These easy baked beans start with canned navy beans, that combine with bacon, onion and a simple sauce. A great Summer side dish!
I feel like I have had a bit of a bean obsession this past while, with my classic, long-cooking oven baked beans, then this delicious pork and beans dish. What can I say? I like baked beans :)
This one though is a little different. I think of these as Summer baked beans, as they start with canned navy beans, so they don't need any soaking or lots of hours in the oven.
Unlike some easy baked beans, these ones don't start with cans of baked beans, but rather canned navy beans. Added to the beans is a simple sauce, with your favourite BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses and some dried mustard. Add some bacon to the mix and pop into the oven for about 2 hours.
These are perfect BBQ beans, alongside your Summer grilled sausage, pork chops, hot dogs or whatever you are grilling up.
Ingredients
- Canned navy beans - these vary in size, but anywhere from 14-16 oz cans will work here. You could also use canned pinto beans. And of course, you can soak/boil your own navy beans from dried, if you like.
- Bacon - just a couple of slices. Omit for a vegetarian version,
- Onion
- Ketchup
- BBQ Sauce - your favourite store-bought or homemade
- Brown sugar
- Molasses - Fancy molasses is recommended. Cooking molasses may work, though I haven't tested it. I wouldn't recommend blackstrap molasses, as it is too strong and bitter.
- Dried mustard powder - or use about 1 Tbsp of prepared, yellow mustard, in a pinch
- Chicken broth - for some cooking liquid with some flavour. In a pinch, you could just use water.
Step-by-Step Photos
Tips
- As noted above, depending on the brand of canned navy beans, they might be 14 -16 oz cans, but they may be up to 19oz. cans in some cases. I love the Eden organic brand when I can find them, which are 14oz. Using two 14oz cans (28oz total) will produce a nicely saucy bean dish.
- If you have canned navy beans that are larger, you can do one of two things to keep the bean to sauce ration in order. If it's just a bit larger (up to 16oz), don't worry about it. Just use as is. If they are quite a bit larger, like the 19oz cans, you may want to make some adjustments to keep the dish saucy. You can either hold back some of the extra beans (remove and reserve for another use) or increase the sauce by 50%-ish. That said, if you don't want to do either of those things, even with the extra beans, it will still be a nice dish. I just like my beans good and saucy :)
- Use your favourite BBQ sauce. I have used Stubb's Original or Sweet Baby Rays, both of which are good. Any BBQ sauce you enjoy will work well. Sometimes, if I have a couple of bottles around, I will use a combination of BBQ sauces.
- Speaking of BBQ Sauce, I have experimented a bit with the ration of BBQ to Ketchup, sometimes using 2/3 BBQ sauce and 1/3 ketchup, depending on the particular BBQ sauce I was using. You may wish to experiment a bit with your favourite BBQ sauce. You want the BBQ sauce flavour to be forward, but not overwhelming.
- I like to pre-cook the bacon, simply to cook off some of the fat (so I don't get too much added to the beans as they cook). That is really just my preference. You can add un-cooked, diced bacon to the beans and the bacon will cook in the beans, if you prefer. You could also lay a couple of strips over the top of the beans, as an option.
- You can cook these beans early in the day (when it's cooler to put the oven on!) and re-heat for dinner. Simply bake off, cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate. Remove from the fridge a bit ahead, then simply cover with foil and pop into a 350F oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes or so.
Recipe
Easy BBQ Baked Beans
Easily made with pantry items, these bbq baked beans come together quickly and need just a couple of hours in the oven.
Ingredients
- 28 oz canned navy beans, two 14oz cans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 strips bacon, diced and partially cooked *see Note 1 below
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, store bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 2 Tbsp Fancy molasses
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Partially cook the bacon by dicing and cooking in a hot skillet on the stove-top, just until some of the fat cooks off and the bacon begins to brown. Spoon out onto paper towel to drain.
- Drain the canned beans and rinse well. Add to a large bowl, together with the diced onion and brown sugar.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, make the sauce by combining the bbq sauce, ketchup, dry mustard and molasses. Stir to combine. Add to the bowl with the beans and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth and the bacon and stir to mix well.
- Pour the bean mixture into a small casserole dish (mine shown here is 5x10 inches. Cover the dish with foil.
- Bake in preheated oven, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven, remove foil, stir and return to oven to bake, uncovered, for a further 30-40 minutes, or until thickened, bubbly and darkened. Let the beans stand 5-10 minutes before serving, to allow the sauce to set up.
- *You can bake these ahead, refrigerate, then re-heat, covered, in a 350F oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes.
Notes
- I like to pre-cook the bacon, simply to cook off some of the fat (so I don't get too much added to the beans as they cook). That is really just my preference. You can add un-cooked, diced bacon to the beans and the bacon will cook in the beans, if you prefer. You could also lay a couple of strips over the top of the beans, as an option.
- Be sure to read the Ingredients and Tips section above the recipe card for substitution suggestions and more tips for making this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 12gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 1082mgPotassium: 672mgFiber: 7gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 156IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 3mg
Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.
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Irene says
Didn’t have navy beans so used pinto beans and followed your receipe. Very tasty and went well with hot dogs done in a skillet. (We’re having to to adjust to no BBQ because of fire regulations.)
Think we’ve made all your baked bean receipes! All successes!!
Jennifer says
Glad you are enjoying my beans :) A perfect side with hot dogs, however you cook them!
Linda says
Another 5 start recipe! The family all loved these baked beans. All of your recipes turn out perfectly every time - thank you so much Jennifer!
Jennifer says
So glad to hear, Linda :) Thanks so much!
Ellen says
I printed the recipe, then printed pages 10 and 11 of the tips. Seems last two lines of paragraph talking about BBQ sauce does not print.
So thinking someone should look at that.
Page 10 ended with words "depending on the particular BBQ....
so what did not print was words starting with "sauce I was using
..... all the way through "forward not overwhelming".
I love your recipes, just would be setting to print and then when making it - missed some the instructions.
Jennifer says
Hi Ellen and thanks :) Unfortunately, complete web pages just don't print well, as printers can't decipher html. I could put all the tips in the recipe card (which does print well), but then it makes the recipe card too long for those that want to print the recipe on only one page. I'm thinking you'd be better off copying/pasting into a Word or text document just the parts that you want.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
It wouldn't be a summer BBQ without homemade baked beans Jennifer. We really enjoy them. These look delicious!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
One of our faves! Delicious as a side, but I could totally make a whole meal out of just these with a hunk of bread!!
Jennifer says
Thanks Dawn and yes, I could eat them on their own, too :)
[email protected] says
I could dive right in!! My mouth is literally watering just looking at them! So summery and delicious!
Jennifer says
Thanks so much, Annie :)
Milena says
These beans are easy to make and so delicious! Must have recipe for summer and beyond:)
Jennifer says
Thanks Milena and yes, they are great year round for a quicker version of beans, for sure :)
Tricia B says
Our favorite! We love summer baked beans. Picnics, potlucks and parties wouldn't be the same without bacon topped baked beans :) These look terrific Jennifer! Hope you are enjoying a fine summer.
Jennifer says
Thanks Tricia and yes, we are having a hot and dry Summer here! Enjoying it. Hope you are as well!