch or smaller.
- Next, you will add the thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cloves, and cinnamon. Mix together thoroughly, and then drizzle with a bit of oil (1-2 tablespoons) before covering.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. This all depends on whether you'll be home or not and how quickly you need it to be done. Don't overcook, as the green beans will turn to mush. You do want the potatoes to get done, though.
- Once the green beans and potatoes are cooked, you will remove the ham hock and let it cool a bit before dicing up the ham. Turn the crockpot on the warm setting while cooling and cutting up the ham pieces. Add the ham pieces back in and serve.
Notes
- Best to use fresh or frozen green beans. Don't use canned.
- Best to use pork hock, but can use 2 cups of cut up cooked ham if you don't have a hock.
- If you don't have thyme, you can substitute with oregano, parsley, marjoram, or an Italian seasoning blend. Take note if seasoning blend has salt, as you will want to cut back on the salt you add to the recipe.
Cheryl
Please may ask what size crockpot did you use??? Thank You
Sally
Thanks for your question, Cheryl. Mine is a bigger one, but it wasn't completely full. I think mine is a 7 quart.
Florence
Love this. Thinking of trying it with chicken too.
Sally
Thanks Florence! I think making it with chicken would be delicious!
Patrick
I dont have fresh green beans. Can I substitute for canned?
I just don't want them to become mushy. If canned us ok to use, should I wait to add them?
Sally
Thanks for your question, Patrick. Canned beans aren't recommended, as they will become mushy if used during the whole cook time. If you don't have fresh, frozen is the next best option. If you must use canned, add them during the last 30 minutes of the cook time just to heat them up. Hope they turn out wonderful for you!
Cindy
I was hesitant to try this recipe, due to the cinnamon and cloves, but I persevered after reading the comments. However, this was a fail for me. The spices over powered the natural flavors of the ham and green beans. I guess I am too much of a purist when it comes to this dish.
Sally
I'm sorry to hear that, Cindy. Thank you for your feedback!
lori Sanders
I made this today as a Thanksgiving side dish. I had fresh string been from the garden that I froze over the summer. I substituted Cajun andouille sausage for the ham. WOW!! The flavors are amazing. I cooked it on low and it was done in 5.hours. This is definitely my go to recipe. The cinnamon and cloves take this recipe to 2.0.
Sally
So glad, Lori! Thanks for letting me know! Just to clarify - Did you like the cinnamon and cloves or not? It's not clear to me what you mean by 2.0 (positive or negative).
Jacqueline Meldrum
I've been using my slow cooker a lot too recently. This is completely different from anything I've tried in it so far.
Sally
Yes indeed! We love it here, Jacqueline!
Dannii
Now this is my kind of comfort food, and even better that it has veggies in it.
Sally
Totally agree, Dannii!
Nart at Cooking with Nart
This is is so flavorful. I love anything with cloves. So delicious!
Sally
Yes, the cloves really add a nice touch of flavor! Thanks Nart!
Sara
What a wonderful hearty dish packed with flavour. This is definately one I will be using this year to use up the rest of my Christmas ham.
Sally
It is delicious! Thanks Sara!
Susan Vogel
The tablespoon of THYNE was just too much. I did not like the taste at all.
Sally
I appreciate your feedback, Susan. I will take it into consideration with future updates of the recipe.
Erin
I just made this recipe using leftover ham from Christmas. Considering it was my first time making this dish, it was pretty darn good. Only gave it four stars bc there should be a note that if you use frozen green beans, you don’t need to add 3 cups water….perhaps 2 or 2 1/2 cups? I’m not one who loves to cook so perhaps the above is obvious for more advanced home chefs. I used frozen green beans so should have decreased the 3 cups water bc it is a bit watery. I’ll have to try this again after we make our Easter ham, so will post an update then. Thank you for the recipe!
Sally
Thanks for the feedback, Erin! I will make a note of the excess water when using frozen beans - good call!
Tracy Newman
This dish was a staple for me growing up (minus the thyme and cinnamon), and it was always served with quite a bit of liquid, almost like a soup. We would add a little apple cider vinegar to our bowl, which took it to the next level.
Sally
Great suggestion, Tracy! Thanks for commenting!
Emily
These green beans and potatoes are so delicious! I love that you can make them in the crockpot, and they pair great with roasted chicken!
Sally
Thanks Emily! Yes, they are delicious!
Jacqueline Meldrum
I don't use my crockpot enough and I've never added green beans. I must try that seasoning too.
Sally
Love my crockpot, Jacqueline! Give it a go!
Adrianne
This crockpot beans and ham looks like a great easy dinner recipe! Slow Cooker recipes are right up my alley so I can't wait to give your recipe a go, yum!! Will make it one night this week.
Sally
Thanks Adrianne! Hope you love it like we do!
Dannii
Now this is my kind of comfort food. Anything with potatoes is good with me.
Sally
I agree Dannii!
Kylie Archer
Such a perfect weeknight dinner! I love things like this, and the flavours are amazing!
Sally
Thanks Kylie!
Alexandra
Yum! What a tasty dish - the perfect side. Love the combination and that it is done in the slow cooker!
Sally
Thanks Alexandra! We love it too!