Skip the store-bought can—my homemade baked beans are what your BBQ has been missing

In my opinion, no BBQ is complete without a side of these homemade baked beans. They’re sweet, tangy, savory, and surprisingly easy to make, making them a go-to side for me for countless meals all year long. Not to mention, they’re a one-pot wonder! Throw in the fact that one batch feeds a small crowd and that most of the cooking is done unattended in the oven, and you have a winning dish that’ll be a staple for all your family gatherings for years to come.

What People Are Saying:

“The only issue I have with this recipe is that I will never be able to like any other baked bean recipe! It turned out delicious, thank you!” - debbie8658

How To Make Baked Beans

INGREDIENTS

• Bacon: To me, baked beans just aren’t complete without bacon. It adds that smoky, meaty flavor that makes this a perfect BBQ side. You can use apple or cherrywood smoked bacon; either will do.
• Yellow Onion & Red Bell Pepper: After cooking our bacon, we cook a chopped yellow onion and red bell pepper down. These veggies will amplify the flavor and will add texture as well.
• Ketchup: Sweet ketchup adds a welcome richness to our baked beans.
• Molasses: The earthy sweetness of molasses builds upon all of our flavors here.
• Dijon Mustard & Apple Cider Vinegar: This is where we get that tangy flavor to balance out the sweet richness.
• Worcestershire: Just a tablespoon of Worcestershire adds a meaty savory-ness that amplifies our smoky bacon flavor.
• Beans: Everybody’s got their favorite bean. For a classic look and taste in this recipe, I went with navy beans. They’re the most common beans used in this dish, and chances are what you often think of when you think of baked beans. But if you have a preferred variety, any small or medium canned bean will work fine in this recipe.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

To start off our baked beans, we'll cook our bacon. Get out a large Dutch oven or oven-proof pot. Place your bacon in before turning on the heat. Then cook over medium heat until the bacon has browned, and most of the fat has rendered.

Once your bacon is done, add in your onion and bell pepper, and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. You can add more seasonings, but we'll be adding plenty of flavor later, so I like to keep it simple here. Cook them down until they are softened and lightly fragrant—this should take around 5 minutes. Once they are cooked down, you can add your ketchup, molasses, mustard, brown sugar, water, vinegar, Worcestershire, and a bit more salt

Stir everything together, then bring everything to a gentle simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, remove it from the heat, and add in all your beans.

Now it's time to take this party to the oven. Transfer your pot to your preheated oven, and bake uncovered until your baked beans are slightly reduced and bubbly. When the top has browned, you know you're good to go. Before diving in, be patient and let your beans sit for at least 10 minutes. Then you can give them a stir and serve.

The full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Make Ahead

If you want to prep these beans the night before your BBQ, assemble everything together up to step 4, then cover and refrigerate. The next day, simply bake and serve! We recommend waiting to bake your beans until you're ready to serve to achieve that delicious topping.

Storage

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3-5 days.

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Yields: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb.

  apple or cherrywood smoked bacon, finely chopped

• 1

  yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1

  red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp.

  freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 tsp.

  smoked paprika

• 2 tsp.

  kosher salt, divided

• 1 c.

  ketchup

• 1/2 c.

  molasses

• 1/4 c.

  Dijon mustard

• 1/4 c.

  packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 c.

  water

• 2 tbsp.

  apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp.

  Worcestershire sauce

• 3

  (15-oz.) cans navy beans, drained, rinsed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place bacon in a cold, large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and much of the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes.
2. Add onion, bell pepper, black pepper, paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until vegetables are slightly softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in ketchup, molasses, mustard, brown sugar, water, vinegar, Worcestershire, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat. Add beans and stir to combine.
4. Transfer pot to oven and bake, uncovered, until slightly reduced, bubbly, and browned on top, about 45 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before stirring and serving.