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A casserole baking dish filled with Classic Baked Beans on a wood surface, with a wooden spoon is to the side.

Classic Baked Beans, the Easy Way

Rich, tangy, sweet and savoury, these baked beans are everything you want the classic dish to be, without the work of soaking the beans, and goes beyond opening a can of ready made commercially canned baked beans. The perfect side to burgers and hot dogs, or with your breakfast eggs!
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine North American
Keyword baked beans, BBQ sauce, canned beans
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 8 oz (225 g) thick cut bacon or pork belly, sliced into bite sized pieces
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup (250 ml) BBQ sauce, see Notes
  • 3/4 cup (175 ml) tomato puree or sauce, or ketchup, see Notes
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp fancy molasses
  • 1 tbsp dry mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
  • 3 13.5 oz (398 ml) cans of low sodium Great Northern or Navy beans, rinsed well
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F. If your dutch oven or casserole can't go into the oven, grease or spray a 8 cup baking dish or casserole.
  2. In a medium dutch oven (should be able to hold 8 cups worth) add the bacon and cook over medium heat till crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off all but one tablespoon of the fat.
  3. Add the onions to the drippings in the pot. Cook, till softened, stirring regularly. Add the garlic after four minutes, cook for another minute.
  4. Add in the BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, maple syrup, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, apple cider vinegar, paprika, cloves and cayenne (if using). Stir well and bring to a simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Adjust any other seasonings as well.
  6. Stir in the beans to combine well.
  7. If baking in this dutch oven, stir in 2/3 of the drained bacon, and place the remaining bacon on top. Transfer to the oven and bake until thickened and bubbling, about 25 minutes. If using a separate baking dish, stir in the bacon, transfer to the greased baking dish, and the sprinkle the remaining bacon on top. Bake as directed.
  8. Serve warm, or even at room temperature.
  9. Store in a sealed container for up to four days in the fridge.
  10. Can be prepared up to baking, and refrigerated up to two days before baking.

Recipe Notes

For my homemade BBQ sauce, see here.
If your cans of beans are not quite the same size, or are a bit larger, just add a bit more of the sauces to make it work.
If the baked beans stiffen up in the fridge overnight, feel free to thin out with a bit of tomato sauce, even vegetable stock or water as you re-warm it over medium-low on the stove top.
If you want more sauce right from the beginning, just increase the amount of BBQ sauce and tomato sauce or ketchup. This is a personal preference, if you don't want them to be thick and stiff.

I show 175 ml for the BBQ sauce amount.  But if I use one of my measuring cups, it shows as 180 ml.  When it comes to savoury recipes like this, 5 ml really doesn't make a difference.  Use whichever metric measurement you like, and then add more sauce if you feel like it anyway!!