Best Canned Baked Beans Recipe
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With just a few ingredients you may already have on hand, you can turn ordinary canned baked beans into something extraordinary! This Canned Baked Beans recipe is an easy, delicious way to make canned beans taste as if you made them from scratch! Perfect with my Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs and Cajun Chicken Drumsticks!
“The first baked beans I’ve made in 50 years of marriage that my husband has really loved!” — Jaye
QUICK TAKE: Baked Beans Recipe Using Canned Beans
- What It Is: An easy way to turn ordinary canned baked beans into a rich, flavorful, homemade-tasting side dish, perfect for cookouts, potlucks, and family dinners.
- Ingredient Highlights: Canned baked beans, bacon, onion, and pantry ingredients.
- Time to Make: 15 minutes of prep and 1 hour and 15 minutes of cooking and baking.
- Chef’s Top Tip: Baking uncovered allows the sauce to thicken and become rich and glossy.
- Why Make THIS Version? A tried-and-true, reader-favorite recipe with hundreds of glowing reviews! Simple pantry ingredients and a few easy steps make canned baked beans taste as if you made them from scratch.
Table of Contents
Why This Canned Baked Beans Recipe is a Keeper!
Short on time or don’t want the trouble of making baked beans from scratch? This recipe transforms canned baked beans into a restaurant-quality side dish with simple pantry ingredients!
This doctored canned baked beans recipe is one you’ll want to save for special occasions, like graduations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, summer barbecues, potlucks, and even the holidays!
If you love the convenience of canned baked beans but find they lack flavor, my Canned Baked Beans recipe is an easy way to dress them up. This is the best baked beans recipe using canned beans, with hundreds of four- and five-star reviews!
The flavor base in canned baked beans is already there, but with a few simple ingredients you already have, no one will ever know you started with a store-bought convenience item!
This baked beans recipe with canned beans is:
- Tried and true! With almost 650 4- and 5-star ratings, you won’t go wrong.
- Easy! I include plenty of pro tips for layering flavors and textures so no one realizes you started with a can.
- Budget-friendly! You don’t need many extra ingredients —just good, flavorful, mostly pantry-based ingredients.
- Completely make-ahead.
- Always a crowd-pleaser!
Whether you’re feeding a crowd or putting together a simple family dinner, these baked beans are a side dish you can count on!
How to make Canned Baked Beans Taste Homemade:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need for this canned baked beans recipe, plus how to prep the ingredients. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes AND SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Canned Baked Beans: Use an “original” or simply flavored style such as Bush’s Original Baked Beans. Avoid any that have hickory smoke flavor, maple, or other flavorings; they won’t work with these other ingredients and may compete.
- Bacon: Use your favorite brand, but avoid flavored bacon here, too. Use plant-based, turkey, or beef bacon instead of pork bacon.
- Spicy Brown Mustard: I like spicy brown mustard for this baked beans recipe, but Dijon or yellow mustard will also work.
- Worcestershire Sauce: I’m a Lea & Perrins fan, but it contains anchovies, so it’s not suitable for anyone with a fish or seafood allergy. Use a vegan Worcestershire if there are any allergy concerns.
- Molasses: Readers have reported good results using maple syrup instead of molasses. You’ll get more maple flavor, which I think works well if you don’t mind it and don’t want to complicate the flavors with flavored bacon, beans, etc.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 2- to 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the bacon in a skillet or sauté pan and cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until rendered and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the bacon drippings in the skillet.
- Add the onion to the skillet with the bacon drippings and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until very soft. If the pan gets dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and continue cooking until the onions are soft.
- Place the canned baked beans in the prepared baking dish.
- In the prepared baking dish, combine the beans, onions, 3/4 of the bacon, and the remaining ingredients, starting with 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Taste and add more brown sugar as needed. Add apple cider vinegar for a little tanginess, if desired.
- Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbling and the top is caramelized.
And let everyone dig in! So easy, and they’ll be the hit of your get-together!
Chef tips and tricks:
- Baked beans vary in sweetness by brand, so adjust to taste. Start with less brown sugar and add more if you prefer sweeter beans.
- Baking uncovered allows the sauce to thicken and become rich and glossy.
