Homemade Baked Beans

Homemade Baked Beans

OMG so – I love these?! When I was testing this recipe I made a few batches back to back and I was so obsessed that I didn’t even care hehe!

I love these with some basmati rice or over toast with a fried egg with a deliciously runny yolk! But paired with some creamy coleslaw and hot dogs on a summer day? OMG!

These baked beans are:

• Thick, saucy, glossy with a rich sauce that sticks to every bean!
• Loaded with bacon.
• Savory-sweet, with lots of flavor.
• Easy to make.
• Make ahead if you want (even more flavor this way!).
• Great for breakfast, dinner, or bbqs and summer cookouts!

Ingredients for Baked Beans from scratch

Beans. I like using canned beans (quick and easy), I usually go for red kidney beans but pinto also work. You can also use dried beans, if you prefer, but you have to cook them first.

Bacon. This adds in lots of flavor but, of course, you can skip it if you want to make vegetarian baked beans!

Garlic, fresh cloves for extra flavor!

Onion, I like using white onion but honestly you can use whatever onion you have on hand.

Brown sugar, this is what adds sweetness to your baked beans so don’t skip it! Some people like to use molasses or a mix of molasses and brown sugar but I never have molasses on hand and I think brown sugar works just as good!

Ketchup, for some sweet tomato flavor.

Bbq sauce, for that delicious smoky and bold flavor that truly takes these to the next level!

Mustard, yellow or Dijon, depending on what you prefer! Mustard adds some tang to balance out the sweetness!

Worcestershire sauce, for extra depth! Skip this or use a vegetarian version if making vegetarian baked beans as it contains fish.

Salt and pepper, to taste.

How to make baked beans from scratch

STEP ONE: Cook the bacon. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until fully cooked through and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan but don’t discard the bacon grease.

STEP TWO: Saute the onion and garlic. In the same saucepan, add the onion and garlic and saute in the bacon grease until soft and fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). You can add in extra oil or butter, if the bacon grease isn’t enough for sauteing.

STEP THREE: Add the beans to the saucepan, then add in the brown sugar, ketchup, bbq sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper (if the sauces and canned beans you’re using are particularly salty you might not need lots of salt so taste before adding).

STEP FOUR: Cook the beans. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low and keep simmering until saucy and thick, about 15-20 minutes. Stir from time to time to keep the beans from sticking. You can simmer for longer than 15-20 minutes but make sure to add extra liquid. Or you can bake these at 350F (180C) for 15-20 minutes (either stovetop or baking, not both as they would dry up).

Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions

Make-Ahead Instructions: Baked Beans are a great make-ahead dish as the flavor deepens overtime so you can make these up to 2 days ahead of time.

Storing Instructions: Store covered or in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Reheating Instructions: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water (stirring from time to time) or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl loosely covered, in 1-minute increments until hot (stir in between every increment).