“Amish Snow Day Soup” that aligns with your love for simple, hearty slow cooker meals. This is a rustic, pantry-friendly soup designed to simmer all day while you stay cozy inside.
Amish Snow Day Soup (Slow Cooker)
This isn’t a single canonical recipe, but rather a concept built around resourcefulness—using humble, long-lasting ingredients to create a deeply satisfying and warming meal. Think of it as the soup equivalent of your Amish noodles: minimal prep, maximum comfort.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours on LOW
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
-
1 lb dried great northern beans (or navy beans), rinsed and picked over (no soaking needed for the slow cooker method)
-
1 smoked ham hock (or 2 cups diced leftover ham)
-
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
-
2 celery ribs, diced
-
1 medium onion, diced
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
-
2 cups water
-
1 bay leaf
-
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
-
Salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, to taste (wait until the end to add salt)
-
Optional, for extra heartiness: 1 cup uncooked small pasta (like ditalini) or 2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes added in the last hour of cooking.
Instructions
-
Assemble the Base: Place the rinsed dried beans in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Nestle the smoked ham hock in the center, then add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic around it.
-
Add Liquids & Seasonings: Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add the bay leaf and dried thyme. Do not add any salt at this point, as the ham hock and broth will release salt as they cook.
-
Slow Cook for the Day: Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, or until the beans are perfectly tender and creamy. The long, gentle simmer is what builds the flavor, making your house smell incredible all day.
-
Shred the Meat: Carefully remove the ham hock to a cutting board. Discard the skin, fat, and bone. Shred the tender meat and stir it back into the soup. Remove the bay leaf.
-
Finish and Season: Give the soup a good stir. For a naturally creamier texture, you can mash some of the beans against the side of the slow cooker with a spoon. Now, taste the soup and season with salt (you may not need much) and a very generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
-
Serve: Ladle into big bowls. This soup is perfect with a thick slice of buttered homemade or crusty bread for dunking.
Tips for a True Snow Day Soup
-
The Aroma is the Point: The scent of a ham hock and thyme simmering for hours is as comforting as the soup itself. This is the quintessential snow day experience.
-
A Creamier Soup, Without Cream: The method of mashing some of the beans directly in the pot releases their starches and creates a velvety, creamy broth that feels incredibly rich without any dairy.
-
“Rivel” Option: In true Amish fashion, if you want to skip the pasta/potatoes, you can add simple dumplings. In the last 30 minutes on HIGH, drop in “rivels” made by mixing 1 cup flour, 1 beaten egg, and a pinch of salt until crumbly.
-
Leftover Magic: This soup is even better the next day. It will thicken considerably in the fridge, becoming almost a stew. Thin it with a little water or broth when reheating, or enjoy it thick over a slice of toast.
This soup is a hug in a bowl. Let me know if you need a good no-knead bread recipe to go with it.