- Prefer saucier doctored baked beans? Bake them covered with foil to retain moisture and prevent the sauce from reducing too much.
- When storing leftovers, make sure the beans didn’t sit out too long at your gathering. The maximum is two hours at room temperature. After that, you’re flirting with foodborne illness.
Canned Baked Beans Recipe FAQs:
You’ll have about an 8-ounce difference, which is just a cup less if you use two 28-ounce cans instead of four 16-ounce cans. I don’t worry about it, because I like saucy beans. However, if you prefer to make precise adjustments, use the following amounts:
>>You can keep the bacon as is because… bacon!
>>A small onion (1 1/2 cups) will also work fine.
>>3 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup
>>1 3/4 to 2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
>>1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
>>1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons molasses
>>1 3/4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
>>3/4 to 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar if using
Yes, but the top won’t get caramelized. As a reader suggested, place a tea towel over the top of the slow cooker to absorb the steam produced so it doesn’t water down the beans. Cook for 5 to 6 hours on LOW or 3 to 3.5 hours on HIGH.
Absolutely! Freeze them before baking or after as leftovers. Place them in an airtight container and freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave and bake as directed.
Yes! In fact, the flavor often improves after a few hours or overnight. Prep the beans up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, let the baking dish sit out for 30 to 45 minutes, so you’re not putting an ice-cold dish into a hot oven.
Yes, but with a few adjustments. Fresh bacon delivers the best smoky flavor and richness because it renders flavorful fat into the beans. Precooked bacon is the next best option — simply chop it and stir it in or sprinkle it over the top before baking, although it won’t contribute as much richness. Bacon bits aren’t a great substitute because they don’t render fat or add the same depth of flavor. If you prefer not to use bacon, add a drop or two of liquid smoke gradually, to taste, because it’s an artificial, highly concentrated flavor.
VARIATIONS:
- Like a little more meat? Add 1/2 pound cooked ground beef.
- Bourbon lovers: Start with 2 to 3 tablespoons. Add it after cooking the bacon and onion, then let it simmer briefly so the harsh alcohol flavor cooks off before adding the remaining ingredients. I suggest adding apple cider vinegar to balance the sweetness and richness.
Favorites from my kitchen!
- For a classic cookout combo, serve these baked beans with my cool, creamy Potato Cucumber Salad.
- If you love turning simple pantry ingredients into something special, my easy red beans and rice recipe is another budget-friendly favorite.
- These beans are a natural side dish for BBQ Chicken Sliders, especially when you’re feeding a crowd.
More Crowd-pleasing sides:
If you tried my baked beans recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments!
Best Canned Baked Beans Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- Cooking spray, for pan
- 6 slices bacon, diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (approximately 1 cup)
- 4 cans (16-ounce each) baked beans, preferably original recipe such as Bush's, undrained
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2-3 tablespoons light brown sugar, to taste
- 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2 to 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the bacon in a skillet or saute pan and cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until rendered and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the bacon drippings in the skillet.
- Place the onion in the skillet with the bacon drippings and cook for 5-6 minutes or until very soft. If the pan gets dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and continue cooking until the onions are cooked to a soft stage.
- Combine the beans, onions, 3/4 of the bacon and the remaining ingredients using 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to start with in the prepared baking dish.
- Taste and adjust sweetness with more brown sugar as desired. Add the apple cider vinegar for a little tanginess if you desire.
- Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbling and the top is caramelized.
Notes
- You won’t get the caramelized top, and the beans could be a bit more soupy.
- Place a clean kitchen towel over the slow cooker, then cover with the lid. The kitchen towel will absorb some of the steam, which can water down the beans.
- Cook for 5 to 6 hours on LOW or 3 to 3.5 hours on HIGH.
- Can also use two 28-ounce cans. See the FAQs for the precise ingredient adjustments.
- Although I prefer to use original or simply flavored beans, maple syrup can be substituted for molasses.
- Plant-based, turkey, or beef bacon can be used in place of pork bacon.
- Dijon or yellow mustard can be used in place of spicy brown mustard.
- Baked bean brands vary in sweetness, so start with the lower amount of brown sugar and add more to taste.
- Bake uncovered for a thick, rich, glossy sauce. Prefer saucier beans? Cover with foil to retain more moisture.
