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Easy Baked Beans
The flavorful combination of BBQ sauce and brown sugar makes these baked beans a favorite side dish for any cookout or family meal.
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This baked beans recipe gives you an easy way to make flavorful baked beans in the oven, using classic ingredients like BBQ sauce and bacon. The sweet and smoky flavor is so good it’ll taste like they were made completely from scratch!
Baked Bean Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 1 pound of bacon
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- ¼ cup of ketchup
- ½ cup of barbecue sauce
- ½ cup of brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 4 (14 ounces each) cans of pork and beans, or any can size that will give you 56 ounces
Oven Baked Beans Substitutions And Additions
BEANS: I find that using Bush’s Best Original Baked Beans makes it super easy and provides great flavor, but you can use a different brand, such as Heinz beans or something homemade if you prefer.
Some people enjoy beans that have maple syrup added, and those would work fine as well.
BBQ SAUCE: I tend to use Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce because it’s usually what I have on hand. But you can use any brand that you like or even make a homemade BBQ sauce of your own.
Another option would be to use chili sauce with dark brown sugar and forego the BBQ sauce altogether. If you like spicy beans, you can also use a spicier BBQ sauce.
ONIONS: The onions are totally optional in this baked bean recipe. I am aware that not everyone is a fan, so if that’s you, you can certainly leave the onions out on this one.
How to make the Best Baked Beans Recipe
STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 350°F.
STEP TWO: In a large 12-inch frying pan, cook the bacon slices.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Bacon can be easily cooked in the oven. Line a pan with 2 layers of foil, lay the bacon on top of it, place in a cold oven, and turn the oven on to 400°F.
For this recipe, cook the bacon for 18-20 minutes, just until the bacon is browning.
STEP THREE: Remove cooked bacon from the frying pan and chop it into small pieces. Set bacon pieces aside for now.
STEP FOUR: Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the frying pan and discard the rest of the grease.
Cook the onion in the frying pan over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Add the ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and bacon to the frying pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
STEP SIX: Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
STEP SEVEN: Place the 4 cans of beans in the dish and remove ½ cup of the liquid that came out of the cans. Add in all the contents of the frying pan. Stir well to mix.
How Long To Cook Baked Beans In Oven?
STEP EIGHT: Place the lid or aluminum foil over the baking dish and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover after 45 minutes and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
PRO TIP:
If you are making baked beans in the summer and want to keep the house from overheating when turning on the oven, you can also make your baked beans on the grill.
Just place them on the grill next to whatever meat is cooking, and let them cook the whole time the meat is on.
STEP NINE: Let sit for 20 minutes before serving to give the sauce a chance to thicken a bit.
How To Serve This Recipe For Baked Beans
What Goes With Baked Beans?
This recipe goes well with so many main dishes. Burgers, hot dogs, and grilled chicken are all great choices.
Fried chicken or popcorn chicken are also classic options.
Add macaroni salad or potato salad and dinner rolls with the best baked beans recipe, and you have an amazing meal.
Wondering what goes well with this perfect side dish? We have you covered. These recipes for crockpot ranch pork chops and sloppy Joes are both so simple and make the perfect pair with this classic dish.
What Meat Goes With Homemade Baked Beans?
Ribs, pulled pork, hot dogs, or hamburgers are all delicious served with baked beans.
MORE SIDE DISH RECIPES
Easy Baked Beans Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Storing baked beans in the fridge is as simple as placing them in an airtight container made of plastic or glass.
The maximum shelf life for canned beans after opening them is about 3 to 4 days. This is the same for your baked beans.
IN THE FREEZER: Since baked beans are a great side for crowds, you may find yourself with more leftovers than you’d like.
Baked beans can be frozen and saved for a later date. Make sure the beans are completely cooled, then place them in an airtight container in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.
This Is The Best Baked Beans Recipe!
Nothing beats the hearty, delicious side dish of baked beans for a summer cookout, game day, family dinner, or the next potluck.
This recipe offers an easy way to make homemade baked beans in the oven using classic ingredients. It’s a simple way to enhance a can of baked beans and add loads of flavor to a true favorite!
Baked Beans Recipe FAQs
Can I cook baked beans in a slow cooker instead of the oven?
Making baked beans in the oven or the slow cooker is fine. Whichever option is your preferred way to cook them will produce a delicious side dish.
Can I freeze baked beans?
You can freeze baked beans. Let them cool completely and then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
What is the best brand of canned beans for this recipe?
There really isn’t one brand that is better than the other. In this recipe, we use Bush’s Best Original Baked Beans, but you could use whichever brand you prefer or can easily get at the grocery store.
Do you cover baked beans in the oven?
For the beans to cook evenly, it is best to cover the pan with aluminum foil.
What kind of beans are baked beans?
The beans used in baked beans are generally navy beans.
What’s the difference between baked beans and Boston baked beans?
Traditional baked bean recipes use brown sugar to sweeten the tomato-based sauce, while Boston baked beans use molasses to add sweetness to the dish.
Recipe for Baked Beans
The flavorful combination of BBQ sauce and brown sugar makes these baked beans a favorite side dish for any cookout or family meal.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 4 cans pork and beans (14-ounces cans or enough to give you 56 ounces)
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large (12-inch) frying pan, cook bacon.
- Remove cooked bacon from the frying pan and chop into small pieces. Set bacon aside for now. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the frying pan and discard the rest of the grease.
- Cook onion in the frying pan over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add in ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and bacon to the frying pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the 4 cans of beans in the dish and remove ½ cup of the liquid that came out of the cans. Add in all the contents of the frying pan. Stir well to mix.
- Place the lid or aluminum foil over the baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove cover after 45 minutes and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
- Let sit for 20 minutes before serving to give the sauce a chance to thicken a bit.
Video
Notes
- Bacon can be easily cooked in the oven. Line a pan with 2 layers of foil, lay the bacon on top of it, place in a cold oven, and turn the oven on to 400°F. For this recipe, cook the bacon for 18 to 20 minutes, just until the bacon is browning.
- If you are making baked beans in the summer and want to keep the house from overheating when turning on the oven, you can also make your baked beans on the grill. Just place them on the grill next to whatever meat is cooking, and let them cook the whole time the meat is on.
Nutrition
Calories: 758kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 2336mg | Potassium: 1463mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 7mg
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Comments
Shauna says
I made these per the recipe the first time and loved it.
The second, third, etcโฆ I added in a diced green pepper to the onion and sautรฉed them in the bacon grease and since I always cook these for the 4th of July I cook them in my crockpot on high for 2 hours.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Carol says
Excellent baked bean recipe. Made it exactly to the recipe. Will make again!
Tanya Deleon says
Made these this past week for a family reunion .and everyone was raving about them.They were still good .There was not any left…
Rebecca says
Iโve been making these for years, this is such a good recipe. Itโs an easy way to make baked beans that taste perfect. And you can use any barbecue sauce you want, so you can really make them to your taste. I use a spicy barbecue sauce so it gives the beans a spiciness.