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Homemade baked beans with bacon in a baking dish

Easy Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon

These easy homemade baked beans with bacon are sweet, smoky, tangy, and perfect for cookouts, BBQ dinners, potlucks, and summer meals. They start with canned beans, so there is no soaking required.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 slices bacon chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cans about 15 ounces each, small beans such as great northern, navy, pinto, cannellini, or a combination, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses not blackstrap
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, add the chopped bacon and diced onion.
  3. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the bacon starts to brown and the onion softens, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. If there is a lot of extra grease, carefully spoon off some of it, leaving a little behind for flavor.
  5. Stir in the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
  6. Add the drained and rinsed beans, water, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, Dijon mustard, and vinegar. Stir well to combine.
  7. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
  8. Transfer the skillet or Dutch oven to the oven and bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sauce has thickened and the beans are bubbly.
  9. Let the baked beans rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Use regular molasses, not blackstrap molasses.
  • If the beans get too thick, stir in a small splash of water.
  • If the sauce seems too thin, bake uncovered a little longer.
  • These beans can be made ahead and reheated before serving.