This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Skip the canned versions and discover how easy it is to make rich, flavorful Homemade Baked Beans with simple pantry ingredients. This recipe delivers all the sweet, savory goodness you love about baked beans with a homemade flair!
🫘 These beans actually improve with time as the flavors continue to develop. Make them a day ahead for even better taste, and they reheat beautifully for potlucks, barbecues, or weekly meal prep.
My 2 Best Tips For Making Homemade Baked Beans
Don’t Skip the Bacon: The flavor of these beans is very dependent on cooking the bacon first and using that flavor-infused pan for the rest of the ingredients. Even those little browned bits left in the pan after cooking the bacon add amazing flavor to the final dish!
Just Enough Simmering: Thirty minutes of simmering is usually perfect for this recipe, but watch the consistency. The beans should be very tender but not falling apart, and you want the sauce to thicken enough to coat the beans but not become too dry. (If it reduces too quickly, add a splash more water. If it’s too thin after 15 minutes, simmer a few minutes longer.)
🩷 Melissa
It seems like every get together I go to has a super yummy dish of baked beans — they’re kind of expected at any kind of potluck style meal!
If you’re wanting a modern baked beans recipe that is close to the brand name you can buy at the store, then this is a great one to try.
Check out the recipe card for some other substitutions you might want to try, too!
Homemade Baked Beans
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon, diced
- 4 cans navy beans, about 15 oz each
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat a large pot over medium-high heat. After the pot preheats for a few minutes, add the diced bacon. Cook your bacon for about 5 minutes, or until fully cooked.
- Drain the liquid from 3 cans of beans. Add the drained beans and remaining can of beans to the pot along with the ketchup, mustard, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, and onion powder. Stir to combine.
- Cook your baked beans over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the beans are tender but not falling apart.
Notes
- If you want to beef up the amount of protein in this dish then you can add a pound of diced andouille sausage. Brown it with the bacon or separately before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
- You can use regular paprika if that is what you already have on hand. The smoked paprika helps give the baked beans more of a barbecue cookout and smokier flavor.
- The onion powder can be replaced with ½ of a medium sized white onion (or about ½ cup of diced white onion). You can also use a yellow onion for a slightly sweeter flavor. If you are going to use freshly diced onion then you’ll want to add them at the same time as the uncooked bacon. The grease will help sauté the onion as the bacon cooks.
- Most major grocery stores sell navy beans. You can replace them with pinto beans or your favorite combination of beans. Cannelini, great northern, and kidney beans all make great baked beans.
- For a little extra sweetness you can add a tablespoon of maple syrup.
- Baked beans can be topped with so many things! It’s fun to set out a bunch of options so that everyone can customize their own. Some of our favorites are sour cream, freshly grated pepper jack or cheddar cheese, cilantro, parsley, and extra bacon.
- These baked beans go great with any traditional barbecue.
- They can also be spooned on top of baked potatoes.
Nutrition
How To Make Baked Beans
Step 1: Prep ingredients and preheat a large pot over medium-high heat.
Step 2: After the pot preheats for a few minutes, add the diced bacon. Cook your bacon for about 5 minutes, or until fully cooked.
Step 3: Add the drained beans and remaining can of beans to the pot along with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
Step 4: Cook your baked beans over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! These homemade baked beans actually taste even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Absolutely! Brown the bacon first, then combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. This method allows the flavors to develop even more deeply.
Yes, these homemade baked beans freeze beautifully. Allow them to cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving some headspace for expansion. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Side Dish & Salad Recipes To Try
Dip Recipes
Knorr Veggie Spinach Dip Recipe
Vegetable Sides
Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan French Fries
Side Dishes and Salads
47 Easy Potato Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
