BBQ Baked Bean Casserole

There’s something about baked beans that takes me straight back to family cookouts and potluck dinners. You know the ones – where everyone brings their best dish and hopes it gets eaten first. Well, let me tell you, this baked bean casserole disappears fast every single time I make it.

I love how easy this recipe is to put together. Most of the ingredients are things you probably already have in your pantry. And the best part? You can make it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you’re ready. No stress, no fuss, just good comfort food that feeds a crowd.

Whether you’re heading to a barbecue, planning a family dinner, or need something hearty for a chilly evening, this casserole has you covered. It’s got that perfect balance of sweet and savory that makes everyone ask for the recipe. Trust me on this one – you’ll want to keep the ingredients on hand.

What Kind of Beans Should I Use?

The beauty of this casserole is that you can mix and match whatever beans you have on hand or prefer. Black beans, red kidney beans, cannellini, Great Northern, chickpeas, or even canned pork and beans all work well together. I like to use a combination of three or four different types to get a nice variety of textures and flavors – maybe some creamy cannellini beans paired with hearty kidney beans and earthy black beans. Just make sure to rinse and drain canned beans thoroughly to remove excess sodium and that starchy liquid that can make your casserole too thick.

Options for Substitutions

This hearty casserole is super forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:

• Ground beef: You can easily swap the ground beef for ground turkey, ground pork, or even a mix of both. For a lighter version, try ground turkey breast, but you might want to add a bit more oil since it’s leaner.
• Red onion and bell pepper: Yellow or white onions work just fine, and any color bell pepper will do. You can even use frozen diced peppers and onions if that’s what you have on hand – just thaw and drain them first.
• Bean mix: The recipe already suggests mixing and matching beans, which is perfect! Stick with whatever you have in your pantry. Just avoid using all chickpeas as they have a different texture than the others.
• Barbecue sauce: If you’re out of barbecue sauce, you can make a quick substitute by mixing 1 cup ketchup with 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Stone ground mustard: Regular yellow mustard or Dijon mustard work as substitutes. Use about half the amount if using Dijon since it’s stronger in flavor.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon works great, or you can skip it entirely for a lighter dish. For extra smoky flavor without meat, try adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the sauce mixture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making baked bean casserole is not properly draining the ground beef after browning, which can leave you with a greasy, unappetizing dish – make sure to drain off all excess fat before adding your other ingredients.

Another common error is skipping the step to rinse your canned beans, as the thick liquid they’re packed in can make your casserole too salty and change the texture of your sauce.

Don’t forget to taste and adjust your seasonings before baking, since different brands of barbecue sauce and ketchup vary in sweetness and saltiness – you might need to add more brown sugar or mustard to get the perfect balance.

Finally, resist the urge to skip covering the casserole with foil for the first part of baking, as this prevents the top from drying out while the flavors meld together, and only remove the foil during the last 15-20 minutes if you want a slightly caramelized top.

What to Serve With Baked Bean Casserole?

This hearty casserole is perfect for backyard barbecues and potluck dinners, so I love pairing it with classic cookout sides like coleslaw and cornbread. The sweet and savory flavors in the casserole work really well with something fresh and crunchy, so a simple green salad or some pickled vegetables help balance out all that richness. Since it’s already packed with protein from the ground beef and beans, you could serve it as the main dish alongside some buttery corn on the cob or roasted vegetables. For a true comfort food feast, try it with some fluffy biscuits or dinner rolls that are perfect for soaking up any extra sauce.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This hearty casserole actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge! Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavors really meld together nicely, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding the family throughout the week.

Freeze: Baked bean casserole freezes like a dream for up to 3 months. I like to portion it into family-sized containers or individual servings before freezing. Just make sure it’s completely cooled first, and leave a little room at the top of the container for expansion.

