Description

A stress-free, oven-baked side dish featuring sweet, smoky, and sticky beans made with bacon, brown sugar, and pantry staples. Perfect for BBQs and gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

4 cans (approx. 32 oz total) Navy beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
6–8 slices Smoked Bacon, chopped into small bits
1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
½ cup Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon Mustard (yellow or Dijon)
1 teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly cracked
½ teaspoon Salt, or to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Dice the onion and chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the diced onion to the bacon fat and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir over heat for 2 minutes until the sugar melts and forms a glossy sauce.
Add the drained beans to the skillet and gently fold them into the sauce. Stir in half of the crispy bacon bits. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Pour the mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread evenly and sprinkle the remaining bacon bits on top.
Bake for 45-60 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the edges are bubbling.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken further.

Notes

Rinsing the canned beans is crucial to remove the metallic tin taste. Let the beans rest for 10 minutes after baking to thicken the sauce. For extra smokiness, add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but check Worcestershire sauce labels. Leftovers taste better the next day.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 280
Sugar: 18
Sodium: 520
Fat: 8
Saturated Fat: 3
Carbohydrates: 42
Fiber: 8
Protein: 10

Keywords: baked beans, bacon beans, bbq side dish, labor day recipe, easy side dish, smoky beans, oven baked beans