By Becky Hardin
Published Sep 10, 2023
To me, there’s nothing better than a big batch of sauce-y, flavor-packed Baked Beans at a Summer BBQ! I dress up a few cans of pork and beans with thick slices of bacon, brown sugar, sweet onion, molasses, and some extra seasonings for the best baked beans recipe ever. It’s the perfect side dish for barbecues, cookouts, or any time you have a crowd to feed. People always ask me for the recipe; its a favorite that never disappoints.
What’s in this Baked Beans Recipe?
I absolutely love that this easy Boston-style baked beans recipe only requires a few simple ingredients. There’s nothing quite like sweet and savory beans to round out breakfast or dinner! When I was recently in Paris, every breakfast included beans, and now it’s a staple for our family as well!
- Bacon: Adds a savory and smoky flavor to the beans.
- Onion: Sweet onion adds sweetness and a slight bite.
- Pork + Beans: Using canned pork and beans in tomato sauce makes this recipe super easy to throw together.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds depth to the sauce.
- Sugar: Brown sugar sweetens the sauce.
- Mustard Powder: Adds a bit of tang to the sauce.
- Molasses: Unsulphured molasses adds sweetness and a rich, warm flavor.
Variations on Homemade Baked Beans
I love the balance of sweet and savory in this baked bean recipe. You can adjust the level of sweetness by using more or less brown sugar and molasses. Sauté some garlic, bell peppers, and celery with the onions to add even more depth of flavor. Or make them a little spicy with a dash of hot sauce, chili powder, or red pepper flakes.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan set over low heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze homemade baked beans in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 6 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these baked beans with classic BBQ dishes, like smoked ribs , hot dogs , or grilled pork chops . Add some favorite BBQ sides like coleslaw or corn for a complete meal.
These beans also make a great side to your favorite breakfast foods, like scrambled eggs with bacon, savory bacon pancakes , or pimento cheese grits .
Notes from the Test Kitchen
If you’re not a fan of molasses, try honey or maple syrup instead!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 8 bacon slices cut into 2-inch lengths
- ▢ 1 sweet onion diced
- ▢ 60 ounces pork and beans in tomato sauce (4 (15-ounce) cans); 1 can drained, include the sauce in the other 3 cans
- ▢ 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ▢ ½ cup unsulphured molasses
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the bacon to a cold nonstick skillet and cook on medium heat until some of the fat has rendered, but the bacon is not fully crisp. Set the bacon aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pan. 8 bacon slices
- To the pan with the bacon fat, add the onions and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. 1 sweet onion
- Add the onions, pork and beans, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, and molasses to the greased baking dish. Stir until combined. 60 ounces pork and beans in tomato sauce, 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder, ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- Arrange the bacon pieces over the beans. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the bacon is crisp.
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Becky’s Tips
- You can substitute the dry mustard for 1 tablespoon of prepared yellow mustard.
- You can add in 1 diced green pepper with the onion, if desired.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Baked Beans Step by Step
Cook the Bacon: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add 8 bacon slices cut into 2-inch pieces to a cold nonstick skillet and cook on medium heat until some of the fat has rendered, but the bacon is not fully crisp. Set the bacon aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pan.
Season the Beans: To the pan with the bacon fat, add 1 diced sweet onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the onions, 60 ounces (4 cans– drain 1 can and leave the sauce in the other 3) of canned pork and beans in tomato sauce, 1½ teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, ⅓ cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of dry mustard powder, and ½ cup of unsulphured molasses to the greased baking dish. Stir until combined.
Bake the Beans: Arrange the cooked bacon pieces over the beans. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the bacon is crisp.
Baked beans are most often made with Navy beans. However, Cannellini or Great Northern beans also work well!
These beans are high in protein, fiber, potassium, and iron; however, they also contain quite a lot of sugar and fat, so enjoy them in moderation!
Unfortunately, this recipe is not gluten-free. Some brands of beans contain gluten, and Worcestershire sauce is not a gluten-free ingredient. To make this recipe gluten-free, use a certified gluten-free brand of beans and Worcestershire sauce.
If your beans are tasting a bit bland, they may be overcooked. The longer beans cook, the more they will start to lose their flavor. Consider baking them for a bit less time.
More Bean Recipes We Love
- White Beans in Tomato Sauce
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Red Beans and Rice
Baked Beans Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 8 bacon slices cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 60 ounces pork and beans in tomato sauce (4 (15-ounce) cans); 1 can drained, include the sauce in the other 3 cans
- 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the bacon to a cold nonstick skillet and cook on medium heat until some of the fat has rendered, but the bacon is not fully crisp. Set the bacon aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pan. 8 bacon slices
- To the pan with the bacon fat, add the onions and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. 1 sweet onion
- Add the onions, pork and beans, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, and molasses to the greased baking dish. Stir until combined. 60 ounces pork and beans in tomato sauce, 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder, ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- Arrange the bacon pieces over the beans. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the bacon is crisp.
Video
Notes
- You can substitute the dry mustard for 1 tablespoon of prepared yellow mustard.
- You can add in 1 diced green pepper with the onion, if desired.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
