Here’s a classic baked beans recipe 🍲—sweet, savory, and perfect as a side or even on toast.
Classic Baked Beans
Ingredients (4–6 servings)
- 2 cans (15 oz each) navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp molasses (optional, for depth)
- 1 tsp mustard (yellow or Dijon)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 slices bacon, chopped (optional for smoky flavor)
Instructions
- Preheat oven
- 350°F (175°C).
- Cook aromatics
- In a skillet, cook chopped bacon (if using) until crisp.
- Add onion and garlic; sauté 3–5 minutes until soft.
- Mix beans & sauce
- In a baking dish, combine beans, sautéed onions & bacon, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 30–40 minutes, stirring once halfway, until sauce is thick and bubbly.
- Serve
- Serve hot as a side with barbecue, hot dogs, or toast.
Tips & Variations
- Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika.
- Vegetarian: Skip bacon and add smoked paprika for flavor.
- Extra thick sauce: Mash a few beans while baking or cook a little longer uncovered.
- Make-ahead: Baked beans taste even better the next day; store in the fridge up to 3 days.
If you want, I can give a crockpot baked beans version that’s almost hands-off and extra flavorful.
