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This easy baked beans recipe is sweet, smoky, and full of flavor from bacon, brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, and barbecue sauce. Made with canned pork and beans for convenience, it only takes a few minutes of prep time before the oven does the rest. It’s the perfect side dish for barbecues, potlucks, and summer cookouts.

Baked beans being scooped out using wooden spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Baked Beans Recipe

Simple prep using pantry staples: No specialty ingredients needed; just everyday condiments and canned pork and beans you likely already have.

Sweet and smoky flavor: A rich blend of barbecue sauce, brown sugar and bacon creates the perfect balance of bold flavor.
No need to boil beans: Using canned beans skips the step of boiling dried beans, saving time without sacrificing taste.
Crowd favorite: Always one of the first dishes to go, these baked beans pair perfectly with grilled meats and classic barbecue sides.
Freezer-friendly: Make a big batch and freeze portions for easy weeknight meals or impromptu guests.
Can be made ahead: Prep the day before and reheat when ready.

Ingredients Notes

Bacon – Adds smoky richness and a slightly crispy texture. Turkey bacon or plant-based alternatives can work too for a lighter or meatless option.
White onion – Yellow or sweet onions work just as well, depending on your flavor preference.
Canned pork & beans – Use your favorite brand. Bush’s Baked Beans are a classic choice, but you can also use plain baked beans if you prefer to season them yourself with salt, black pepper, and other spices.
Ketchup – Adds tang, color and a little sweetness. No need for anything fancy; just regular ketchup does the job!
BBQ sauce – Any kind will work, but a rich, sweet variety like Sweet Baby Ray’s adds bold flavor. Feel free to use spicy or smoky versions based on your taste.

Brown sugar – Brings sweetness and helps caramelize the sauce. You can substitute white sugar, honey, or maple syrup in a pinch.
Yellow mustard – Adds a tangy, sharp bite to balance the sweetness. Dijon mustard can be used for a more complex flavor.
Worcestershire sauce – Adds savory, umami-rich depth. If needed, soy sauce is a simple and effective substitute.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

No onion? Skip it if you’re not a fan. It won’t make or break the recipe.
Make it spicy: Add a pinch of chili powder or cayenne to the sauce for a kick.
Different beans: Use navy, pinto, or kidney beans if you prefer a from-scratch approach.
Add sausage: Stir in cooked smoked sausage slices before baking for a meatier version.
Vegetarian: Skip the bacon and sauté the onion in butter or olive oil. Use vegetarian-friendly canned beans.

How to Make This Easy Baked Beans Recipe

Cook the bacon: In a frying pan, cook slices of bacon until crispy. Remove, chop, and set aside. Keep 1 tablespoon of grease.
Sauté the onion: In the same pan, cook onion until soft (about 5 mins).
Simmer the sauce: Stir in ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, and the cooked bacon. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Prep the beans: Add canned beans (drain ½ cup cooking liquid) to a greased 9×13 baking dish. Stir in the sauce mixture.
Bake: Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.
Let it rest: Cool for 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken before serving. Enjoy!

Collage of steps of making baked beans: mixing sauce with canned beans, stirring all ingredients, cover baking dish with aluminium foil and bake, the baked beans ready to be served.

What to Serve with Baked Beans

Homemade baked beans are the perfect side dish for any backyard BBQ or hearty dinner. Try them with:

Storage & Make-Ahead Instructions

Store: Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm up in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
Freeze: Let the baked beans cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Make ahead: You can bake the beans the day before and reheat before serving. Alternatively, prep the bacon slices and sauce separately, store in the fridge, then combine with the beans and bake fresh when ready.

Other Easy Side Dishes to Try

If you’ve tried this Baked Beans Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

5 from 21 votes

BEST BAKED BEANS RECIPE

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves —

This homemade baked beans recipe is sweet, smoky, and full of savory flavor. Made with canned beans, bacon, and simple pantry staples for an easy, crowd-pleasing side dish.

Print Rate Pin Save

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 25

Video

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large (12 inch) frying pan, cook bacon.
1 pound bacon
Remove cooked bacon from the frying pan and chop into small pieces. Set bacon aside for now. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the frying pan and discard the rest of the grease.
Cook onion in the frying pan over medium-high heat until tender (about 5 minutes).
1 medium white onion

Add in ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce and bacon to the frying pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
1 pound bacon, ¼ cup ketchup, ½ cup BBQ sauce, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place the 4 cans of beans in the dish and remove ½ cup of the liquid that came out of the cans. Add in all the contents of the frying pan. Stir well to mix.
4 cans pork & beans
Place the lid (or aluminum foil) over the baking dish and bake for 45 minutes. Remove cover after 45 minutes and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Let sit for 20 minutes before serving to give the sauce a chance to thicken a bit.

Jenn’s Notes

If you are making baked beans in the summer and want to keep the house from overheating when turning on the oven you can also make your baked beans on the grill! Just place them on the grill next to whatever meat is cooking, and let them cook the whole time the meat is on.