Kicked-Up Canned Baked Beans

Kicked-Up Canned Baked Beans is an easy and delicious way to make ordinary canned baked beans taste as though you made them from scratch!

There are two times a year that side dishes are almost as important as the main course:  Summer get-togethers and Thanksgiving.  Summer is for kicking back and taking it easy so who wants to fuss too much?

If you love the convenience of canned baked beans but find them lacking in homemade flavor the way I do, my Kicked-Up Canned Baked Beans are an easy way to dress them up to make them taste as though you started from scratch!

The flavor base in canned baked beans is already there but with a little help with simple ingredients you may already have on hand, no one will ever know you started with a store-bought convenience item!

How to make Kicked-Up Canned Baked Beans:

• Start with four 16.5-ounce or two 28-ounce cans of original recipe canned baked beans such as Bush’s.

• Gather up the rest of the ingredients:
  • Bacon
  • Onion
  • Molasses
  • Spicy brown mustard (can substitute yellow mustard)
  • Worcestershire
  • Brown sugar
  • Ketchup
  • A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar for a touch of tanginess is optional and not shown.

• Brown the bacon and cook the onion.

• Combine everything in a 4-quart baking dish.  Save a little bacon to sprinkle over the top.
• The Kicked-Up Canned Baked Beans can be assembled up to two days ahead of time.  If making ahead, simply refrigerate covered until needed.

• When needed, bake uncovered for one hour or until hot, bubbling and the top is caramelized.  Yessssss…….like this!

• Garnish with the reserved bacon…

• And let everyone dig in!  Don’t forget to be safe when getting together and STAY HEALTHY!

More great summery side dishes for your next get-together!

• Mediterranean Farro Salad
• Yogurt Ranch Cucumber Salad
• Easy Fresh Tomato Salad
• Cool and Creamy Potato Salad
• Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
• Quinoa Tabbouleh with Grilled Vegetables
• Tuscan Cherry Tomato and White Bean Salad

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Yield: 10-12

Kicked-Up Canned Baked Beans

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Kicked-Up Canned Baked Beans is an easy and delicious way to make ordinary canned baked beans taste as though you made them from scratch!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray, for pan
• 6 slices of bacon, diced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 (16.5-ounce) or 2 (28-ounce) cans baked beans, original recipe such as Bush's
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2-3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 4-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Place the bacon in a skillet or saute pan and cook 4-5 minutes over medium heat until rendered and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Place the onion in the skillet and cook 5-6 minutes or until very soft. If the pan gets dry, add 1-2 tablespoons water and continue cooking until the onions are cooked to a soft stage.
4. Add the beans to the skillet along with the remaining ingredients, starting with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed. Add the apple cider vinegar if using.
5. Transfer beans to the prepared casserole dish.
6. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until bubbling and the top is caramelized.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD: Beans can be assembled to the point of baking up to 2 days ahead. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking or add additional baking time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 97Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 328mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 4g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

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