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This easy baked beans with bacon recipe is saucy, savory-sweet, a little smoky, and absolutely delicious. They’re irresistibly soft and creamy and just so comforting!
Try my Easy Black Bean Soup or Mediterranean White Bean Salad next.
Why you’ll love it
Here I went the route of Boston baked beans in particular because they’re extra satisfying and rich. The molasses gives them that signature sweet quality to balance the savory seasonings and crispy bacon. You’re going to have cravings for this summer favorite!
For these homemade oven baked beans, we’re using canned beans to ensure they’re simple to make along with pantry seasonings like smoked paprika and garlic powder. I love beans but had never really been a baked beans kinda gal; that all changed with this recipe!
What you’ll need
- Bacon – crispy, salty deliciousness
- Onion – I like sweet onions
- Canned beans – I prefer using a combo of navy and red kidney beans
- Tomato paste – it imparts a lot of deep and rich flavor for the base of the sauce (not overly tomato-y)
- Molasses – it’s the distinctive flavoring for these syrupy (in a good way) New England style beans. I use your standard dark molasses.
- Brown sugar – a touch more sweetness
- Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce – two of the best flavor enhancers around
- Apple cider vinegar – it rounds out the flavors with a little acidity
- Smoked paprika and liquid smoke – classics for the flavor profile we’re going for!
- Garlic powder – more savory goodness
Fun fact
- The city of Boston loves their beans so much that it’s nicknamed Beantown. If fact, the major league baseball team in the 1890s was called the Boston Beaneaters. The more you know.
- Variations of baked beans in Boston go all the way back to the Pilgrims in the 1600s!
How to make baked beans
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven. Cut the bacon up and fry in an oven-safe Dutch oven until crispy. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl. When the bacon is almost done, drain most of the fat, leaving some behind. Add the onions, and cook until softened.
Stir in the drained beans along with the sauce mixture. Place the Dutch oven into your oven (or transfer to a baking dish if needed), and cook until softened and the sauce thickens to your liking. Season with salt & pepper as needed.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- My Staub Dutch oven goes from stovetop to the oven no prob. I also recommend these silicone oven mitts.
- This can opener hasn’t failed me yet!
- If you have any leftover bacon, store it in this airtight bacon container. And this brown sugar bear will keep your sugar soft.
Substitutions and variations
- If you’d like a bit of kick, throw in some sliced jalapeños!
- I like using a Dutch oven because you can make the entire recipe in there from start to finish. You don’t need a Dutch oven, though. You can always use a baking dish once you’ve reached the point where it’s time to bake the beans.
- I don’t recommend using dried beans for this one since it’s more difficult to get the texture right.
What to serve with baked beans
- There’s no wrong time for baked beans, but they’re especially good at summer cookouts/BBQs/camping alongside my Grilled Chicken Burgers (or Turkey Burgers), hot dogs or grilled sausages, my tasty Grilled Pork Chops, or even a good steak and Chimichurri or Gremolata.
- Serve them up on toast, pair ’em with eggs, etc. for an upgraded breakfast experience.
- They’re a versatile side dish with your fave protein, cornbread, a perfect Baked Potato, and Mac and Cheese.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Let them cool first.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat until warmed through. (Or go ahead and eat them cold!)
- You could try freezing them for up to 3 months, but keep in mind they may get even softer upon thawing.
More easy side dishes
If this is your new go-to baked beans recipe, please leave a star rating and review in this comments below! You can also tag me on Instagram stories so I can see photos.
Easy Baked Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon cut into small pieces
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 (15 ounce) cans navy beans drained
- 2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans drained
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 (5.5 ounce) can tomato paste
- 1/4 cup molasses see note
- 1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
- Cut up bacon into small pieces (I use kitchen shears) and add to a fairly large pot (I recommend a Dutch oven because it's oven-safe). Fry the bacon over medium heat until it's about crispy (approx. 20 minutes).
- Meanwhile, add the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth.
- Once the bacon is about ready, drain most of the fat, leaving a couple tablespoons in the pot.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook it for a few minutes, until softened.
- Add the drained beans and the sauce to the pot. Give it a good stir.
- Assuming you're using a Dutch oven, place it in the preheated oven, uncovered, and cook the beans for 45 minutes. If you're not using a Dutch oven, transfer the beans to a large baking dish/pan and cook for 45 minutes.
- Give the beans a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.
Notes
- You can use slightly larger or smaller cans of beans since the can sizes vary regionally.
- If using double concentrated tomato paste, halve the amount.
- I recommend using dark molasses. I do not recommend using blackstrap molasses unless you really like its flavor since it’s quite intense bordering on bitter.
- Serves 6+ depending on how much people eat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on September 13, 2018. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
My family loved this so much!! It wasn’t difficult at all to prepare. I will be making this many more times!! Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Gina!
These homemade baked beans are made from scratch. It is easy to make! Result? Best I have ever eaten. I consider myself a baked beans snob. 😂 Bonus.. all healthy ingredients 😋
Aww thank you, Rita!! 😀
I added some sliced hotdogs and some cheddar on top and my kids LOVE “Beanie Weenies” in their thermos for school lunches!
What a fun idea!! 😀
This made the perfect, fiber-packed side dish to compliment our pulled pork main!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed these, Ash!! Thanks for your review!
This dish is making me so hungry!! Looks so yummy.
Thank you!
I’m not surprised if they’re delicious, with a cat of characters like molasses, brown sugar, paprika, and garlic.
Thanks so much, John!!
great for breakfast with a poached egg on top!
Great idea! Thanks, Lisa!