Easy Homemade Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon (diced)
- 1 small onion (finely diced; just over 1 cup per batch)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup ketchup ((preferably organic))
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 16-ounce cans navy beans (drained and rinsed; or 3 cups cooks beans per batch)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the Bacon & Onions: In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon for about 8-10 minutes, until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl lined with a paper towel. Drain off grease, leaving enough to cover the bottom of the pan. In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion in the bacon grease until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic during the last 30-60 seconds of cook time. Set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together chicken broth, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Combine: Stir the drained navy beans, cooked bacon, and sautéed onions into the sauce until well combined.
- Bake: Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes, stirring once or twice, until bubbly and thickened.
- Cool & Serve: Let cool slightly and taste and adjust seasoning before serving. The sauce will thicken as it sits.
Freezer Instructions
Freeze for Later: Follow Steps 2-4, letting mixture cool if needed. Freeze in an airtight container, Ziploc bag, or the intended baking dish (wrap tightly). The bean mixture can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.Prepare from Frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking, and let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake as directed, adding 10-15 additional minutes if needed.
Notes/Tips
- Storing Beans:
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- Fridge: Once cool, store beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat by warming on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Freezer: Store cooled beans in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat straight from frozen in a saute pan or saucepan over low heat.
- Make-Ahead Tip: These beans freeze best before baking. Assemble the mixture, freeze, then thaw overnight and bake when ready to serve.
- If the bacon grease starts to pop, lower the heat to medium-low.
- Cook the onions until soft and translucent—avoid browning them.
- Slow Cooker Adaptation: We haven't tested it this way, but based on research, you can make this in the crock pot. Follow Step 2 (cooking the bacon and onions) and Step 3 (mixing up the sauce) in the recipe. Then, place all the ingredients in a crock pot and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours. Also, note that you can double this recipe in a 6 quart slow cooker, but that may add about 1 hour more of cook time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 362 kcal (18%) | Carbohydrates: 52 g (17%) | Protein: 16 g (32%) | Fat: 10 g (15%) | Cholesterol: 15 mg (5%) | Sodium: 665 mg (29%) | Fiber: 16 g (67%) | Sugar: 12 g (13%)
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