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This easy baked beans recipe with bacon is warm, comforting, sweet, a little smoky, and totally delicious.

close-up of easy homemade baked beans with bacon in a bowl with a spoon

I originally intended this homemade baked beans recipe to be cooked in the Crockpot with dried navy beans, but I could not get it to work. With dried beans (even when you soak them overnight), you can’t predict if they’ll still be a bit hard, unfortunately. When you buy dried beans from a store, you have no idea how old they are.

So, I decided to not give up (the flavors were awesome) and use canned navy and kidney beans to ensure this baked beans recipe had deliciously soft and creamy beans. The bonus with the oven method is that it speeds the recipe up by quite a few hours!

These Boston baked beans are delicious. I love beans in general, but somehow I’ve never really been a baked beans kinda gal. That changed with this recipe. Making baked beans from scratch makes them a whole lot more tasty.

These are great served as a cold weather side dish, a main meal, or as a part of a summer cookout or BBQ. What I’m saying really is that there’s no wrong time for these baked beans with bacon. 😉

easy homemade baked beans with bacon in a white bowl with a spoon

How to make baked beans in the oven

  1. Fry up the bacon;
  2. Whisk the sauce ingredients together;
  3. Drain some of the bacon fat;
  4. Cook onion in the remaining bacon grease;
  5. Add the beans and sauce;
  6. Bake for 45 minutes.

I like using a Dutch oven because you can make the entire recipe in there from start to finish. You don’t need a Dutch oven, though. You can always use a baking dish once you’ve reached the point where it’s time to bake the beans.

easy Boston baked beans with bacon in a bowl

Hope you will enjoy this easy baked beans recipe!

Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions.

Easy homemade baked beans with bacon - a from scratch recipe that is perfect as a main course, side dish, or cookout/BBQ recipe. 
5 from 3 votes

Easy Baked Beans with Bacon

This easy baked beans recipe with bacon is warm, comforting, sweet, a little smoky, and totally delicious. 
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound bacon cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 2 (15 fluid ounce) cans navy beans drained
  • 2 (15 fluid ounce) cans red kidney beans drained

Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 (5.5 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 cup water
  • Salt to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375F and move the rack to the middle position.
  • Cut up bacon into small pieces (I use kitchen shears) and add to a fairly large pot (I recommend a Dutch oven because it's oven-safe). Fry bacon over medium-high heat until it's about crispy (approx. 20 minutes).
  • Meanwhile, add the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth.
  • Once the bacon is about ready, drain most of the fat, leaving some for flavor. 
  • Add the onion to the pot and cook it for a few minutes, until softened.
  • Add the drained beans and the sauce to the pot. Give it a good stir.
  • Assuming you're using a Dutch oven, place it in the preheated oven uncovered, and cook the beans for 45 minutes. If you're not using a Dutch oven, transfer the beans to a large baking dish/pan and cook for 45 minutes. 
  • Give the beans a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.

Notes

  • You can use slightly larger or smaller cans of beans (like I usually buy 19 fl. oz. cans of beans) - it won't make too much of a difference to overall taste.
  • I did give the beans a stir about halfway through their 45 minutes in the oven, but I wouldn't say this is necessary.
  • Serves 6+ depending on how much people eat.

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

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5 from 3 votes

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10 Comments

  1. Alexandra says:

    5 stars
    I added some sliced hotdogs and some cheddar on top and my kids LOVE “Beanie Weenies” in their thermos for school lunches!

    1. Natasha says:

      What a fun idea!! 😀

  2. Ash says:

    5 stars
    This made the perfect, fiber-packed side dish to compliment our pulled pork main!

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m thrilled you enjoyed these, Ash!! Thanks for your review!

  3. sheenam | thetwincookingproject.net says:

    This dish is making me so hungry!! Looks so yummy.

    1. Natasha says:

      Thank you!

  4. Jeff the Chef says:

    I’m not surprised if they’re delicious, with a cat of characters like molasses, brown sugar, paprika, and garlic.

    1. Natasha says:

      Thanks so much, John!!

  5. Lisa says:

    5 stars
    great for breakfast with a poached egg on top!

    1. Natasha says:

      Great idea! Thanks, Lisa!