This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Homemade Baked Beans are a sweet and smoky potluck or picnic favorite!
These baked beans are rich and hearty, simmered in a thick brown sugar and ketchup sauce with smoky bacon, onions, peppers. They are a must-have comfort food classic!
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: These beans are the perfect combination of sweet, tangy, and slightly smoky.
- Skill Level: No bean rinsing or soaking, this recipe is made with simple pantry ingredients to get the best homemade taste.
- Time-Saving Tip: These baked beans taste even better the next day. So, cook them up to two days ahead; this lets the flavors blend even more.
- Tools: I prefer a Dutch oven for this recipe, but any casserole dish or oven-safe dish will work as long as it has a lid (or use tin foil to cover it).
- Serving Suggestions: Baked beans are the classic side dish to country-style ribs , crunchy fried chicken, or juicy burgers. Keep them warm in a crockpot and let your crowd help themselves.
Ingredient Tips for Baked Beans
- Beans: Use your favorite baked beans that already have a sauce. Or, you can use unflavored canned beans too, such as navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, or a combination for a signature recipe!
- Onions and Peppers: Sautéed onions and green peppers sweeten as they cook. Thinly sliced carrots will also add natural sweetness to baked beans.
- Sweet & Savory Sauce: Brown sugar and molasses add a deep, caramel flavor to the recipe. Honey or maple syrup can be swapped out for the molasses. Tangy apple cider vinegar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce balance out the sweetness. If you don’t have these on hand, you can swap in Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, or white vinegar.
Favorite Variations
- If you’re using unflavored canned beans, don’t drain them. The liquid they come in will help thicken the sauce.
- Customize baked beans by adding in sliced hot dogs, summer sausage, diced ham, or tossing in a leftover ham bone to infuse the dish with even more smoky flavor.
- For a bigger tomato flavor, stir in an 8-oz can of tomato sauce or a can of Rotel tomatoes with added green chilis for a little heat!
- Green chilis and sliced jalapenos can be offered on the side for those who like it spicy!
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftover baked beans in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy them cold or reheat them in the microwave. They’re delish served on toast for breakfast or scooped over a baked potato for an easy workday lunch.
Freeze cooled baked beans in zippered bags for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen on low heat in a slow cooker.
Perfect Pairings for Baked Beans
Did you make this Baked Beans Recipe? Leave a rating and comment below!
Baked Beans Recipe
Canned beans get a boost of big homemade flavor with bacon, onion, peppers, and a bunch of sweet, tangy, and zesty seasonings.
Equipment
- 4qt Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon chopped and cooked crispy
- 1 medium red onion finely diced
- ½ green bell pepper finely diced
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar * dark or light
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
- 2 (28 ounce each) can baked beans or pork and beans
Optional Garnish
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set the rack to the middle position.
- In a Dutch oven or deep ovenproof skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the Dutch oven.
- Add the red onion and green bell pepper to the Dutch oven and cook until softened, stirring frequently.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard to make the sauce.
- Add the beans and sauce to the the onion and green bell pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Cover the Dutch oven and bake covered for 90 minutes. Stir in the bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish, and cover. Bake 20 to 30 minutes more or until the sauce has cooked down to the desired consistency.
- Remove from the oven, uncover, and let the beans rest for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Garnish with reserved bacon and green onions if using. Serve.
Video
Notes
- For sweeter beans, add extra brown sugar – up to ⅓ cup.
- If you don’t have a Dutch oven, prepare the bacon, onions, & green peppers in a large skillet. Then mix with beans and other ingredients and transfer to a 3 qt. or 9 x 13-inch baking dish and cover with foil when baking.
- For the Slow Cooker: Prepare the recipe as directed, but cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Stir as needed.
- For the Stovetop: Prepare the recipe as directed in a large pot and simmer until desired consistency is reached, about 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water if needed.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freeze beans in a zippered bag for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 276 | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 972mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
These were really good. Will be making again.
I omitted the bell pepper as husband doesn’t like them. Fixed them in the large skillet that I fried the bacon in, after pouring the extra bacon fat into my save jar and cooked them on the stove. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
I just made these beans today and THEY ARE AMAZING!!!!! thank you!!!
This is pretty much the same recipe I have been doing for years for family gatherings, except all of my measurements are approximate or too taste. At least now I can point folks to your page with some actual measurements! That’s especially good for some of the younger cooks. I’m sure they will enjoy so many of your other recipes which are well laid out and simple to follow.
S./
It’s a favorite for us too, thank you for sharing my site!
Hi Holly, Can this recipe be made in a slow cooker ? I don’t have a Dutch oven… Ben Buszka
I use this recipe for baked beans in the slow cooker. You can also cook this in a large saucepan and transfer it to a 9×13 baking dish.
Hands down best baked beans I’ve ever made! Guest who doesn’t even like baked beans raved about these & even had seconds!