Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes

Sharing is caring!

Whether you have fresh or leftover ham, you might want a solid recipe that you and your family can enjoy, which is totally understandable. So, I’m here to give you just that. I know a magician should never share their secrets, but how could I keep this from you all?

I’d say the thing I love most about this way of preparing ham, green beans, and potatoes is how quick it is. All you need is a few basic ingredients and a crock pot, and you’re good to go!

For those of you who may be wondering if a slow cooker is a good alternative, that would be a resounding yes for this recipe! Ham is a staple in so many of our lives and kitchens, so it’s always nice to freshen things up and enjoy the many flavors it can be a part of.

Full disclosure, this is totally a comfort food for me. As always, if you want to make more than I do, don’t let me be the one to stop you! Just remember that you’ll need to multiply the quantity of the ingredients across the board unless you want things to come out seriously wrong.

What Are the Ingredients?

Alright, let’s dive into the ingredients. These are the kind of things you either already have laying around at home or can make a quick trip to your grocery store to grab them!

Breaking Down the Ingredients a Bit

Now that you know what the ingredient lineup looks like, let’s break them down a little bit to ensure you understand the significance of each one in the recipe.

Ham

This is a ham recipe, after all, so the whole thing kind of falls apart without this. Nevertheless, it also gives a level of saltiness and uniquely intense flavor to the green beans. If you want a more authentic southern style with the green beans, you can opt for smoked ham. For me? Diced ham tends to be the way to go.

Nevertheless, if you have ham hocks and a ham bone, feel free to use them!

Olive Oil

You probably already guessed this bit when you saw the ingredient lineup but I don’t wanna leave any of you in the dark. If you’re gonna sauté the diced onion and the garlic, then you’ll need oil. You’ll also need it to serve as the base for the recipe.

I just went for olive oil since it’s on the healthier side of the fence. However, if you prefer to go the canola oil or vegetable oil route, knock yourself out!

Seasoning Salt

In my kitchen, I always preach efficiency. Why do you think I’m suggesting leftover ham in the recipe? Seasoning salt works so well because your ham, green beans, and potatoes get seasoned well with a single thing.

Onion

How could we not add diced onion to this dish? You can already see that there are quite a few flavors on display here, so we don’t necessarily want another strong one. To that end, perhaps you want to try going the white onion route.

White onion is a bit more mellow and sweet, and it’s pretty mild. However, if yellow onions are what you have and you wish to use them, then go right ahead!

Fresh Green Beans

This is another of the staples of the ham, green beans, and potatoes recipe. Technically speaking, you can go for fresh green beans or frozen green beans, and either will be just as effective in the recipe.

However, I must advise against using canned green beans. This isn’t even one of those, “if you have it, use it” kinda scenarios. Canned green beans will get mushy when you boil them and we aren’t out here trying to make bean soup.

Ensure that you clean your green beans before you use them!

Chicken Broth

Your chicken stock is flavorful and it’s pretty handy for breaking down the green beans and potatoes during the simmering elements of things. If you want to use vegetable stock or bouillon cubes instead, they work quite fine!

Garlic

It goes well with onions and it also gives that amazing garlicky flavor to your green beans.

Crushed Red Pepper

The spice that the red pepper brings is one thing. However, it also gives you warmth and brightness. If you prefer a less spicy taste for your green beans, then you don’t have to use this, but remember it’s a small amount, so it won’t make that much of a difference.

Red Potatoes

Though I suggest red potatoes, you can technically use any kind of potatoes you wish. The thing about red potatoes, though, is that their flavor is subtly sweet and their waxiness means that they can absorb seasoning pretty well.

Additionally, you can find them very easily year-round, so why not make things even easier than they already are?

