Barbecued Baked Beans
Enhance your cookouts with these homemade barbecued baked beans. Easy to make and packed with flavor, they’re the perfect side dish!
These homemade barbecued baked beans are the ultimate summer side dish. Sweet, smoky, and just the right amount of savory, they’re easy to throw together and always a crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re hosting a backyard cookout or bringing a dish to a potluck, this recipe is a go-to.
With a base of canned baked beans, this version gets a flavor boost from crisp bacon, sautéed onions and bell peppers, and a quick barbecue-style sauce with brown sugar, ketchup, and Worcestershire. You can bake them in a casserole dish or even transfer them to a slow cooker to keep warm at gatherings.
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- Elevated canned beans. Store-bought baked beans get a big flavor upgrade from bacon, sautéed vegetables, and a quick homemade barbecue-style sauce, so no one will guess how simple they were to put together.
- Smoky, sweet, and tangy. Bacon, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, and barbecue sauce come together for a balanced sauce that’s sweet but not cloying, with just enough tang and savory depth.
- Easy oven prep. Everything comes together in one skillet and one casserole dish, then bakes in the oven until bubbly and thick, freeing you up to focus on the main course.
- Perfect for cookouts and potlucks. A 2-quart casserole of beans feeds several people as a side dish and sits nicely on a buffet with pulled pork, burgers, hot dogs, or grilled chicken.
- Flexible and customizable. You can use your favorite barbecue sauce, mix bell pepper colors, adjust the sweetness, or add a little heat to match your menu and guests’ tastes.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon – Provides a smoky, savory base for the beans. Cooking it first renders flavorful drippings that you’ll use to soften the onion and bell pepper. You can cook the bacon until just crisp or leave it a little chewy, depending on your preference.
- Onion – Chopped onion adds sweetness and depth as it softens in the bacon drippings. Yellow or sweet onions are both good choices here.
- Bell pepper – Green bell pepper is classic, but red or a combination of colors adds sweetness and color. Sautéing it briefly takes away the raw edge and lets it blend into the sauce.
- Canned baked beans – Using canned baked beans provides an already seasoned, slightly sweet base, which you’ll enrich with additional barbecue flavor. Draining off excess liquid on top keeps the finished dish from being too soupy.
- Ketchup – Helps form the sauce, adding tomato flavor, sweetness, and body. It also contributes to the glossy finish as the beans bake.
- Brown sugar – Deepens the sweetness and brings a hint of molasses flavor that pairs well with bacon and barbecue sauce. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds umami and a subtle tang that keeps the beans from tasting flat. A little goes a long way toward rounding out the flavor.
- Barbecue sauce – Choose a sauce you enjoy, whether sweet, smoky, or tangy; it heavily influences the overall character of the dish. A thicker sauce will give you a richer, stickier finish.
- Dry mustard – Brings a gentle, savory heat and tang that balances the sweetness in the sauce. It’s subtle but helps keep the beans from tasting overly sweet.
Steps to Make Barbecued Baked Beans
- Preheat the oven so it’s ready once the beans are assembled, and lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is browned and crisp, then transfer it to paper towels to drain, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- Sauté the chopped onion and bell pepper in the bacon drippings until the onion is soft and translucent and the pepper begins to soften.
- In a large bowl, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, and dry mustard until well blended.
- Drain any excess liquid from the canned baked beans, then add the beans to the sauce along with the cooked bacon and sautéed vegetables, stirring until everything is evenly coated.
- Transfer the bean mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake until the beans are hot, bubbly around the edges, and slightly thickened, then let them stand briefly before serving so the sauce can settle.
Pro Tips
- Render the bacon slowly over medium heat so it crisps without burning and leaves plenty of flavorful drippings for the vegetables.
- Soften the onions and peppers just until tender; they will continue to cook in the oven and you still want some texture in the finished beans.
- Choose a barbecue sauce that matches your menu—sweeter for family-friendly cookouts, or smokier and spicier if you like more heat and depth.
- Stir the beans once during baking if you like, to make sure the sauce is evenly distributed and the top doesn’t over-brown before the center is hot.
Recipe Variations
- Meat: Add browned ground beef, sausage, or turkey to the bean mixture for a hearty, protein-packed dish.
- Vegetables: Sneak in some julienned carrots or diced tomatoes for extra nutrients.
- Liquid smoke: Amp up the smoky flavor with a teaspoon or so of liquid smoke.
- Heat: Sauté a finely chopped jalapeño pepper with the onion, or add a dash of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Herbs and spices: Try adding chili powder, smoked paprika, thyme, or parsley to enhance the flavors.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve alongside pulled pork, ribs, hot dogs, or grilled chicken.
- Pair with creamy coleslaw and cornbread for a classic BBQ plate.
- Bring to potlucks or picnics in a slow cooker to keep warm.
- Top with shredded cheese and bake briefly for a cheesy twist.
How to Store
- Refrigerate – Let the beans cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The flavors often deepen after a day, making leftovers especially tasty.
- Freeze – Portion the cooled beans into freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving a little room for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Label the containers with the date so you can keep track.
- Reheat – Warm the beans gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if they seem too thick. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, pausing to stir until hot.
Barbecued Baked Beans
Add some flavor to your cookout with these tasty barbecued baked beans. Perfectly paired with pulled pork, hot dogs, burgers, and more!
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped , green, red, or combo
- 28 ounces canned baked beans, or 2 16-ounce cans
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 6 to 10 minutes until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain.
- Add the chopped onions and peppers to the drippings in the skillet and sauté until the onions are translucent.
- In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, and dry mustard.
- Remove any excess liquid from the top of the beans in the can and add them to the bowl along with the bacon and sautéed onions and peppers.
- Turn the beans into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole.
- Bake the beans for 30 to 45 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 10gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 1153mgPotassium: 674mgFiber: 8gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 542IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 3mg
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
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