Easy Homemade Baked Beans With Bacon

This foolproof recipe makes sweet and smoky Homemade Baked Beans an absolute breeze. Enriched with ingredients like sautéed bacon, barbecue sauce, ancho chili powder and pure maple syrup, this creamy and comforting side dish is unrivaled.

Want more easy summer bbq ideas? Try out this Creamy Potato Salad with Bacon recipe, Broccoli Salad or fresh Summer Fruit Salad.

A large bowl of bacon baked beans with a golden spoon inside

Smoky BBQ Baked Beans With Bacon

Canned baked beans may be convenient, but when it comes to treating your taste buds—let’s be real—they just don’t cut it. It might surprise you to learn that making baked beans from scratch isn’t much different! You do have to pre-cook a couple of ingredients over the stove, but the mouthwatering flavor you end up with is worth it a million times over.

From the smoky paprika to the tangy apple cider vinegar, each element adds its own charm to this protein-packed side dish. All backyard barbecues need a big bowl of bacon baked beans to feel complete. Everyone will be rushing to grab some before they’re gone!

What You’ll Need

Get acquainted with the ingredient lineup for your new favorite baked beans. The amounts are included in the recipe card below this post.

Great Northern Beans: Don’t forget to drain and rinse the beans before you use them.
Low-Sodium Pinto Beans: Drained and rinsed.
Raw Bacon: Diced.
Yellow Onion: Finely diced.
Garlic: Freshly minced.
Ketchup: Use your favorite brand.
BBQ Sauce: My family swears by Stubb’s Original.
Yellow Mustard
Apple Cider Vinegar
Maple Syrup: Make sure you opt for pure maple syrup and not artificial pancake syrup.
Smoked Paprika
Ancho Chili Powder: This chili powder is mildly to moderately spicy – use as much or as little as you’d like.
Dry Mustard Seed

Which Beans Are Used in Baked Beans?

Classic American baked beans are made with some kind of white beans or common beans. I like to use a combination of both. Namely, Great Northern Beans and Pinto Beans.

If you have another variety of white beans or common beans you’re looking to use up, feel free to reach for those instead. Navy Beans and Pink Beans are two popular options that you really can’t go wrong with.

How to Make Baked Beans From Scratch

Like most modern baked bean recipes, this one requires no baking at all. Instead, the dish is cooked low and slow over the stove as follows:

Heat Saucepan: Heat a medium-sized saucepan to medium-high heat.

Sauté Bacon: Add the diced bacon and sauté it for 4-5 minutes, or until it’s slightly browned.

Add Onions & Garlic: Add the onions and garlic to the saucepan. Sauté them until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add Remaining Ingredients: Once the onions are tender, pour in the prepared beans, ketchup, bbq sauce, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder and dry mustard. Stir to combine all of the ingredients.

Reduce Heat & Let Simmer: Turn the heat down to low and cover the saucepan. Let the beans simmer for 30-35 minutes.

Enjoy! Remove your homemade baked beans from the heat once they’re nice and tender.

Tips for Success

These tips and tricks are here to help you make perfect BBQ baked beans. Let’s jump right in!

Drain & Rinse the Beans Well: After you drain the canning liquid from your beans, be sure to give them a thorough rinse (and then drain off the excess water). This minimizes their sodium content.
Don’t Skip the Sauté: Technically, you could use pre-cooked bacon and skip the sautéing entirely – but I don’t recommend it. This process infuses the bacon with oniony, garlicky goodness that permeates into the dish as a whole.
Anticipate Thickening: Don’t worry if your baked beans still seem a bit thin by the time they’re done cooking. They’ll quickly thicken up once you remove them from the heat.

Variation Ideas

Want to do things a little differently? Go right ahead – these baked beans are super versatile.

Swap Out the Bacon: Pork belly, ham hock and smoked sausage all make stellar bacon substitutes. If you need your baked beans to be vegetarian or vegan, you can omit the meat entirely.
Turn up the Heat: Many people aren’t satisfied until their baked beans are significantly spicy. If this sounds like you, don’t hesitate to heat things up by adding crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper to taste. You could even use your favorite hot sauce!
Add Diced Bell Pepper: Want to jazz up your baked beans with some extra veggie action? Try tossing some diced bell pepper into the saucepan along with the onions and garlic.

Serving Suggestions

This simple side has the potential to upstage even the most impressive main courses. The dishes below are tempting enough to stand beside it without getting lost in its shadow.

Storage and Reheating

Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, leftover baked beans should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy them within 3 or 4 days for the best results. Reheat your beans over a low-heat stove until they’re warmed through.

Can I Freeze Homemade Baked Beans?

Sure! Place the cooled beans into a heavy-duty freezer bag, remove the air, then seal the bag, leaving some empty space inside it for expansion. Store the beans in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw them out in the fridge overnight before you reheat them.