The best Baked Beans recipe is loaded with sweet and smokey flavor and baked saucy or thick, depending on your preference. They’re easy to make (even make in advance!) and a great side dish to feed a crowd.

Looking for more BBQ side dishes? Try my Baked Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, Cucumber Onion Salad or Jalapeño Cornbread.

Baked beans in a 9x13 inch baking dish, with a serving spoon on the side.

Why I love this recipe:

  • Delicious – These easy baked beans are packed full of flavor and so good! You will never just heat up a can of beans again!
  • Easy – Only 15 minutes of prep and then it goes in the oven. Perfect side dish!
  • Large Gathering – This recipe makes a 9×13 pan, so it’s perfect to take to a potluck or party; or just freeze the rest for later! It’s also a great one to make a day or two ahead of time.

How to make Baked Beans:

Cook Bacon: Add bacon to a large pot on medium heat and cook, stirring often until crisp. Remove to a plate.

Crispy bacon pieces on a paper towel.

Sauté Veggies: Remove only some of the bacon grease then add onion and saute for 4 minutes. Add bell pepper and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

Onion, bell pepper and garlic sautéing in a dutch oven pot.

Combine Ingredients: Add remaining ingredients and bacon to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Baked beans ingredients in a pot next to another photo of the beans poured into a baking dish.

Bake: Pour homemade baked beans into a 9×13 baking pan and bake, covered with foil, for one hour (or up to 2 hours, if you want them thicker). Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving, for the sauce to thicken as it cools.

A spoon scooping baked beans from a dish.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Prepare the beans up until the baking step. Refrigerate in a covered container for 3-4 days, depending on the freshness of ingredients used. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking. Bake as instructed.

To Freeze: These baked beans from scratch can be frozen in an air-tight freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator before baking.

Recipe Variations:

  • Saucy Baked Beans: Cook for recommended 1 hour.
  • Thick Baked Beans: Add an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour onto the cook time.
  • Sweetness: I like my beans on the sweeter side, but if you don’t, you can cut down the brown sugar to ⅓ cup.
  • Instant Pot Baked Beans: Try my instant pot recipe that uses dry beans.
  • Slow Cooker Baked Beans: Cook bacon and sauté onion in a skillet on the stove. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.

Serve With:

Follow me for more great recipes

Recipe

A pan of saucy homemade Baked Beans with bacon, ready to serve.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Cool 15 minutes
Total 1 hour 30 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

  • 10 slices bacon , chopped
  • 1 yellow onion , medium, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper , finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 15 oz kidney beans , canned, red, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz navy beans , canned, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz pinto beans , canned, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz baked beans , canned, undrained
  • 2/3 cup ketchup
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar , packed
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Hot sauce , or more, to taste
  • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke , optional for smoky flavor
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or more, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Add bacon to a large pot. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring often until crisp. Remove to a plate. Remove only some of the excess grease. Add onion to pan and sauté for 4 minutes. Add bell pepper and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bacon to stir to combine. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Pour mixture into a 9×13 baking pan and bake, covered with foil, for one hour (or up to 2 hours, if you want them thicker consistency). Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving, for the sauce to thicken as it cools.
  • Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: Follow instructions until the baking step. Cover then refrigerate for 3-4 days. Allow beans to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes then bake as instructed.
Freezing Instructions: Keep beans in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Allow beans to thaw completely in the refrigerator before baking.
Variations:
  • Saucy vs Thick: For saucy beans, cook for recommended 1 hour. Bake for 30 minutes to an hour longer for a thicker consistency.
  • Sweetness: These beans are on the sweeter side, so feel free to cut the brown sugar down to ⅓ cup, if desired.
  • Instant Pot Baked Beans
  • Slow Cooker Baked Beans: Cook bacon then sauté onion in a skillet on the stove. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 10gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 518mgPotassium: 751mgFiber: 11gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 464IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 4mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!

Follow Me

Get recipe ideas weekly!

This post contains affiliate links.

Related Posts

Share Recipe

Categories

About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I doubled the recipe and made it in my crock pot. It was absolutely delicious!!
    I added a little bit more hot sauce because our family enjoys the kick!
    Thank you for sharing!

  2. Made these for Father’s Day celebration and they are delicious. Several people raved about them! Wonderful flavor. I baked mine for the 2 hours. Yum!

  3. 5 stars
    I love these beans! SO much texture and flavor, and all of my kids devoured them and asked for more. A winner! (I actually love your instant pot beans too- they are a bit tangier! and good for when I don’t want to use my oven)

  4. 5 stars
    This recipe is fantastic. It is like the recipe my Mom used to make years ago for backyard picnics and barbecues. You will never want to go back to serving canned beans once you know how good this homemade recipe is.