- Time can get away from you when hosting a gathering. Refrigerate leftovers promptly. For food safety, don’t leave the beans at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- 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.
- Freeze in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave and bake as directed.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Hi, Carol.
In an earlier post, I asked about using plain canned pinto beans. In your reply, you recommended rinsing the beans and doubling the other ingredients in your recipe. I decided to do an experiment. I made a half recipe each way, using Bush’s Original Baked Beans for one and Bush’s pinto beans for the other. It became clear that I should have measured how much liquid was drained off of the pinto beans, so I had to eyeball it. You were right on as far as flavor profile. I had my guests try both, and no one could taste any difference. Because I underestimated how much water to add back, the recipe using pinto beans had less sauce, but it was OK. I would make this again either way, but I would be more mindful of how much water to add back when using pinto beans (or other kind of plain canned bean).
Hi, Ted, Thanks so much for the information. I recommend draining and rinsing off that liquid because it can be salty, and frankly, I find it a bit off-putting. Thanks again and happy this worked out for you!
Hi, Carol.
I plan to make this tomorrow and have two questions. Is the bacon regular or thick-sliced? If I were to use plain canned pinto beans, would I need to adjust the recipe since canned beans like Bush’s already have other flavor-enhancing ingredients.
Thanks!
Hi, Ted, Thanks for your question. The bacon I used was regular, but thick would also work. Regarding the canned pinto beans, you’ll definitely need to adjust the recipe. Drain and rinse the pinto beans well, then I would double up on all the ingredients. I might even add a tablespoon or two of barbecue sauce to give it more “oomph.” Hope you enjoy, and let me know how it goes!
I love this recipe, and I’ve been making it for a while. The one thing I changed was I added cooked ground beef instead of bacon to make it a meal. It’s like my own Hamburger Helper. You can feed a family of five for less than $10.
Hi, Willow, Thanks so very much and love how you created a budget-friendly meal for your family from this recipe. Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Don’t second guess, just make this and watch breakfast for your kids change to awesome.
Thanks so very much and so appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate. Happy everyone enjoyed! When traveling in Europe, we frequently had baked beans as part of the breakfast spread; it’s really genius because they go perfectly with things like eggs, potatoes, bacon, etc.! Thanks again!
After making this, we’re never going back to “plain”. Very generous amount, so ate it “fresh” the day of and portioned rest in smaller portions to have on hand in the freezer. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi, Sarah, Thanks so much and happy you enjoyed!! These beans are great to have in the freezer for a quick side when you need it. Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
The recipe is good, but there are so many ads that are in the way, flashing, moving, etc. that I won’t be back. Too bad, you probably have other good recipes.
Hi, Sherri, I appreciate the 5-star rating. This is from my Comment Policy: Constructive comments about the overall user experience are also welcome. However, this is a business and my livelihood; advertising is necessary to keep this site free for all users.
Excellent! I made them in a crockpot for a barbecue and they were delicious.
Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Excellent. I made it as stated and it killed at the bbq. I did make it in the crockpot pan and baked it in the oven. That way I got the caramelization and the convenience of keeping it warm after pulling it out of the oven and into the plugged in crockpot portion on stay warm setting.
Hi, Dan, Thanks so very much and happy this worked out so well for you! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Great guide for making a recipe your own. Instead of ketchup I substituted with my favourite bbq sauce and instead of molasses I used maple syrup. I also cooked and chopped up 1 lb of thick cut bacon and mixed it into the beans along with sautéed onions and peppers. Made my baked beans like a cowboy version 😉 thanks for the guide. Was a hit at our family beach day picnic!
Thanks so much, Barbara!! Happy everyone enjoyed!
Looks outstanding! I have a pellet grill smoker which at 350 F. will not put out a tremendous amount of smoke. I’m a bit tempted to do the “baking” of the beans in it to add a kiss of smoke to the overall flavor. Any thoughts on how that might impact things?
Hi, Bill, Thanks so much for your question. I think it would be great! Sweet AND smoky is always a great combination. Please come back and let me know how it went. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Huge hit at 4th of July. Loved them!
Hi, Angela, Thanks so much and happy to hear that! Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.