This Easy Baked Beans Recipe is sweetened slightly with a touch of maple syrup. These baked beans are made from scratch and are a hearty side filled with flavor.
Baked Beans
Making baked beans from scratch is a bit time consuming but definitely worth the extra work. There is something satisfying about it. It’s kind of like baking your own bread or making your own tomato sauce!! It’s very rewarding.
These are the perfect beans to make if you are looking for a baked bean recipe that isn’t overly sweet. These beans have a slight sweetness from the brown sugar and just a touch of maple syrup. They are definitely more on the savory side.
Are Great Northern Beans Healthy?
Great Northern Beans are a great way to get plant-based protein. The fiber that is in beans can help regulate your blood sugar and make you feel fuller longer, which can help with weight control.
Beans also contain a good amount of minerals like Iron, Potassium, and Copper. They are also rich in thiamin, folate, niacin, and riboflavin.
Eat lots of beans for good health!
Quick Soak Method
If you don’t have the time to soak your bean overnight or for 12 hours, you can do the quick soak method. Put your cleaned beans in a pot or dutch oven. Cover the beans with about 2 inches of water. Bring them to a boil and cook for about a minute. Remove from heat and cover. Let the beans soak for about an hour in the hot water. Drain and rinse beans in a colander.
Baked Beans Ingredients
- Beans: Dry Beans, I used great northern beans.
- Bean Liquid: After cooking the beans on the stove, reserve one cup of cooking liquid.
- Onion: Use 1/2 to 1 whole small onion. Unless you really like onion then you can use a medium or large onion.
- Vinegar: I used apple cider vinegar, but you
- Maple Syrup: Use real maple syrup and not pancake syrup.
- Dry Mustard: Use dry, ground mustard.
- Pepper: Freshly ground pepper.
- Salt: Kosher or sea salt.
How to Make Baked Beans
- Go through the beans and remove any foreign materials. Next, rinse them.
- Pour beans into a large pot and cover with 3 or 4 inches of water. Soak beans overnight covered or for around 12 hours. Or use the quick soak method listed above. Drain all the water and rinse.
- In a pot or dutch oven that you are going to cook the beans in, sauté onion for 5 minutes or so until translucent, set aside.
- Cover beans with about 3 to 4 inches of fresh water in a large pot or dutch oven.
- Bring to a boil for 5 minutes then lower the heat to low and cook for 2 hours. If liquid evaporates, add in more water or vegetable broth to keep beans covered.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain the beans, keeping one cup of cooking liquid.
- Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a baking dish or in a dutch oven.
- Bake covered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Easy Baked Beans Recipe Tips
- Use a medium or large onion if you want the beans more oniony.
- After sautéing the onion until transluscent, add in two pressed cloves of garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the garlic. Set aside and continue with the recipe.
- Use a different type of dried beans instead of great northern beans such as navy beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans.
- Instead of maple syrup, you can use coconut sugar, honey, brown sugar or molasses.
Storage Instructions for Baked Beans
- How to Refrigerate Baked Beans: Let the beans cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. The baked beans should last about 3-5 days in the fridge.
- How to Freeze Baked Beans: Let the beans cool off completely before putting into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The baked beans should last about 1 month in the freezer.
- How to Thaw Baked Beans: Defrost the frozen baked beans in the refrigerator overnight.
- How to Reheat Baked Beans: Reheat beans in the microwave or on the stove till heated through. May need to add a little water or vegetable broth.
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Easy Baked Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry great northern white beans (can use navy or pinto)
- 1/2 reserved bean cooking liquid or water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 small onion
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (can use molasses or honey)
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Go through the beans and remove any foreign materials. Then rinse them in a colander.
- Pour beans into a large pot and cover with 3 or 4 inches of water. Soak beans overnight covered or for around 12 hours. Or use the quick soak method listed above. Drain all the water and rinse.
- In a pot or dutch oven that you are going to cook the beans in, sauté onion for 5 minutes or so until translucent, set aside.
- Cover beans with about 3 to 4 inches of fresh water in a large pot or dutch oven.
- Bring to a boil for 5 minutes then lower the heat to low and cook for 2 hours. If water evaporates, add in more water or vegetable broth to keep beans covered with 2 inches of liquid.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the beans, keeping one cup of cooking liquid.
- Combine the beans with the sautéed onion, tomato paste, cider vinegar, maple syrup, dry mustard, salt, and pepper in a baking dish or a dutch oven.
- Bake covered for 1 hour.
Notes
- Use a different type of dried bean instead of great northern such as navy beans, pinto beans, or cannelini beans.
- Baked beans should stay good in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Nutrition
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Really enjoyed the tanginess of these beans! Thanks for the tip about the quick soaking method, that’s what I went with cuz I ws short on time. Came out great.
So glad they turned out well for you Stacey!!