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Judy John

Classic Baked Beans Recipe

Classic baked beans combine tender beans with a sweet smoky sauce for a comforting side dish. They bake slowly until thick, rich, and deeply flavorful.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bean Base
  • 4 15-oz cans navy beans drained and rinsed
  • 8 slices bacon chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
Sauce
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water as needed

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Dutch Oven
  • Baking Dish
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Measuring Cups
  • Oven
  • Freezer
  • Tray
  • Knife

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 325°F.
  2. Cook chopped bacon in a Dutch oven until lightly crisp. Remove some fat if excessive.
  3. Add onion and cook until soft and fragrant.
  4. Stir in ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, paprika, pepper, and water.
  5. Add beans and fold gently until coated. Mixture should look saucy, not dry.
  6. Transfer to baking dish if needed. Cover and bake 60 minutes.
  7. Uncover and bake 25 to 30 minutes more until thick and glossy.
  8. Rest 10 minutes. Sauce will tighten slightly before serving.

Notes

For softer beans, bake covered longer with extra water. For thicker edges, uncover earlier for a lightly caramelized top. Freeze cooled portions up to 2 months. Stir gently during assembly to keep beans whole. Add jalapeno, maple syrup, or barbecue sauce for flavor twists. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days.