Easy Baked Beans With Bacon
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Baked Beans with Bacon have been a staple in my kitchen for years, especially when cookout season rolls around. This easy recipe tastes like it’s been cooking all day — rich and flavorful with just a few pantry ingredients. Starting with canned beans keeps things simple, but a quick sauté in bacon drippings gives them that slow-cooked flavor.
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot
What makes this version stand out is how quickly they go from simple to savory goodness. Starting with canned pork and beans keeps things easy, but a quick sauté of onions in bacon drippings builds delicious depth of flavor you just can’t get any other way.
From there, a handful of pantry staples like brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce create that classic sweet-and-tangy balance without any complicated steps.
This recipe has been in my kitchen for years, originally from a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook I received as a young bride back in 1984. It’s one of those dependable recipes I’ve made so often I don’t even need to look it up anymore.
Ingredient Notes for Easy Baked Beans
- Pork-n-beans | The base of the recipe! These come already in a light tomato sauce, making this recipe extra easy.
- Bacon | Adds smoky, savory flavor and richness that takes these beans to the next level.
- Onion | I used sweet onion here but you can use white onion if that’s what you have on hand. It helps build extra flavor!
- Brown Sugar | A little brown sugar makes the sauce nice and thick, and adds that classic touch of sweetness.
- Ketchup | For a little extra tomatoey flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce | To add an extra layer of umami flavor!Mustard | Balances the sweetness with a little tang. You can add more or less to taste!
Variations and Substitutions
- Use different beans: Swap pork-n-beans for navy beans or great northern beans with a bit of added tomato sauce.
- Make it sweeter or tangier: You can adjust the brown sugar or mustard depending on your taste preference.
- Add a little heat: Stir in a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
How to Make Baked Beans With Bacon
This recipe is as easy as it gets — just a little stovetop prep, mix everything together, and let the oven do the rest!
STEP 1 | Preheat and prep bacon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fry bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels and reserve drippings.
STEP 2 | Saute the onion
Cook the onion in a small amount of reserved bacon fat, about 2 tablespoons, until translucent.
STEP 3 | Add remaining ingredients
Mix in the beans, sautéed onions, and remaining ingredients. If desired, crumble bacon and add to bean mixture or reserve slices for topping beans later.
STEP 4 | Bake
Pour into an 11×7-inch baking dish and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
STEP 5 | Serve and enjoy
Remove from oven and stir; top with strips of bacon, if desired. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.
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Recipe Success Tips
Storage and Reheating Tips
- To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Let cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- To make ahead: Assemble the beans a day in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready to serve, adding a few extra minutes if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s best to cook the bacon first so it gets nice and crispy and releases its flavorful drippings. Those drippings are perfect for sautéing the onions and adding extra depth to the beans.
Absolutely! Mix all the baked beans ingredients and pour them into a lightly greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours, until slightly thickened. Stir and top with cooked bacon slices, if desired.
If your beans are too thin, simply bake them a little longer uncovered so the sauce can reduce. They will continue to thicken as they cool, so give them a few minutes to rest before serving.
Bacon adds a rich, smoky flavor that really makes this dish stand out, but it’s not required. You can skip it or substitute with smoked sausage or even a dash of liquid smoke for a similar effect.
Looking for More Easy Side Dish Recipes?
My Black Eyed Peas Recipe and my Cowboy Beans Recipe are both family favorites. I have a yummy Green Beans with Bacon recipe, too!
What to Serve With Baked Beans
This baked beans recipe pairs beautifully with all your favorite Southern classics. I love to serve them with Hawaiian Burgers, Oven Barbecue Chicken Breast, Electric Smoker Pulled Pork, or Country Style Ribs.
Add a side of Southern Cornbread, No Mayo Coleslaw, or Herbed Potato Salad, and you’ve got a full spread that’s perfect for cookouts, potlucks, or easy family dinners.
More Fan Favorites
- Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
- Green Beans Wrapped in Bacon
- Homemade Biscuits
- Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe
- Potato Cakes
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Easy Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 3 16 oz. can pork-n-beans in tomato sauce
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup sweet onion chopped
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard
Instructions
- Fry bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels and reserve drippings.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook onion in a small amount of reserved bacon fat, about 2 tablespoons, until translucent.
- In a large bowl, mix together beans, sautéed onions, and remaining ingredients. If desired, crumble bacon and add to bean mixture or reserve slices for topping beans later.
- Pour into an 11×7-inch baking dish and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove from oven and stir; top with bacon slices, if desired. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don’t skip the bacon drippings. Sautéing the onions in bacon drippings builds a rich, savory base that makes all the difference in flavor.
- Use one pan to keep it simple. Mix everything in the same skillet used for the onions to cut down on dishes and streamline prep.
- Give them time to bake. A longer bake helps the sauce thicken and the flavors come together. If the beans look loose at first, keep baking.
- To make in the slow cooker: Mix together the baked beans ingredients, and pour into a lightly greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours, until slightly thickened. Stir and top with cooked bacon slices, if desired.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
I have used this recipe since 1964. I got it from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (1962). It did not have the ketchup at that time. I still make it for my family. They still love it.
These are the best and easy bake beans ever. I have been making these since 1980, they are always a hit!!
I’ve been making thise recipe for many, many years. For cookouts I am asked to bring potato salad and baked beans. This is by far the best recipe ever.
Sounds great. When I got married my mother gave me a container of bacon drippings