Homemade Baked Beans

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Sweet and savory, these homemade Baked Beans are easy to make and a fantastic addition to any summer meal. Flavored with bacon, molasses, onions, garlic and more, you will DIE over this classic recipe. Fabulous with Ribs and Potato Salad.

Baked Beans Made Easy

While I can appreciate homemade baked bean recipes made completely from scratch, this is one where I take a little help from the store. These beans are sweet, savory and made using two large 28-ounce cans of baked beans that are added to onions, garlic, bell peppers, bacon, molasses, bbq sauce and a few other ingredients to make them customized to taste homemade. No one will know!

Dried Beans vs Canned Beans

From scratch baked bean recipes are made using dried navy or pinto beans that are soaked in water and cooked initially FIRST before being turned into baked beans (or another recipe). They notoriously take awhile to become soft and edible. While they are extremely cost effective, I like using canned baked beans, like Bush’s, that are ready to use with a little flavoring already included. It makes this recipe significantly faster and easier which is much more important to me.

A Few Ingredients Go A Long Way

I’ve seen all sorts of ingredients added to lots of baked bean recipes, and while I can appreciate all the differences, I kept this version as classic as possible. It’s all about balancing that flavor!

• onion + garlic – a classic start to any good recipe. A great oniony, savory building block for flavor.
• bacon – smoky and meaty, bacon is always welcome in any recipe.
• brown sugar – baked beans need that sweetness.
• bbq sauce – adds a little smoky flavor. I used Sweet Baby Ray’s.
• dried mustard – for a little kick. Dijon mustard can work as a good interchangeable ingredient.
• molasses – adds a classic flavor and color to baked beans.
• white distilled vinegar – this helps cut all those sweet ingredients down and gives a little zing.

How to Make Baked Beans

This recipe is great because almost everyone loves them, they taste completely homemade (even though we are taking a shortcut from the store), and you can make them start to finish in a heavy bottomed dutch oven. This is the one I own and it works perfectly! Keep in mind, you can totally transfer this to a 9×13 or other casserole dish for baking. Just remember to cover with foil.

Render Bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray large dutch oven pot with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cut bacon into small pieces and render fat out. You want to cook the bacon right before it gets browned and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towel lined bowl. Set aside.

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Sautee Veggies

Pour off excess bacon grease, leaving 2 tablespoons in the bottom of the dutch oven. Place back on the heat. Add in onion, garlic and green bell pepper and stir to saute in bacon grease. Cook 3 minutes or until it starts to brown.

Add Beans & Flavorings

Pour cans of baked beans into the pot with BBQ sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, molasses, dried mustard, salt and pepper. Stir well and remove from heat.

Bake the Beans

Add tight fitting lid and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

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Making Ahead and Storing

I love this recipe because it is so easy to make ahead and reheat as needed. If you want to make these homemade baked beans ahead of time, I would recommend making them according to recipe directions and storing in the refrigerator BEFORE it is time to bake them. They can last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Then when you are ready to serve, bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and enjoy.

If you have leftover baked beans, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply microwave until warm.

What to Serve with Baked Beans

So, Baked Beans are a delicious BBQ favorite. They are a crowd pleaser and are the perfect addition to just about any summer meal. Here are a few other things I love to make and serve alongside these Baked Beans.

• Watermelon Salad
• Potato Salad
• Coleslaw
• Pulled Pork
• Mexican Street Corn
• Kettle Chips
• Broccoli Salad
• Mac and Cheese