In this from scratch homemade baked beans recipe, these beans are sweet and savory with hints of smoky, coffee-infused bacon bits and onions. The perfect side dish for any cookout you’re invited to this summer. Give this old-fashioned recipe a try at your next BBQ.
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Homemade baked beans ingredients
We’re going rogue with this recipe! Most baked beans use navy beans. Today, we’re using Pinto beans. Why? Because they are the only white bean in my cabinet that didn’t need to be soaked overnight before using. Grab your canned beans and let’s go!
- 3- 15.5 oz Pinto bean cans
- 4 slices bacon, diced and fried
- 1/2 onion, diced and sautéed
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (if none, do not add fake syrup; add another 1/4 cup brown sugar)
- 2 tsp dry mustard (if none; 1 tsp liquid yellow mustard)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp instant coffee or espresso (optional but takes beans to next level)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup water
How to prepare homemade baked beans:
To start this delicious side dish off, dice up 4 strips of bacon that has been thawed. Add bacon pieces to frying pan and cook until done. Then use tongs or slotted spoon to scoop out the bits to rest and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Now dice up onion and add to the bacon greased frying pan. This is for flavor! If you feel it is too much bacon grease, pour some out into a mason jar to save for another time (you DO save your bacon grease, right?) Cook onion until translucent. Then remove from heat and let the onions sit until the rest of the recipe is done.
Next, grab a mixing bowl and all other needed ingredients from the list then preheat oven to 350 degrees.
First, open cans of pinto beans and drain into a colander and rinse well then dump into the mixing bowl.
Now begin measuring each ingredient and adding to the mixing bowl with the beans: ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, salt, pepper, cumin, instant coffee, vinegar, apple juice, and water. Using a large spoon, gently mix all ingredients together well. Be gentle as not to mush up the already cooked pinto beans.
Once all ingredients are mixed well, add the bacon bits and onions to the mixing bowl and again, mix well but gently.
Then pour the mixing bowl ingredients into a 9×13 baking dish.
Lastly, slide the baking dish into the preheated oven and allow the beans to cook for 25 minutes.
Enjoy these tasty homemade baked beans with anything off the smoker grill like brisket, pulled pork, short ribs, or even hot dogs and hamburgers. Pair it with homemade smoked Mac and cheese and prepare to be invited back to all the cookouts this summer!
Note:
This recipe leaves some delicious liquid behind. Serve these homemade baked beans using a slotted spoon. The real bonus here is that if you’re grilled or smoking a meat, this baked beans liquid makes a great sauce for your meats too!
Are homemade baked beans really worth the effort?
Yes!
Try a side by side comparison of any of your favorite canned baked beans and see for yourself.
I was once a huge fan of a brown and gold labeled baked beans can, the vegetarian flavor. But then I started reading food labels for my son’s food allergy and learned a bit too much about the food industry. I figured there had to be a better way to consume a high fiber food like baked beans.
Turns out there is. Most any food product you buy in the store can be replicated at home and the internet hosts a wide variety of those recipes to choose from. Take one, make it with your own spin, and enjoy your creativity and healthier ingredients!
There’s like a lot of sugar in these homemade baked beans
Yep, there sure is,
Maple syrup, brown sugar, AND molasses.
Yeah I know. Sugar isn’t good for us. I know, I know. But what are baked beans if they aren’t sweetened??
Feel free to play around with this recipe and reduce the amounts of sweeteners or take some sweeteners out.
If I had to subtract one, I’d take out the molasses. Brown sugar has molasses in it.
In fact, making your own brown sugar at home will have you NEVER spending another dime on a bag of it in the store again. It’s THAT EASY!
A well-stocked pantry
In order for most things in life to go smoother, being prepared for it helps. Being organized and ready!
A well-stocked pantry is the MVP of a from scratch kitchen that will serve you and your household well.
Staple ingredients like spiced, herbs, acids like vinegars and lemon juice, and basic foundational baking ingredients like flour, sugar, salt, molasses, syrup, honey, oils, baking soda and powder, etc. are the powerhouse of the pantry.
I’ve created a list of the staple ingredients that help me create MANY from scratch and homemade meals for my family. Here it is for FREE for you:
Many other food products could be added to this list but this is a great starting point for anyone trying to start cooking from scratch more often.
If you liked this simple homemade recipe from scratch, try these too:
Follow along for more from scratch recipes
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Homemade baked beans
Equipment
- 1 casserole pan 9×13
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 slotted spoon
- 1 frying pan
Ingredients
- 3- 15.5 oz Pinto bean cans
- 4 slices bacon diced and fried
- 1/2 onion diced and sautéed
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup if none, do not add fake syrup; add another 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp dry mustard if none; 1 tsp liquid yellow mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp instant coffee or espresso optional but takes beans to next level
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Dice 4 strips of bacon that has been thawed. Add bacon pieces to frying pan and cook until done. Then use tongs or slotted spoon to scoop out the bits to rest and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- Dice onion and add to the bacon greased frying pan. This is for flavor! If you feel it is too much bacon grease, pour some out into a mason jar to save. Cook onion until translucent. Then remove from heat and let the onions sit until the rest of the recipe is done.
- Next, grab a mixing bowl and all other needed ingredients from the list then preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Open cans of pinto beans and drain into a colander and rinse well then dump into the mixing bowl.
- Measure each ingredient and add to the mixing bowl with the beans: ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, salt, pepper, cumin, instant coffee, vinegar, apple juice, and water. Using a large spoon, gently mix all ingredients together well. Be gentle as not to mush up the already cooked pinto beans.
- Once all ingredients are mixed well, add the bacon bits and onions to the mixing bowl and again, mix well but gently.
- Then pour the mixing bowl ingredients into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Lastly, slide the baking dish into the preheated oven and allow the beans to cook for 25 minutes.
