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Baked Beans with Bacon

Easy homemade baked beans recipe using canned beans, with brown sugar and bacon on top, baked long and slow in the oven.  The quintessential summer BBQ side dish!

Overhead in casserole dish.

Let me start off by saying baked beans are my husband's all time favorite side dish, he'll even crumble potato chips on top if he can, or I let him!  I never make them from scratch but with summer grilling season upon us, I decided to dust off my super easy baked beans recipe.

Close up of spoonful of baked beans.

I'd say these are semi-homemade, mostly from scratch except I use canned pork and beans as the base.  You know the ones I'm talking about.  Just need to doctor them up with a few ingredients and bake 'em.  Super easy.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PORK AND BEANS AND BAKED BEANS

Canned pork and beans and ingredients on white board.

Canned pork and beans are usually navy beans stewed in tomatoes and pork fat and/or a piece of salt pork.  Baked beans, canned or homemade, have more seasonings and are sweeter and thicker in consistency from adding brown sugar or molasses.  Canned pork and beans are convenient, cheap and so great for making homemade baked beans.
 

HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY SIDE DISH

Three photo process shot of three steps of layering ingredients.

  1. Start by dumping one can of pork and beans into bottom of a greased casserole.
  2. Sprinkle with some chopped onion and then with brown sugar/dry mustard mixture.
  3. Top with another can of pork and beans.  Sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture, bacon pieces and catsup over top.  Bake long and slow in the oven, 2½ hours at 325º

Baked beans just out of the oven, before stirring to mix.

No need to stir during baking, just let them do their thing.  The beans will thicken, bubble and brown and your kitchen will smell glorious.  I let them rest a bit and then stir to combine everything.  Delish.

RECIPE NOTES AND TIPS

Close up in casserole with wooden spoon.

  • Start with canned pork and beans as your base, spooning off excess liquid at the top of the can.  That's just what I do, you don't need all that extra liquid.
  • If you want to be adventurous, try using pork belly instead of bacon.  I have and love it!  Cubed sous vide pork belly I got at Costco, it was delicious and very similar to bacon, practically melts in your mouth!
  • Don't rush things, let them cook for a long time in a slow oven.  Just leave them alone, they will do their thing.
  • No need to stir during baking, let the bacon brown on top.  Stir to combine when done.
  • Let them rest, thicken and cool down.  I actually like them best barely warm, room temp even.

Did I mention that Meathead puts crushed potato chips on his baked beans?  Yep, a childhood thing he's never outgrown and his six brothers still razz him about it.  Regardless, and yes, I think that's weird, these easy baked beans need to make an appearance more often in our house.  Yours, too!!  Enjoy, Kelly

In casserole dish, with wooden spoon showing thick texture.

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In casserole dish, with wooden spoon showing thick texture.

Baked Beans with Bacon

Easy homemade baked beans with bacon and brown sugar.
4.60 from 15 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 171kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 (28-ounce) cans pork and beans spoon off excess liquid from top
  • ½ medium sweet onion, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard I like Colman's
  • 6-8 slices (about ½ pound) thick cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces or pork belly!
  • ½ cup catsup

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325º and grease a large 2½ to 3 quart casserole dish with bacon fat, just rub some bacon pieces around the dish.
  • Empty one can of pork and beans (excess liquid skimmed off) into bottom of casserole dish. Combine brown sugar and mustard in small bowl. Sprinkle half the brown sugar/mustard mixture over beans. Scatter chopped onions over beans and brown sugar mixture.
  • Empty second can of pork and beans over top. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture. Scatter bacon pieces evenly over top, followed by catsup.
  • Bake in slow oven (325º) for 2½ hours. Stir to combine and let rest at least 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

  • Start with canned pork and beans as your base, spooning off excess liquid at the top of the can.  That’s just what I do, you don’t need all that extra liquid.
  • If you want to be adventurous, try using pork belly instead of bacon.  I have and love it!  Cubed sous vide pork belly I got at Costco, it was delicious and very similar to bacon, practically melts in your mouth!
  • Don’t rush things, let them cook for a long time in a slow oven.  Just leave them alone, they will do their thing.
  • No need to stir during baking, let the bacon brown on top.  Stir to combine when done.
  • Let them rest, thicken and cool down.  I actually like them best barely warm, room temp even.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal Carbohydrates: 21g Protein: 3g Fat: 9g Saturated Fat: 3g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 14mg Sodium: 259mg Potassium: 120mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 19g Vitamin A: 70IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 21mg Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe? Please comment, rate it and share! And mention me on Instagram @thehungrybluebird or tag #thehungrybluebird so I can see!
 

 

 

Recipe Rating




Pamela Owens

Tuesday 1st of August 2023

This is pretty much my mother’s recipe but way too much brown sugar. I did it with this much because it looked like Mother’s but it was way too sweet. I’m trying it tomorrow with 1/3 cup brown sugar. Dried onion flakes work well too.

Kara

Monday 3rd of July 2023

This is a fabulous recipe and the same as my mother’s recipe from the 1960s, which she called “Flavor Baked Beans.” Her recipe doesn’t call for onion, which I think would be a good addition. It’s in the oven right now, and the sweet smell is transporting me to back my childhood.

Dena

Tuesday 23rd of November 2021

Is that 2 cans of the 28 oz or total of 28 oz (2 cans of 14 oz)?

Kelly

Tuesday 23rd of November 2021

Hi Dena. It's two cans of the 28-ounce size.

michelle

Friday 9th of July 2021

do you cover them while they are cooking?

Kelly

Monday 12th of July 2021

Nope, I don't cover them. They get nice and caramelized on the top and thicken nicely uncovered. Just stir when finished cooking.

Bonnie Donnelly

Thursday 3rd of September 2020

Do you think I need to cook the bacon first if using a crock pot?

Pamela Owens

Tuesday 1st of August 2023

@Kelly, I would not ever cook the bacon. You need it to release all its flavor directly into the beans, whatever the cooking method.

Kelly

Friday 4th of September 2020

Hi Bonnie. I’ve never done them in a slow cooker so I’m not sure. I don’t think it would hurt to cook the bacon first or you cook maybe mix it in the beans before cooking.