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The Best Homemade Baked Beans {with bacon}

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These homemade baked beans from scratch use pantry staples and are so simple to make! There’s a rich tomato base, along with molasses, brown sugar, bacon and rosemary.  Delicious on their own or as a hearty side to dinner. Beans never tasted so good!

An overhead shot of a bowl of homemade baked beans alongside a stem of fresh rosemary.

This recipe was originally published in July of 2015 and has been updated.

Hey everyone!  How’s it goin’?  Are you all ready for Valentine’s Day?  Our fur baby’s birthday is that day (he’ll be 8!) so, of course, he is top priority.  But, I’m sure hubby and I will do something special to celebrate…make a nice meal or something.  Cards all lined up and ready to go.  I usually get hubby a mushy one and a funny one.  I gotta say, the funny one was so funny, I chuckled out loud in the store 😀 I’ll share the card after Valentine’s Day in my Instagram story so be sure to follow along. Do you do anything special with your sweetie or your gal pals?  Now, there’s nothing sexier than beans (HA), so let’s get to it 😉 —>

Are Beans Good For You? Why you Should Eat Beans

Yes!  Beans are something that we regularly eat at home and you should to!  Why?

  • Beans are loaded in fibre, protein, vitamins and are low fat, which means they are good for you and fill you up.
  • Beans are versatile!  You can make old fashioned homemade baked beans (like here, of course), put ’em in soups, salads, and they are fabulous in dips.
  • Beans are freakin’ cheap! You can buy a huge bag for a couple bucks and can get a whole bunch of meals from one bag. Dry beans are the most budget friendly, but canned beans are also inexpensive. If you do buy canned beans, make sure you get the ‘unsalted’ variety, drain them and rinse them before using. They are not used in this recipe, but I do regularly stock them in our pantry for quick meals (like my white chicken chili).

How to Make Old Fashioned Baked Beans From Scratch

There’s nothing complicated with making these homemade baked beans and all of the ingredients are simple pantry staples.

For this recipe you want to use dried navy beans (not pre-processed canned beans).  You should place the dried beans in a large bowl, cover with cold water and let them soak overnight.  Then, the next day, remove them from the water and they are ready to use!  Other than crisping the bacon first, all of the ingredients are placed in one pot and baked for about 6 hours.  Nothing to it!

  • Pre-soak beans overnight.
  • Crisp bacon in the oven. Crumble.
  • Place all ingredients in a dutch oven and bake.
  • Check on every so often, topping up water (ensuring there is enough liquid), as necessary.
  • Season.
  • Enjoy!

Ingredients for scratch made baked beans with bacon.

Homemade baked beans is definitely a dish that is perfect all year round!  Just think about it – they are great in the winter after coming in from outside; they warm ya up and fill your belly.  In the summer, who doesn’t love baked beans sitting around a campfire? Lately, hubby & I have enjoyed a side of beans with steak for supper. Have a glass of wine with it and that’s fine dining I tell ya!  Baked beans has it goin’ on – well, you know, as far as beans goes 🙂

A closeup overhead shot of a bowl of homemade baked beans.

Tips for Making Homemade Baked Beans from Scratch

  • Soak beans overnight in a bowl of cold water.  Ensure that the beans are fully covered.
  • When prepping the beans for the oven, if you don’t have an immersion blender, you can easily mix the wet ingredients (tomatoes, etc) by mashing with a potato masher.
  • Check on the beans every 2 hours or so to check and see if more water is required and they aren’t sticking to the pot.  I will usually add about 1/2 cup to a cup of water at a time, if necessary, to loosen the mixture up.
  • If you want a slightly ‘creamier’ consistency in the tomato based sauce, after the beans are cooked you can remove about a cup of beans and blitz with an immersion blender or mash with a potato masher.  Then, add back to the pot.  Stir to combine.
  • Want to omit the bacon?  These homemade baked beans still taste delicious!  I’ve also used cubed, cooked ham or even shredded, cooked pork instead of bacon in this recipe.  You can add either ham or pork during the last hour of the bean cooking time.

Can you Freeze Homemade Baked Beans?

YES! As an added bonus, these baked beans freeze really well so you can make a batch and have ready to go when you just don’t have the time to cook. After they have cooled, portion them up and place into vacuum seal bags. Spread the sealed bags out flat and place in the freezer.  You’ll have a delicious meal ready when you are!

A close up shot of a spoonful of the beans in tomato sauce.

If you enjoy these scratch baked beans as much as we do, I’m pretty sure you’ll be going back to the pot for seconds 😉

Looking for more Freezer Friendly Meals? Check These Out!

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Until next time take care and chit chat again soon!

