These Best Baked Beans are made from scratch (no canned beans here!) Dried Navy Beans get soaked overnight then are slow-cooked in a savory, slightly sweet sauce made with bacon, brown sugar and maple syrup for the best flavor possible! This outstanding side dish is perfect for barbecues, picnics, or any summertime festivities!

Overhead shot of baked beans in a Dutch oven pot with a wooden spoon.

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    The Absolute Best Baked Beans Recipe

    Baked beans are the best side dish for summertime! They go so well with grilled favorites like hot dogs, bbq chicken, hamburgers and ribs. I can’t help but start to crave these best baked beans once the summer starts!

    Canned baked beans are alright, but once you make this homemade baked beans recipe you will never go back! Not only are they easy to make, but they are seriously packed with flavor that the canned version can never live up to. Plus, dried beans are so much more budget-friendly that you might as well use dried beans here!

    Starting off with sautéing bacon, onions and garlic, and then adding bold smoked paprika, the beans are then balanced out perfectly with brown sugar and maple syrup to create a flavor combination like none other! The whole family is bound to love these delicious beans.

    Baked beans in a pot with a wooden spoon.

    Ingredients Needed

    • White Beans: Dried navy beans or great northern beans work best here!
    • Salt: Salt is added to the water to cook the beans, before adding the rest of the ingredients.
    • Bacon: Bacon starts to build a whole lot of flavor in these best baked beans. Make sure it gets nice and crispy so it is a pleasant texture in the baked beans!
    • Onion & Garlic: For a savory depth of flavor.
    • Smoked Paprika: Smoked paprika adds a lovely, smoky flavor that is quintessential to baked beans.
    • Dry Mustard: For another savory addition, which will be balanced out perfectly with brown sugar and maple syrup.
    • Light Brown Sugar & Maple Syrup: I like to use a combination of light brown sugar and maple syrup. It adds a slightly sweet flavor that is not overly sweet or overpowering.

    How to Make The best baked beans

    1. Soak the Beans: Soak your beans in water for 12 hours or overnight. Drain and discard the water.
    Dried beans in a pot with water.
    1. Simmer: Add beans back to the same pot and fill it with clean water (1-2 inches above the beans). Stir in 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 40-45 minutes.
    Beans simmering in water on the stove.
    1. Drain and Reserve Liquid: Drain and reserve the liquid. This is what we will add to thin out our sauce. Set the beans and reserved liquid aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    Beans in a colander with the cooking liquid reserved in a large bowl.
    1. Sauté Bacon: Heat the same pot (must be oven safe) over medium high heat. Add in the bacon and cook until the bacon is browned and crispy.
    Bacon cooking in the pot on the stove.
    1. Add Onions & Garlic: Add in the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes then add in the garlic and cook for 1 minutes.
    Onions and garlic added to the bacon.
    1. Add Beans & Seasonings: Stir in the cooked beans, 2 cups of the reserved liquid, smoked paprika, dried mustard, light brown sugar and maple syrup.
    Beans added to the pot along with the bean cooking liquid.
    1. Bake: Bake covered for 1 hour then remove the lid and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. If you feel like the beans look too dry, add in more of the reserved liquid. If the beans look too liquidy, cook uncovered for 15-30 more minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!
    • Add some spice! If you like a hint of spicy flavor, you can add in some diced jalapeño peppers or a dash of ground cayenne pepper!
    • Bake until the beans are tender! If you taste the beans and they are still a little hard after baking, you can add a little bit more of the reserved liquid and continue cooking until they are tender.
    • Make sure to save the bean cooking liquid! Just like pasta water, the bean water will be more flavorful than regular water. It is important to keep it so that these baked beans have the best flavor possible!
    Baked beans with a wooden spoon picking up a portion.

    What to serve with The BEST Baked Beans

    Here are a few recipes I love to have with these Baked Beans:

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you make baked beans in the slow cooker?

    Definitely! If you prefer, you can certainly cook baked beans in a slow cooker. Soak your beans like normal overnight, drain and rinse them, then add them into the crockpot and cover them with fresh water. In a pan on the stove, sauté the bacon, onions and garlic. Once fully cooked, transfer them to the crockpot with the beans along with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on high for about 4 hours, or until the beans are tender. Cooking time will vary depending on the freshness of your dried beans.

    How long do baked beans last in the fridge?

    Store any leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in the microwave until heated through!

    More side dish recipes to try

    Recipe

    The BEST Baked Beans

    5 from 2 votes
    These Best Baked Beans are made from beans slow-cooked in a savory, slightly sweet sauce made with bacon, brown sugar and maple syrup for the best flavor possible! This outstanding side dish is perfect for barbecues, picnics, or any summertime festivities!
    Author: Kelley Simmons
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Serves 4
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    Save this Recipe

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      Ingredients 

      Instructions

      • Soak your beans in water for 12 hours or overnight.
        Drain and discard the water.
      • Add your beans back to the same pot and fill it with clean water (1-2 inches above the beans)
        Stir in 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 40-45 minutes.
      • Drain and reserve the liquid (this is what we will add to thin out our sauce!)
        Set the beans and reserved liquid aside.
        Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees.
      • Heat the same pot (must be oven safe) over medium high heat.
        Add in the bacon and cook until the bacon is browned and crispy.
      • Add in the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes then add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
      • Stir in the cooked beans, 2 cups of the reserved liquid, smoked paprika, dried mustard, light brown sugar and maple syrup.
      • Bake covered for 1 hour then remove the lid and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. If you feel like the beans look too dry add in more of the reserved liquid. If the beans look to liquidy cook uncovered for 15-30 more minutes.

      Nutrition Information

      Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 11gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 976mgPotassium: 800mgFiber: 9gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 114IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 4mg

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