You’ve just found the best baked bean recipe in the world! If you thought beans were boring, think again! This super easy baked beans recipe will have you coming back for more, and more, and more!
Beans are nothing to get excited about. Am I right? When someone mentions “beans” I get about as excited as when I get the call that I’m due for my biannual cleaning at the dentist office. Snooze. Yawn. But these beans are different. These beans are special. These beans are better than cake. Well, that might be pushing it just a little, but not much.
Ingredients for Baked Beans
bacon
ground beef
onion
three different types of beans (like kidney beans, pork and beans, and black beans)
brown sugar
ketchup
mustard
apple cider vinegar
molasses
Worcestershire Sauce
How to Make Baked Beans in the Crock Pot
Brown sugar is mixed with bacon, hamburger, onions, and three types of beans. Add a few other ingredients and throw it all in the slow cooker for only an hour, and you have what might as well be called “dessert beans.”
You can use almost any kind of bean combination in this delicious dish. I used kidney beans, black beans, and pork and beans. (What is the official bean for pork and beans? Pinto? Somebody with extensive bean knowledge, please educate me).
The recipe from which this is adapted called for butter beans, which are large, yellow, flat beans. If you can find them, feel free to use them, as they add a nice variety of size and color.
This recipe is so easy to whip up, and you probably already have all the ingredients in your home. Put these beans on your menu for the 4th of July or any summer pot-luck. They are like dinner and dessert all at the same time. So if you are a chronic multi-tasker and time saver, these beans are for you!
Can Baked Beans be Frozen?
The answer is yes! So if you have leftovers, just pop them into the freezer and bring them back out for the next picnic. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Make these beans as soon as possible. Because from now on, when anybody mentions beans, you will hearken back to the time you made these beans and be transported on a cloud of happiness to your palace of lovely memories, where these beans are on the dessert table of your smorgasbord of culinary delights.
P.S. This is one of my most popular recipes of all time! All the reviews from Pinterest have been stellar!
Recipe adapted from Whitty Baked Beans from the book Pumpkin Roll by Josi Kilpack.
For more great sides, check out the Side Show and For the Party.
The Best Darn Beans You Will Ever Eat
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound diced bacon
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 16 oz. can black beans, drained
- 1 16 oz. can kidney beans, drained
- 1 16 oz. can pork and beans, undrained
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard (not mustard powder)
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. molasses
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
- Fry bacon. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Add ground beef and chopped onion to the same pan and cook until beef is browned. Drain.
- Add to a slow cooker, along with all the other ingredients.
- Mix well and cook on high for one hour, or low for three or four hours. Turn slow cooker to low or “keep warm” until ready to eat. Refrigerate leftovers. These can also be frozen and reheated later.
Notes
You can reduce the amount of sugar if you like. These beans are pretty sweet!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12Amount Per Serving: Calories: 467 Total Fat: 10.3g Saturated Fat: 3.3g Cholesterol: 38mg Sodium: 645mg Carbohydrates: 64.1g Fiber: 12.6g Sugar: 15g Protein: 30.5g
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Recipe adapted from Whitty Baked Beans from the book Pumpkin Roll by Josi Kilpack.
This sounds good. However you know me. I’ll probably put in a bit less sugar.
Just by looking at those pictures I am totally convinced these are the best beans I will ever eat. They look delicious! Totally going to try them, I love beans!
I don’t know.. I quite like beans. Especially in wraps or soups. But this looks so tasty 🙂
I made these and they are delicious!!!! I doubled the recipe but next time I think I will not double the brown sugar. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
So glad you liked them! But yes–they can be pretty sweet! That’s why sometimes I wonder if they are really dessert 🙂
How many servings does this make?
Hi Kimberly, I would say it makes about 10 servings if you use it as a side dish.
We call these “Donna’s Beans” after the teacher at our school that introduced them to us! So yummy! Her recipe adds a package of Little Smokies sausages and some Liquid Smoke. Makes it a meal in one dish.
I love the idea of the Little Smokies and liquid smoke! I bet that tastes amazing!
I stuff myself when I make it! Required dish at any faculty potluck!
Tried these for a party last week. They were a big hit and I was asked for the recipe by several friends. Thank you!
I’m so glad! Thanks for letting me know you tried them and how much you loved them!
These beans look really good but i’m used to more liquid in the beans. Are they drier than regular baked bean? Thank you
Jan, they’re still pretty saucy. I wouldn’t call them dry at all.
A lady brought these to our Church’s Linger Longer. After everyone tasted them, they were gone in a flash!! My husband passed them up, he went to try them later & they were gone!! They are the bomb!!
Thanks so much for letting me know, Donna! So sad for your husband. I guess you’ll just have to make them at home 🙂
Pork and beans are made with white beans. Who knew?
Hi! I’m so excited to try these and I currently have them in the crockpot. I subed the brown sugar for coconut sugar so I’m hoping they will still be tasty. I have a question though. I’m taking these to a finger food get together and was wondering if you think they’ll be good served with tortilla chips?
Hi Christie! I’m sure they will will still be super tasty! And yes, they would be great on tortilla chips, too!
We have made these beans in my family for as long as I can remember. We use Lima beans in ours, but as you indicated, whatever your preference, it will work. Often times we make a meal out of this, just by adding a green salad and some cornbread. It’s delicious spooned over cornbread! I was happy to find you could freeze it. Never thought of doing it before!
Karen, I’m so glad! Yes, these beans make a great main dish as well! I never thought of spooning it over cornbread, but that sounds amazing!
I have made this dish for years, adding some Hickory Smoke Liquid to taste. And I decrease the sugar by half. It goes over well and is gone quickly. Several gals at Picnics made their own varieties too, all were gone in a flash. Love that you have the recipe, I’d lost mine and forgot 1 ingredient. Thank You!!
Love the addition of liquid smoke! I bet that tastes amazing!
This was delish! I doubled it and I’m glad I did. I was very careful with the brown sugar, I didnt double it but after a little taste test, I found myself adding more until I was satisfied. There is no reason you cant add more at the end, it’s just sugar and can blend right in. Perfect meal with cornbread. A keeper for sure!
So glad you liked it! Good point about the sugar, too! It’s always easy to add more at the end!
This is an excellent recipe that actually got me a marriage proposal from a batchelor friend. LOL. You can also put this in a disposable metal pan and cook on the BBQ. Adds an excellent smoky flavor.
Ha ha! This is the best testimonial ever for these beans!