3 Baked Bean Recipes You Need to Try
Three irresistible homemade baked bean recipes—Classic, Spicy Jalapeño, and Smoky BBQ—each simmered in a rich, customizable sauce that’s perfect for any season.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked navy, pinto, or kidney beans or use canned, drained and rinsed
- 4 slices bacon chopped; optional for vegan version
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup tomato sauce or ketchup
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil if omitting bacon
- 1 jalapeño sliced, for spicy version
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce for smoky BBQ version
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a large oven-safe pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pot. For a vegan version, skip bacon and add olive oil instead.
- Add diced onions and cook until soft and golden, 5–7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in tomato sauce, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar. Let it bubble slightly, then stir in black pepper and smoked paprika.
- Add beans and stir to coat. For the three versions, divide mixture into separate baking dishes or keep in one and add toppings after baking.
- Bake uncovered for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring halfway through. For thicker sauce, bake an extra 30 minutes.
- To serve: Top Classic beans with bacon and parsley, Spicy version with jalapeños, and BBQ version with a drizzle of BBQ sauce and herbs.
Notes
Customize each version to suit your taste. Use different beans, go vegan with smoked paprika and liquid smoke, or kick it up with jalapeños. Great for meal prep, freezing, and crowd-pleasing side dishes.