These saucy homemade baked beans are full of flavor and so easy! This is my favorite baked beans recipe (oven and slow cooker directions included!).

You’re going to love this recipe because it checks all the boxes for amazing baked beans: saucy, flavorful, EASY. 

Slotted serving spoon scooping baked beans in white dish.

Pantry-Staple Ingredients for Baked Beans

The ingredients for these saucy, perfect baked beans are simple and straightforward. It may look like a long list, but this is a dump-and-go recipe (other than cooking the bacon and onion). It comes together quickly!

Baked Beans Ingredients:

  • Bacon: regular or thick-cut bacon can be used.
  • Onion: white or yellow onions can be used.
  • Pinto beans: this recipe calls for canned beans. Not all the beans will be rinsed and drained! Only two cans total will be, so don’t automatically rinse all the beans.
  • Navy beans: Great Northern beans can be subbed for the navy beans, if needed.
  • Ketchup: use your favorite brand (mine is Heinz).
  • Molasses: this adds the most delicious depth of flavor; don’t leave it out!
  • Brown sugar: dial the brown sugar up or down according to taste.
  • Apple cider vinegar: white vinegar or red wine vinegar can be subbed in for the apple cider vinegar with good results.
  • Worcestershire sauce: this powerhouse ingredients adds nuanced flavor to the beans.
  • Mustard: Dijon or prepared yellow mustard can be used.
  • Spices: garlic powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika
white beans, brown sugar, ketchup, broth, dijon mustard in shallow pan with wooden spoon
baked beans in shallow metal pan with wooden spoon

Baking Baked Beans vs Stovetop Baked Beans

All of the ingredients for these homemade baked beans are added to the pan that the bacon and onions cook in and then transferred to a baking dish to bake.

If you are using an oven-safe pot, there is no need to transfer to another baking dish – pop a lid on the pot and bake the beans that way.

Oven baking these beans is superior for the best result, however, the beans can also be simmered on the stovetop as an alternative to baking. If doing so, partially cover the beans, and simmer on low for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often and moderating the beans so they don’t scorch.

unbaked white pan of baked beans
serving spoon in corner of white pan with saucy baked beans

Important Tip for The Best Baked Beans

Don’t skip this step! ⬇️

Right after removing the baked beans from the oven, the sauce might appear thin, but let them rest for 15-20 minutes, and the sauce will thicken up nicely.

The tender beans with the sweet and savory syrupy sauce are about the most perfect thing you’ll eat this summer. 

These are delicious! I just deleted the other baked bean recipes I had and will only be saving this one. The amount of sugar was perfect in my taste. It is much less than other recipes I had, and we liked this better. My son even packed the leftovers for his lunch the next day. (That is saying a lot!)

—Lindsey
Scooping spoon in pan of saucy baked beans.

Best Homemade Baked Beans Ever

One of my kids is a baked bean lover of epic proportions. He helped me test out this recipe and judged each variation until we got them just right.

He and I can both attest (as well as all the 5-star reviews below!) that these are the best saucy homemade baked beans ever.

They are the perfect side dish for any and all summer BBQs (and truth be told, they are delicious all year round, too!). Enjoy!

Spoonful of saucy baked beans over white square dish.
slotted spoon in dish of saucy baked beans

The Best Saucy Baked Beans

Yield: 10 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Additional Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
4.97 stars (58 ratings)
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon (regular or thick cut), diced
  • 1 cup small diced onion
  • 2 cans (15-ounces each) pinto beans
  • 2 cans (15-ounces each) navy beans
  • ¾ cup ketchup
  • ⅓ cup (71 g) brown sugar (see note)
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dijon or yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon and onion until the bacon is cooked through and starting to crisp and the onions are translucent, 5-7 minutes. Drain excess grease.
  • Rinse and drain only two cans of the beans. Add the rinsed and drained beans to the skillet along with the two cans of undrained beans.
  • Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.
  • Oven Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the baked beans to an oven-safe 9X13-inch dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 15-20 more minutes until bubbling. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. They'll thicken up more as they cool slightly. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Slow Cooker Directions: Tansfer the beans to the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until bubbling and slightly thickened. They'll thicken up more as they cool slightly. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Notes

Brown Sugar: with the 1/3 cup brown sugar, these are mildly sweet. If you’d like them sweeter, increase the brown sugar to taste.
Author: Mel
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Method: Bake, Slow Cooker
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 138kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 408mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g

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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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