Why This Is a Great Recipe

Yes, I know there may be a bit of bias here since this is a recipe I love so much but I think you will enjoy it just as much, if not more than I do. Here are just a few of the reasons why:

• It’s a comfort food, which means it tastes great, and it happens to be one of the healthier ones. We all know some of those comfort foods we have are things we should probably steer well clear of. You can make air fryer green beans if you want to go the ultra healthy direction!
• The recipe is pretty adaptable. In the ingredient breakdown above, you’ll notice that I gave quite a few indicators that you can substitute one ingredient for the next. The ability to change things up to suit what you have available is always a plus.
• After you made your ham, green beans, and potatoes and had your fill, it’s very conducive to storage in the fridge or freezer. So you can have it again, and again, and again if you feel like it!
• This recipe has what I would call a standard or an expected flavor. However, I know that not everyone enjoys the same things I do. This works out because there are enough seasoning and flavor elements to allow you to make adjustments to suit your preferences better.

Fresh Green Beans or Frozen Green Beans Will Work!

As I indicated before, make sure you’re using fresh green beans or frozen green beans. These should be easy enough for you to find. If all you can get your hands on is canned green beans, it won’t work out.

Sure you could put them in later to avoid them getting mushy, but that would prevent them from properly absorbing the flavor mixture that they’re meant to.

Does It Have to Be Chicken Broth?

Not at all. Chicken broth is the best way to go in my opinion, but that’s all it is, an opinion. You want to flavor your diced ham, green beans, and potatoes with vegetable broth instead? Go right ahead!

A Small Tidbit on the Salt

Considering there is ham and chicken broth here, you can expect a salty dish by default since both things are known for their salty tastes.

Therefore, you don’t want to have a ton of extra salt to make it inedible. Remember that while taking salt away is borderline impossible, it’s very easy to add extra salt if it’s needed. Add more if you need to, but I don’t foresee that happening.

Easy Variations on the Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes Recipe

Here are some quick variations to make things more in line with your preferences:

• If you have a large ham hock, add it to make the ham flavor stronger.
• Instead of using seasoning salt and pepper, consider using a ranch seasoning packet or Italian seasoning to give it a whole new creative spin.
• You can make it a low-carb or keto-friendly dish by swapping out the potatoes for diced radishes.

Storage

If you have leftover ham, green beans, and potatoes, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. It will hold for up to three days, so ensure you have the rest before then.

To serve again, warm in a saucepan over medium heat while stirring often. If you have a microwave, you may use a microwave-safe container and reheat it.

You can also freeze your ham, green beans, and potatoes if you so desire. Ensure that you’re using a freezer-safe container or a freezer bag. You can freeze the food for up to 30 days. As is the case with the refrigerated variation, heat in a saucepan until the meal is sufficiently warm.

Wrapping Up

This can be a great use of your slow cooker or crockpot. Green beans are one of the central flavor holders here, which is why you need to use fresh or frozen ones so they can absorb all the required tastes without getting mushy in the process.

Both you and your loved ones will enjoy this ham, green beans, and potatoes recipe thoroughly. Just remember to make enough so that everyone can have their fill!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use a Slow Cooker for This Recipe?

Certainly! My preference is for you to use a large stock pot, but if you want to use the slow cooker then feel free! Just remember that you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. It may run you about two hours if you choose to go the slow cooker route. If you love working slow cookers, try out our crockpot green bean casserole recipe!

Is Leftover Ham Good for This Recipe?

Yep! This ham, green beans, and potatoes recipe is something I initially did because I had leftover ham and didn’t want to have yet another ham sandwich.

Is Using Russet Potatoes a Problem?

Not at all. This recipe will technically work with just about any kind of potato. However, I think that red potatoes are best for the kind of flavor absorption you would want.

What if I Want to Use Garlic Powder?

You can use garlic powder to prepare ham, green beans, and potatoes. However, the flavor will not necessarily be as strong as that which you would get from actual garlic cloves.

Does Bacon Work Here?

So, instead of it being ham, green beans, and potatoes, you can use bacon. There would need to be a slight adjustment though. You’d have to start by frying up the bacon to the desired level of crispiness.