Thick, smoky, sweet, and savory, this Old Fashioned Baked Beans recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again! Serve these oven baked beans at your next BBQ, picnic, potluck or family dinner and watch your guests lick their plates clean and ask for more! The best baked beans made from scratch!
Baked beans are an American staple. The combination of sweet, savory and smoky flavors makes them irresistibly delicious. Making your own homemade baked beans from scratch is easier to make than you may think, you just need to set aside enough cooking time. They need time to cook low and slow to allow the beans to soak up all those amazing flavors.
The perfect make-ahead dish, these baked beans are even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to develop!
What to Serve With Baked Beans
Baked beans is a versatile dish that can be served with any number of mains and sides. Here are some popular options:
- Grilled or Barbecued Meats
- Burgers, Sliders, or Hot Dogs
- Grilled Vegetables
- Fried Chicken
- Skillet Cornbread
- Creamy Coleslaw
- Freezer Slaw
- Macaroni Salad
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Potato Salad
- Broccoli Salad or Leafy Green Salad
- Bread Rolls or Biscuits
Can I Make Baked Beans in a Slow Cooker?
Yes. While the traditional method cooking “baked” beans is to bake them in the oven, which is the method we present here, you can also make them in a crock pot. The sauce may be thinner at the end of the cooking time in which case remove the lid towards the end of the cooking to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
SLOW COOKER METHOD: Follow steps 1 and 2 in the recipe and then pour everything into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours or until the beans are tender. Open the lid for the last 30 minutes or longer until the sauce has thickened. If the beans are too thick at any point and too much liquid has evaporated, stir in a little extra water.
Why Are My Beans Still Hard After Hours of Cooking?
You’re not alone, this is a not an uncommon problem. From Fine Cooking: “Some beans refuse to soften. You can soak them overnight and then simmer them all day long, and they’re still hard as pebbles. The main causes of this are age and improper storage.”
As dried beans age the pores in the beans that allow water to enter close up which will prevent the beans from softening no matter how long they are cooked.
Be sure to follow the instructions to soak the beans overnight and then boil them for an hour. For especially hard beans one classic trick you can try is to add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the beans while you’re boiling them (1/4 teaspoon for every pound of beans). Be careful though: If too much is added or if it’s added to beans that aren’t too hard, you could end up with mushy beans.
Baked Beans Recipe
Let’s get started!
Soak the beans overnight in a pot of water. Make sure the beans are covered by at least a couple of inches of water. Drain the beans and put them in a pot of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. Drain and reserved the bean liquid.
In a large pot or Dutch oven fry the bacon until crispy then add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in the tomato sauce, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaf.
Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved bean water and the beans.
Bring everything to a simmer for a minute or two to heat it up.Â
In the meantime preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Transfer the Dutch oven with the lid on to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 2 to 3 hours or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened, removing the lid during the last 20-30 minutes to help the sauce thicken.
NOTE: If at any point during the cooking process too much liquid evaporates and the beans get dry, add a little more of the reserved bean water. The beans themselves can vary from batch to batch and you may end up either needing to add more liquid if the beans are too dry or you may need to bake the beans longer with the lid off if there is too much liquid. Adjust as needed.
Add more salt the pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or let cool completely and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Enjoy!
For other classic sides to complement your BBQ or cook-off be sure to try our:
- Skillet Cornbread
- Creamy Coleslaw
- Freezer Slaw
- Macaroni Salad
- Potato Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad
- Chicken Salad
Old Fashioned Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried navy beans
- 8 ounces thick cut bacon , diced
- 1 medium yellow onion , finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 cup plain tomato sauce or ketchup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Place the dried beans in a pot of water covered by a few inches of water and let soak overnight. Drain the beans, place them back in the pot with fresh water and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour, then drain, reserving the liquid. See NOTE.
- In a Dutch oven or other oven-proof pot fry the bacon until crispy then add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.Stir in the tomato sauce, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaf.Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved bean water and the beans.Bring everything to a simmer for a minute or two to heat it up. In the meantime preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Transfer the Dutch oven with the lid on to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 2 to 3 hours or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened, removing the lid during the last 20-30 minutes to help the sauce thicken. NOTE: If at any point during the cooking process too much liquid evaporates and the beans get dry, add a little more of the reserved bean water. The beans themselves can vary from batch to batch and you may end up either needing to add more liquid if the beans are too dry or you may need to bake the beans longer with the lid off if there is too much liquid. Adjust as needed.Add more salt the pepper to taste.Serve immediately or let cool completely and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- SLOW COOKER METHOD: Follow steps 1 and 2 and then pour everything into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours or until the beans are tender. Open the lid for the last 30 minutes or longer until the sauce has thickened. If the beans are too thick at any point and too much liquid has evaporated, stir in a little extra water.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 30,2020
Anonymous says
Absolutely delicious beans and everyone that had some of them love them compliments to the chef
Amy says
Can great northern beans be substituted?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes they can, Amy. Happy cooking!
Gail Woods says
Delicious!
Amy says
Very good!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Amy!
Nan says
I’ve had a love – hate relationship with beans my entire life. Some restaurants serve them on the side and they so yummy! I’ve purchased canned baked beans at home to have and they are all utterly horrible! Last time we went out we had them at a restaurant again. So I figured, I can make my own baked beans! I’ve made these twice now and everyone loves them. I lighten up the molasses a bit because I’m not a fan of the bitter taste from it but darn, these are amazing! Right now I have two pots going as I’m going to can them so we have beans over the winter months – woohoo!! Thank you! Nan
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Nan, I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that!
Terry Kunick says
Absolutely delicious! My grandson couldn’t get enough. Best baked beans I’ve ever made!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad, Terry, thanks so much for the feedback!
Mary biller says
I’m so pumped for this recipe, we’re putting our batch into the smoker with our ribs, the house smells incredible
Darlene says
How would you can these. I’ve never canned beans.
Nan says
I didn’t see a reply anywhere, I’m canning them today. Make recipe as usual but bake for about an hour or so only. Then transfer to jars, close lid and place in a canning pot for about 45m to an hr. Set on counter over night – don’t touch. All the lids should have popped down. If not, you should eat them within a few days but if the lids popped down you’re good to go! :)
Dr. Chungus says
Working on making these as we speak, I’m planning on adding a 1/4 cup of maple syrup to the tomato sauce and molasses as well. Can’t wait to eat it tonight.
Katie says
Smoky and delicious. Takes a long time, but most of it’s hands-off. Definitely worth it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Katie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Terry says
If doubling the recipe should liquid be double as well for baking, from 1-1/2 cups to 3 cups?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes, Terry, that’s correct.
Denae says
How long will these beans last in the fridge? I need to make them on a Friday for a Sunday BBQ
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Denae, making them Friday for Sunday will be perfectly fine. Happy cooking!
Joan Lisa Killey says
I was always taught that when boiling beans that the beans release toxins into the water. Always rinse the beans thoroughly, and discard the water.
By using the bean water you are just adding the toxins back into your recipe.
Anonymous says
Yes! Don’t use the water used to soak the beans overnight, but definitely use the broth made when cooking them–that has all the nutrients.
Glenn Hurd says
Yummy the best ever thank you for posting
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Glenn, I’m so glad you enjoyed them – thank you!
Tom says
Can I substitute ham bone and ham for bacon?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Tom, you sure can!