P.S. If you think these easy baked beans will make your belly happy too, please be sure to hit that little Pin button down below.  Many thanks, you guys! XO

Homemade Baked Beans
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5 from 7 votes

Homemade Baked Beans

These homemade baked beans uses pantry staples and are so simple to make! There's a rich tomato base, along with molasses, brown sugar, bacon and rosemary. Delicious on their own or as a hearty side to dinner.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Canadian
Keyword baked beans, scratch made beans
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 50 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 234kcal
Author Dawn Coombs

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried navy beans
  • 1 can whole tomatoes -about 796ml can
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 onion -chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic -minced
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes -or to taste
  • 2 sprigs rosemary -minced, or 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 4 cups water -more, as necessary, for desired consistency
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt -or to taste

Instructions

  • Soak beans overnight in refrigerator (put beans in a bowl and generously cover with water). 
  • The next day, when you are ready to go, preheat oven to 375 F. Place bacon on parchment paper covered baking sheet and cook until crisp, 15-20 minutes (or you could fry bacon on stovetop on medium heat until crispy).  Drain grease. Once cool enough to handle, crumble bacon. Lay to one side. Reduce heat in oven to 325F.
  • Place canned tomatoes in dutch oven (about 5-6 quart size) along with tomato paste, molasses, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.  Blitz with an immersion blender to combine (or break up tomatoes with a potato masher). Add drained soaked beans.
  • Next, add bay leaves, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, reserved cooked bacon, and black pepper.  Stir to combine. Top up with water (about 4 cups - it will be a lot, but it will reduce and thicken as the beans cook).  Stir.
  • Cook for about 5.5 - 6 hours, covered, carefully checking on every 2 hours or so by stirring, making sure beans don't burn or stick. Top up with water (if necessary and to your desired consistency). Once beans are at desired doneness, season with salt. Remove and discard bay leaves. Enjoy!

Notes

  • I like to check on the beans every 2 hours or so to check and see if more water is required and they aren't sticking to the pot.  I will usually add about 1/2 cup to a cup of water at a time, if necessary, to loosen the mixture up.
  • When prepping the beans for the oven, if you don't have an immersion blender, you can easily mix the wet ingredients (tomatoes, etc) by mashing with a potato masher.
Tried this recipe? That's awesome!Mention @dawn.girlheartfood or tag #girlheartfood!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 442mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 4.9% | Vitamin C: 4.8% | Calcium: 8% | Iron: 12.8%

An overhead shot of two bowls of homemade baked beans.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Miriam - londonkitchendiaries.com

    February 15, 2018 at 6:39 am

    Beans are so full of goodness – I love baked beans but somehow never made it myself – great to have a nice recipe, will definitely give this a go! I hope you had a lovely Valentine’s Day – we just stayed in and my husband made me Spaghetti Carbonara, he used to make that for me when we were dating (a long long time ago :-)), it was a real treat 🙂

    Reply

    • Girl Heart Food

      February 15, 2018 at 6:55 pm

      Happy to hear that, Miriam! Hope you love them! We did have a lovely Valentine’s Day, celebrating with fur baby for his birthday 🙂 Spaghetti carbonara? What a yummy treat indeed…you’re making me hungry 😉

      Reply

  7. Katherine | Love In My Oven

    February 13, 2018 at 12:16 am

    LOVING this recipe, Dawn!! Baked beans are such a classic comfort food!! And beans are so wonderfully cheap and delicious. I can’t wait to see this card you got for your hubby – I always go for the funny ones too. Good for you being on it this year!! I am such a procrastinator. PS – your photos are STUNNING!

    Reply

  9. Faith

    February 12, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    Beans are one of those things I hated as a kid, but have increasingly grown to love in my adult life – especially since they’re so cheap! I feel like the beans I had has a kid never had bacon or rosemary in ’em, so that’s probably why I never liked them. This recipe looks fantastic (and looks like it could have converted even my childhood self!)

    Also, happy birthday to your fur baby!!!!

    Reply

  11. Milena | Craft Beering

    February 12, 2018 at 2:48 pm


    Happy birthday to your cute pup! So adorable. This legumes fan rarely, if ever, refuses a helping of baked beans and the more flavorful the sauce the better:) And the bacon in there is a must, right? No good reasons to omit it as far as I am concerned:) Have a wonderful week, Dawn! Pinned.

    Reply

  12. Leanne | Crumb Top Baking

    February 12, 2018 at 1:26 pm


    It’s been a while since I made baked beans, but they are always such a hearty meal. I like making them ahead and freezing them in batches. Perfect addition to any meal, especially brunches. Or even pancake day, which happens to be tomorrow!

    Reply

  14. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen

    February 12, 2018 at 11:40 am

    Do you know I’ve never had homemade baked beans? I’m actually embarrassed to admit it. As a kid, I didn’t even know you could make them at home; I thought baked beans were necessarily canned. . .Clearly it’s high time that I get to the kitchen and do baked beans right. These sound fabulous, Dawn!

    Reply

  15. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    February 12, 2018 at 10:46 am

    We’re not really big on celebrating Valentine’s Day, but we do always order a heart shaped pizza! And yay for your fur baby’s bday, that’s exciting! Love the looks of these baked beans. Total comfort food and much needed this time of year! Pinned! Hope your week is off to a great start!

    Reply

  16. David @ Spiced

    February 12, 2018 at 10:01 am

    I love a good homemade baked beans recipe, and I definitely want to try your version, Dawn. All of that bacon….yum!! Also, I almost snorted coffee out of my nose when I read the line about “there’s nothing sexier than beans.” Hilarious! Happy (early) Valentine’s Day and happy (early) birthday to the pup!

    Reply

  17. [email protected]

    February 12, 2018 at 9:37 am


    I am with you! Homemade baked beans are perfect any time of year and they’re just soooo tasty! Now you have me thinking about warmer weather, campfires and baked beans! I love the tomatoey base with bacon and rosemary! Sounds divine, my friend! Have a great week! XOXO

    Reply

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