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Homemade Baked Beans (from Scratch)

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Homemade baked beans are so easy to make and taste so much better than store bought! Learn how to make baked beans from scratch for a delicious Southern side that is loaded with flavor.



 

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Baked beans are a classic Southern side that I so enjoy making! They are super simple to make and most of the time is totally hands off leaving you free to get on with preparing the rest of the feast!

These beans are so rich in flavor and they taste so much better than canned. The results are out of this world! I add ground turkey to my beans but feel free to leave it meatless or sub the turkey for ground beef or bacon.

These baked beans are perfect to serve alongside pulled pork sandwiches and perfect to enjoy as part of a hearty breakfast or brunch.

How To Make Homemade Baked Beans

  • Place beans, water, and bbq seasoning in a pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes, then naturally release. Remove beans and liquid from the pressure cooker and set both aside. 
Cooking he beans in an instant pot
  • Remove beans and liquid from the pressure cooker and set both aside. 
beans in pot with strainer
  • Place a heavy bottom dutch oven pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and ground turkey and brown. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until they have softened.
  • Turn off the heat and add brown sugar, molasses, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, beans and bean liquid, and salt to the pot and stir. Cover pot. 
collage of meats and beans in cooking in dutch oven
  • Place in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.
  • After an hour, remove pot and stir. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and return beans to oven uncovered.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes more. Remove and serve.
beans in yellow pot

What are the best beans to use?

I like to use Navy beans, also known as haricot beans for this dish. They are a smaller white bean and they have a mild, delicate flavor. You can use Great Northern or Cannellini beans which are larger in size but have a similar taste and texture.

Can you use canned beans?

These homemade baked beans are made from scratch, so that means that we cooked the beans from dried. I used my pressure cooker to cook them quickly, you can cook them on the stovetop but this is a much longer process.

Beans cooked at home from dried taste so much better than canned beans. In comparison, canned beans can taste slightly metallic, salty and they can also be quite mushy. If you are really in a pinch, you can use canned, just rinse them really well before adding to the pot.

Can you make them ahead of time?

Yes! Baked beans are a great make ahead dish, perfect for meal prep or if you are planning the as part of a larger feast.

  • Refrigerate: Let the beans cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep well for 3 to 5 days.
  • Freezer: Place the cooled beans in a freezer safe container and they will keep for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen beans in the fridge overnight.

Reheat the beans in a pot on the stovetop on a low heat. If beans are too thick after refrigerating, add a little liquid to make them syrupy again.

beans in a pot with spoon sticking out

Recipe Notes and Tips

  • The baked beans will absorb additional liquid as they cool.
  • If reheating beans after chilling, add about 1-2 Tbsp of liquid to keep them liquidy.

More Easy Side Dishes

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4.34 from 6 votes

Homemade Baked Beans (from Scratch)

Homemade baked beans are so easy to make and taste so much better than store bought! Learn how to make baked beans from scratch for a delicious side that is loaded with flavor.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword baked beans from scratch, homemade baked beans, how to make baked beans
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 326kcal
Author Tanya

Ingredients

  • ½ lb dry navy beans about 1 and ⅓ cup
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon bbq seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

  • Place beans, water, and bbq seasoning in a pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes, then naturally release. Remove beans and liquid from the pressure cooker and set both aside.
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place a heavy bottom dutch oven pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and ground turkey and brown. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until they have softened. Turn off the heat and add brown sugar, molasses, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, beans and bean liquid, and salt to the pot and stir. Cover pot.
  • Place in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. After an hour, remove pot and stir. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and return beans to oven uncovered. Bake for about 20 minutes more. Remove and serve.

Video

Notes

  • Beans will absorb additional liquid as they cool.
  • If reheating beans after chilling, add about 1-2 Tbsp of liquid to keep them liquidy.

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 876mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 5mg
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Recipe Rating




Rhonda

Wednesday 27th of April 2022

I always add bacon to my beans & a little brown sugar for those of us that like a sweeter note. My family can't get enough.

Erin

Wednesday 27th of April 2022

What's the method without a pressure cooker?

Gary

Monday 31st of August 2020

I like them and most likely will make them again! I think they are a bit bland (hence the 4 stars), but everyone has differing levels of what is bland and what isn't! I think I'll add some garlic to them and maybe some Frank's. I will figure it out! Thank you very much for a good recipe! I never made my own baked beans before or used dried navy beans! Now that I think of it I will make these again to use up the rest of the navy beans! I would have made the amount of beans to use up the whole bag but I found I didn't have a baking dish big enough! I used a foil pan and that worked! Next I will be making your Zucchini Mushroom Chicken! Thanks for the great recipes!

Gary

Friday 4th of September 2020

@Tanya, I owe you an apology! I just added a little more BBQ seasoning combined with the flavors melding overnight and they were fantastic! They went fast! I have to say 5 stars now! I will make them again!!!! Thanks again!

Tanya

Tuesday 1st of September 2020

Thanks so much for the feedback Gary :)

L J

Sunday 26th of July 2020

Very good. Thank you for recipe.

Tanya

Monday 27th of July 2020

Thank you L J, so glad you liked the recipe :)

Karen

Saturday 27th of June 2020

Didn't give this 5 stars because we don't care for ground meat in our baked beans. Do you think they would work with bacon or pork?

Tanya

Sunday 28th of June 2020

Hi Karen, Absolutley! Just add bacon to it before baking.