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You are here: Home / Side Dishes / Easy Baked Beans Recipe

Easy Baked Beans Recipe

November 30, 2020 by Tristin 2 Comments

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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.

A spoonful of baked beans out of a white bowl.
These Easy Baked Beans Are A Great, Slightly Sweet Side

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.

Above view of 2 bowls of baked beans with spoons and a serving dish.
Try Making Your Own Baked Beans With This Easy Recipe

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!

Homemade Baked Beans are a Hearty Side Filled With Flavor

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.
All of the ingredients to make baked beans such as finely diced onion, dried great northern beans, maple syrup and tomato paste.
Use the Quick Soak Method Above if You Don’t Have Time to Soak Then Overnight

How to Make Baked Beans

  1. Go through the beans and remove any foreign materials. Next, rinse them.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Cover beans with about 3 to 4 inches of fresh water in a large pot or dutch oven.
  5. 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.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain the beans, keeping one cup of cooking liquid.
  7. Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a baking dish or in a dutch oven.
  8. Bake covered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
All of the steps to make baked beans.
This Easy Baked Bean Recipe is Made With Great Northern Beans, But You Could Also Use Pinto, Navy, or Cannellini Beans

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.
Baked Beans are Full of Important Vitamins and Minerals

Try these other vegetarian dinner recipes!

  • Lentil Soup
  • Spaghetti Squash
  • Cheese Enchiladas
  • Stuffed Poblano Peppers

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Big spoonful of baked beans over a bowlful of beans.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Easy Baked Beans Recipe

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.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Soak Time12 hours hrs
Total Time15 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 197kcal
Author: Tristin @ Home Cooked Harvest

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.
 
 
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 993mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 81IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 5mg

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out!

If you’ve tried this or any other of my recipes, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and leave me a comment. I love hearing from you! Share a picture on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookedharvest.

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Filed Under: Side Dishes

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Comments

  1. Stacey P.

    March 10, 2021 at 9:25 am

    5 stars
    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.

  2. Tristin

    March 10, 2021 at 9:31 am

    So glad they turned out well for you Stacey!!

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Hey there! Welcome, I am so glad you are here. I’m Tristin, the food-lover, recipe-maker, and photo-taker behind Home Cooked Harvest, which features easy recipes made with tasty ingredients. Read More…

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