Bacon Baked Beans Recipe (Easy from Scratch with Pinto Beans)
Baked Beans with Bacon Recipe
Bacon baked beans are one of those classic side dishes that never go out of style. They are hearty, flavorful and the perfect companion to barbecue ribs, burgers or hot dogs. This recipe uses canned pinto beans for convenience, smoky bacon for depth and a rich sauce that balances sweet and savory.
Whether you bake them in the oven or simmer them on the stovetop, these beans are simple to make and always a crowd-pleaser.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Smoky bacon flavor in every bite
- Easy to make with canned beans
- Perfect BBQ side dish for cookouts and potlucks
- Make ahead friendly and even better the next day
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pinto beans (or navy/white beans)
- Cooked bacon, cut into ¼–½ inch pieces
- Minced onion
- Minced bell pepper
- Brown sugar
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Molasses
- Salt and pepper
- Minced garlic
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cook the Bacon
Fry bacon until crispy. Reserve 1–2 teaspoons of bacon grease for extra flavor.
2. Sauté the Veggies
In the same pan, cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic until softened.
3. Mix the Sauce
Stir in brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, molasses, salt, and pepper.
4. Add the Beans
Pour in canned pinto beans (do not drain). Stir to combine.
5. Bake
Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until bubbly.
Tips for Amazing Baked Beans
- Freeze leftover minced onion in small containers for future recipes.
- Bake bacon if you prefer less grease.
- Make a day ahead for deeper flavor.
- Drain beans if you want a shorter cooking time.
Side Serving Bean Ideas
These bacon baked beans pair perfectly with:
- Homemade cornbread
- Smoked BBQ ribs
- Classic potato salad
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze baked beans? Yes, store in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
What’s the best bacon to use? Thick cut smoky bacon works best.
Can I make these vegetarian? Skip the bacon and add smoked paprika for flavor.
Bacon Baked Beans Recipe (Easy from Scratch)
Ingredients
- 2 15.5 ounce cans pinto beans
- ½ pound bacon cut into 1/4- 1/2" pieces
- ½ cup minced onion
- ½ cup minced bell pepper
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon molasses
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven 450F.
- In a large pan, add the bacon and cook it down until it's cooked, but not crispy.
- Once cooked, keep the bacon fat and bacon in the pan and add onions and peppers and cook until they are translucent. You can also put the onions and peppers in raw.
- In a bowl, add the brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, molasses, salt, pepper and garlic and stir.
- Once incorporated, add the pinto beans.
- Place into a casserole dish and bake for at least an hour.
- The beans are going to need time to reduce their liquid by half, but not dry. About an hour, possibly more.
- Once cooked allow the beans to sit. The beans will reduce the liquid some more as well.
- These are perfect to server for the upcoming holidays or when you are grilling.Bacon totally makes them better and you can serve them with smoked barbecue ribs.
Video
Notes
Bacon Baked Bean Tips
- Mince the entire onion and freeze the rest in small containers for use later.
- You can leave some of the bacon grease in the pan if you want (1-2 teaspoons) for more bacon flavor.
- Bacon can also be baked if you want to reduce the amount of bacon grease.
- If you don’t want to bake them, you can cook them on the stove top, cooking down the veggies until translucent and adding the other ingredients and then reducing the liquid on the stove top (around 30 minutes).
- You do not need to drain the pinto beans.
- Make these ahead of time (a day ahead), they get more flavorful.
- Reduce the cooking time, by draining the pinto beans.
We made this for a recent family gathering. They were amazing. They make a lot, but we shared with family and froze the leftovers.
So glad your family enjoyed them.
This baked bean recipe is so easy but SUPER delicious! I was having difficulty finding a recipe from scratch (so many start with a base of pork and beans) but didn’t involve dried beans, and this fits the bill perfectly. The flavors are incredible, and I will never be able to go back to canned again!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe. It is one of our go to baked bean recipes too.