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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Homemade Baked Beans Recipe

    Published: Jun 5, 2020 · Modified: May 25, 2022 by Laura Reigel · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump To Recipe Comments
    This baked bean recipe is a family recipe that my mom has been making for as long as I remember. These oven-baked beans get their smoky-sweet flavor from brown sugar and bacon. They’re baked in a cast iron pan. I've honestly never taste baked beans as good as these ones.
    This baked bean recipe is a family recipe that my mom has been making for as long as I remember. These oven-baked beans get their smoky-sweet flavor from brown sugar and bacon. They’re baked in a cast iron pan. I've honestly never taste baked beans as good as these ones.
    Homemade Baked Beans

    This baked bean recipe is a family recipe that my mom has been making for as long as I remember. These oven-baked beans get their smoky-sweet flavor from brown sugar and bacon. They’re baked in a cast iron pan. I've honestly never taste baked beans as good as these ones.

    There are a lot of recipes for baked beans on the internet. Usually, a classic pot luck recipe, this is one of my favorite summertime, serve with everything grilled recipes.

    This version of bbq baked beans is my family's favorite. The sauce is sweet, tangy, and thick. The beans are tender and there is plenty of smokey bacon in every bite.

    This recipe is made with canned pork and beans swimming in a tangy-sweet sauce made with bacon, brown sugar, and mustard. A lot of baked bean recipes call for diced green pepper. My mom never added green pepper to hers, and so neither have I.

    I honestly didn't even consider that green pepper would be an ingredient in this recipe. Who knew?

    Don't forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!

    a bowl of baked beans with brown sugar and bacon, gold spoon and a staub cast iron pan

    Why you need to make this recipe

    I can honestly say this is the best baked beans recipe that I have ever tried. This recipe is the perfect side dish for anything grilled. Pair it with juicy grilled burgers, or my Grilled BBQ Pork Kebabs.

    • Easy: This recipe is so easy! Especially if you opt for the canned beans.
    • Bacon: Everything is better with bacon!
    • Sweet and Tangy: These made from scratch baked beans are saucy. They're a little bit sweet and a little bit tangy.

    Foodology Geek Recipe Notes

    I always make this recipe in my cast-iron skillet. You can also make it in a slow cooker.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Bacon: I like to use a thick-cut applewood smoked bacon in this recipe. Peppered bacon is also amazing!
    • Onions: Use a sweet yellow onion or a white onion for this recipe.
    • Brown Sugar: Traditional brown sugar is what my mom always used, you can take the flavor this recipe up a notch by using muscovado sugar. Muscovado sugar has a richer molasses note to it.
    • Canned Pork and Beans: Bush's canned baked beans were always my mom's favorite. Make sure to drain them so that your beans won't be too runny.
    • Mustard: My mom always used French's Yellow Mustard or Dry Mustard Powder. Dijon mustard is also really good in these baked beans with bacon.
    • Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is the original umami. It's hard to describe what it adds to a recipe. Richness, mouthfeel...well umami. Just use it trust me.

    Step By Step Instructions

    Making baked beans from scratch is super easy. With just a few ingredients and a well seasoned cast iron pan you can have a pan of savory-sweet bacon-y beans.

    1. Cook the bacon: Brown the bacon until it's nice and crispy. In the original recipe, my mom writes brown the bacon and then hide it. You can hide or not; it's up to you. Read the room.
    2. Sauté the onions: Cook the onions in the bacon grease. You can remove some of the bacon grease if it seems excessive. But, honestly, is there anything as too much bacon fat?
    3. Add the beans and brown sugar: Drain the canned beans and then add them to the skillet.
    4. Add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce: Stir gently.
    5. Bake the beans: You can bake these beans in the oven or cook them in a slow cooker. I always cook these in my cast iron pan in the oven. So yummy!
    giant cast iron pot of baked beans | foodology geek

    FAQs and Helpful Tips

    What beans are baked beans made out of?

    Typically baked beans are made from white navy beans. If you don't want to use canned beans you can buy dried navy beans. Cook them according to the package directions.

    I highly recommend adding a few teaspoons of my BBQ Seasoning to the water to give them an extra flavor boost.

    What should you serve with baked beans?

    Here are some of my favorite main dish recipes and side dishes that go great with baked beans.

    Classic potato salad or my Hawaiian style Macaroni Salad are just a few of our favorite side dishes to serve with baked beans. A fresh and juicy savory Watermelon Salad is also another great option.

    Grilled meat pairs well with the smokey sweet beans at any barbecue. Whether you want to make a Simple Marinated Grilled Chicken or some succulent Pork Kebabs with Peach Bourbon BBQ Sauce, you can't go wrong making a side of baked beans.

    ➽ Did you make this recipe? I love to see what's going on in your kitchen. Please show me what you're cooking. 🍳 Tag me @foodologygeek on your favorite social channel! Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest. If you loved ❤︎ this recipe, please leave a five ★ review and a comment!

    baked beans in a white bowl | foodology geek
    Favorite Saved!

    Baked Beans With Brown Sugar and Bacon

    Laura Reigel
    This classic recipe for baked beans is the one that my mom has always made. The sauce is sweet and tangy. I bake these beans in my cast-iron skillet. They come out thick and delicious every time.
    PRINT PIN SAVE SAVED
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins
    Total Time 2 hrs 50 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 315 kcal

    Equipment

    • Cast-iron skillet (12")
    • Crock Pot
    • Instant Pot

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ pound bacon fry crisp and set aside
    • 1 medium white onion diced
    • 32 ounces Bush's canned baked beans two 16 ounce cans, drained
    • ¼ to ½ cup brown sugar adjust to taste
    • 1 tablespoon mustard yellow mustard, dijon mustard, or dry mustard are fine
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    • Brown the bacon: Dice the bacon and brown in a 12" cast iron skillet. Once the bacon is brown, remove it and set aside.
    • Brown the onions: Add the diced onion to the bacon grease. Sauté the onions for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Add the Beans: Add the beans, brown sugar, mustard, and Worchestershire sauce. Return the bacon to the pan. Stir gently.
    • Bake: Bake for 2 to 3 hours on the middle rack.

    Slow Cooker Instructions

    • Follow the instructions for browning the bacon and the onion.
    • Add the bacon and onions to the slow cooker.
    • Add the beans, and the remaining ingredients.
    • Set the slowcooker to low and cook for 2 to 3 hours.

    YOUR OWN NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 12gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 937mgFiber: 10gSugar: 6gCalcium: 106mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword beans
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Snap a 📸 and share it. Tag me @foodologygeek and don't forget to hashtag #foodologygeek!
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    About Laura Reigel

    Laura is the owner and CEO of Foodology Geek. She holds a degree in Physiology and Neuroscience as well as a Certification as a Nutrition Coach. Laura uses her love of cooking and science to create healthy real food recipes that you'll love eating.

    As a certified recipe hoarder, and meal prep maven Laura is passionate about sharing her love for cooking easy from-scratch recipes. She also shares the occasional family recipe and all of the technical details.

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    Hi, I'm Laura! Welcome to Foodology Geek restaurant-inspired recipes & culinary science.

    You'll recipes inspired by restaurants that I visit when I travel. I recreate them in my kitchen so that you can make them in yours.

    The best things in life can be found around the table with family and friends. Make them delicious!

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