Ah yes 😍 Baked Beans—sweet, smoky, and hearty. Perfect as a side for BBQs, breakfast, or even just on toast. Here’s a simple and delicious version you can make from scratch.
🍲 Classic Baked Beans
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked beans (navy, great northern, or canned, drained & rinsed)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3–4 slices bacon, chopped (optional, for smoky flavor)
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp molasses (optional, adds depth)
- 1 tbsp mustard (Dijon or yellow)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- ½ cup water or reserved bean liquid
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
2️⃣ Cook aromatics
- In a skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp
- Add onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until soft
3️⃣ Mix sauce
- In a large bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper
- Stir in cooked beans, bacon, and onions
- Add water/reserved bean liquid to loosen
4️⃣ Bake
- Transfer mixture to a baking dish
- Cover with foil and bake 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Optional: uncover last 10–15 minutes for thicker, caramelized beans
5️⃣ Serve
- Serve hot as a side dish or on toast for a classic treat
🔥 Pro Tips
- Use a mix of beans for texture (navy + kidney)
- Slow baking deepens flavor—overnight in a low oven is amazing
- Adjust sweetness and tanginess to taste (more molasses = richer, more mustard = tangy)
- For vegetarian, skip bacon and add smoked paprika or liquid smoke
Variations
- 🥓 Smoky BBQ beans: add ¼ cup barbecue sauce
- 🌶 Spicy baked beans: add chili powder or chopped jalapeños
- 🍯 Sweet & sticky: increase brown sugar and molasses
- 🧄 Garlic lovers: add 2–3 cloves minced garlic
If you want, I can give you a restaurant-style baked beans recipe that’s rich, thick, smoky, and slightly sweet, perfect for BBQs or even brunch 😋🍲
Do you want me to do that?
