No picnic or potluck is complete without a delicious pot of savory sweet baked beans!

This baked beans recipe is a classic side dish that pairs with everything from ribs or burgers to fried chicken.

taking a spoonfull of The Best Baked Beans out of the pot

You’ll Love These Baked Beans Because… 

This is the last baked bean recipe you’ll ever need!

  • These are sweet, saucy, and delicious.
  • Since they taste even better the next day, they’re perfect to make ahead!
  • They have a great homemade flavor, and using canned beans means no soaking or boiling for hours.
  • These beans freeze well, so make extras to enjoy throughout the summer.
ketchup , bacon , pepper , molasses , worcestershire sauce , onion , brown sugar , baked beans , vinegar , mustard powder with labels to make The Best Baked Beans

Ingredients in Baked Beans

  • Bacon: Bacon adds salt and a smoky flavor to this recipe.
  • Beans: Starting with canned beans saves time and adds flavor, you can use your favorite variety. Do not drain the sauce from the beans.
  • Onion: Red onion adds a savory and slightly sweet flavor to the baked beans.
  • Brown Sugar & Molasses: These sweeten the beans and add a caramel flavor. Use either light or dark brown sugar or replace it with maple syrup.
  • Ketchup & Cider Vinegar: Adds tang flavor to balance the sweetness of the brown sugar and molasses.
  • Flavorful Additions: Green bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard add flavor.

Variations

These easy-baked beans are delicious and versatile!

  • Mix and match with extra cans of white beans, black, kidney, or navy beans.
  • Add cooked ground beef, sliced hot dogs, or even a leftover ham bone (bits of ham are great in beans). You can also add in meat drippings or leftovers like bbq pork loin.
  • Add a bit of tomato paste or up to 8 oz of tomato sauce for some tang.
  • Green bell peppers and onion add flavor to the baked bean sauce; jalapenos and green chiles can also be added. Stir in a little bit of garlic if you’d like!
adding onions and peppers to the pot to make The Best Baked Beans
adding ingredients together to make sauce for The Best Baked Beans
adding ingredients together to make The Best Baked Beans

How to Make Baked Beans 

This easy recipe requires only a little time for the beans to cook in the oven.

  1. Cook bacon: Cook bacon in a Dutch oven and set aside.
  2. Soften onion: Soften the onion and pepper over medium heat in the bacon grease.
  3. Combine ingredients: Combine all of the sauce ingredients, then add everything to the Dutch oven.
  4. Cook: Bake the mixture, simmer in a large pot, or cook in a slow cooker as directed in the recipe below.

I love to serve leftovers as beans on toast for lunch (does anyone else love beans on toast?).

plated The Best Baked Beans with a pot full in the back

Storing Leftover Beans

Keep leftover baked beans covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or microwave (or enjoy them cold).

Place cooled baked beans in zippered bags and keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Perfect Pairings for Baked Beans

Serve up baked beans next to these summer-time favorites!

Did you make these Baked Beans? Leave a rating and a comment below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
taking a spoonfull of The Best Baked Beans out of the pot
4.98 from 68 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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The Best Baked Beans

Classic baked beans are oven-baked & studded with onions, peppers, and bacon.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Author Rachael

Equipment

Dutch Oven with white background
4qt Dutch Oven
an empty white 9x13 inch baking dish
OR 9 x 13-inch Casserole Dish
buy hollys book

Ingredients  

  • 1 pound bacon chopped and cooked crispy
  • 1 medium red onion finely diced
  • ½ green bell pepper finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar * dark or light
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
  • 56 ounces canned baked beans or pork and beans, two 28 oz cans

Optional Garnish

  • 2 green onions sliced

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and set the rack to the middle position.
  • In a Dutch or deep ovenproof skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the Dutch oven.
  • Add the red onion and green bell pepper to the Dutch oven and cook until softened, stirring frequently.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard to make the sauce.
  • Add the beans and sauce to the the onion and green bell pepper. Stir well to combine.
  • Cover the Dutch oven and bake covered for 90 minutes. Stir in the bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish, and cover. Bake 20 to 30 minutes more or until the sauce has cooked down to the desired consistency.
  • Remove from the oven, uncover, and let the beans rest for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Garnish with reserved bacon and green onions if using. Serve.

Notes

If you prefer sweeter beans, add extra brown sugar – up to ⅓ cup. 
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, prepare the bacon and the onions/green peppers in a large skillet. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to a 3qt or 9x-13-inch baking dish and cover with foil when baking.
Slow Cooker: Prepare the recipe as directed, but cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Stir as needed.
Stovetop: Prepare the recipe as directed and simmer until desired consistency is reached, about 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water if needed.
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.  Freeze beans in a zippered bag for up to 6 months.
 
4.98 from 68 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 296 | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 711mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 6.9mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2.4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

The Best Baked Beans with crispy bacon and writing
The Best Baked Beans in a bowl and plated with a title
plated The Best Baked Beans with bacon peppers and onions with a title
close up of The Best Baked Beans in a spoon with a title

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. I made these for a birthday party. There were very few leftovers and everyone commented on how great they were.5 stars

    Reply

  5. I loved it, froze the left overs in small size servings so I can defrost only what I need & not waste any.
    Thanks, I have looked everywhere, for a good Baked Beans recipe.
    Lise5 stars

    Reply

  6. Hi confused what kind of baked beans at the store lol and they all are seasoned. What are you all buying?5 stars

    Reply

    1. Any should work just fine Debbie! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!

      Reply

  8. have these in the oven now, but to cover or not to cover? I’m used to old fashioned baked beans, cooked very low, and covered. Any other time I’ve made “cheater” beans, it’s been in a crock pot, so obviously covered. This pan I have uncovered, but I’m watching carefully, just in case. I could see not covering them to reduce the sauce from the canned beans.

    Reply

  10. These are delicious! I made them in my crock pot and added a can of black beans and will use less brown sugar next time. Will definitely make these over and over again.5 stars

    Reply

  11. If you are looking for a sugar “rush” this is the recipe for you. Or you can just eat sugar right out of the bag! It is worth reading the comments first, to any recipe, in order to see the “tweeks”. I used 1/2 the sugar called for, and it was still ALL to sweet! Such a disappointment. Keep looking for that baked bean recipe that won’t put you in diabetic shock!

    Reply

  12. Making these for a second time …they are awesome!
    My question: why do you wait to add the bacon to the beans? Why not just add them to begin with?
    Thanks!

    Reply

      1. Spend with Pennies how would the bacon get crispy when you put it in the pot raw?

      2. Hi Jo, if added at the beginning the bacon will become overcooked since it is already cooked until crispy.

    1. Hi Sherry, we do bake these beans for 3 hours. In step 10 and 11 you will see we bake for 2 hours, add in the bacon, then bake for another hour or so until it reaches out desired consistency.

      Reply

    1. You will find the print button on the recipe card Judith. You can also hit Ctrl F (or command F on Mac) and type “Print Recipe” and it will take you to the print button.

      Reply