Reheat: Warm it up in the oven at 350°F covered with foil until heated through, about 20-30 minutes from the fridge or 45 minutes from frozen. You can also microwave individual portions, but the oven keeps that nice texture. Add a splash of water or broth if it seems a bit thick after reheating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4300-4700
• Protein: 210-230 g
• Fat: 170-190 g
• Carbohydrates: 480-530 g

Ingredients

For the casserole:

• 2 lb ground beef (85/15 preferred)
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• Salt and black pepper, as needed
• 4 cans (15 oz each) mixed beans, rinsed and drained (black, kidney, cannellini, chickpeas, great northern, or pork and beans)
• 1 1/2 cups tomato ketchup
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp worcestershire

For the topping:

• 8 slices bacon, cooked, drained, cut into 1-inch pieces

Step 1: Cook the Bacon

• 8 slices bacon, cooked, drained, cut into 1-inch pieces

Start by cooking the bacon using your preferred method.

You can bake it in the oven for even crispiness or fry it in a skillet over medium heat.

Once the bacon is crispy, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.

After it cools, cut it into 1-inch pieces and set aside for later.

Step 2: Prepare and Cook the Beef Mixture

• 2 lb ground beef (85/15 preferred)
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• salt and black pepper, as needed

While the bacon is cooking, finely chop the red onion and red bell pepper, and mince the garlic.

In a very large pan or stock pot set over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, and minced garlic.

Season lightly with salt and black pepper.

Cook the mixture, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until the beef is completely browned and no pink remains, and the vegetables are tender.

Drain any excess fat from the pan, then return the beef mixture to the pot.

Step 3: Combine Beans and Sauces

• 4 cans (15 oz each) mixed beans, rinsed and drained (black, kidney, cannellini, chickpeas, Great Northern, or pork and beans)
• 1 1/2 cups tomato ketchup
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire

Add the rinsed and drained mixed beans to the cooked beef mixture in the pot.

Pour in the tomato ketchup, barbecue sauce, packed dark brown sugar, whole grain mustard, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.

Stir everything thoroughly to combine.

Let the mixture simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes to meld the flavors together.

I sometimes like to taste and adjust the balance of sweet and tangy to my liking by adding a little extra barbecue sauce or mustard.

Step 4: Assemble the Casserole

• baked beans with hamburger mixture from Step 3

Preheat your oven to 350° F.

Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Pour the hot baked beans with hamburger mixture from Step 3 into the prepared casserole dish and spread into an even layer.

Step 5: Bake and Finish the Casserole

• cooked bacon pieces from Step 1

Sprinkle the cooked and chopped bacon from Step 1 evenly over the top of the casserole.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes so the top gets nicely browned and bubbly.

Let the dish rest for about 10 minutes before serving to help the flavors settle.

I find that letting it sit briefly makes it easier to serve and even tastier.

BBQ Baked Bean Casserole

Delicious BBQ Baked Bean Casserole recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 26 minutes mins

Cook Time 54 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 4500 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the casserole:

• 2 lb ground beef (85/15 preferred)
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• salt and black pepper, as needed
• 4 cans (15 oz each) mixed beans, rinsed and drained (black, kidney, cannellini, chickpeas, Great Northern, or pork and beans)
• 1 1/2 cups tomato ketchup
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire

For the topping:

• 8 slices bacon, cooked, drained, cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

 

• Start by cooking the bacon using your preferred method. You can bake it in the oven for even crispiness or fry it in a skillet over medium heat. Once the bacon is crispy, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. After it cools, cut it into 1-inch pieces and set aside for later.
• While the bacon is cooking, finely chop the red onion and red bell pepper, and mince the garlic. In a very large pan or stock pot set over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, and minced garlic. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Cook the mixture, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until the beef is completely browned and no pink remains, and the vegetables are tender. Drain any excess fat from the pan, then return the beef mixture to the pot.
• Add the rinsed and drained mixed beans to the cooked beef mixture in the pot. Pour in the tomato ketchup, barbecue sauce, packed dark brown sugar, whole grain mustard, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir everything thoroughly to combine. Let the mixture simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes to meld the flavors together. I sometimes like to taste and adjust the balance of sweet and tangy to my liking by adding a little extra barbecue sauce or mustard.
• Preheat your oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the hot baked beans with hamburger mixture from Step 3 into the prepared casserole dish and spread into an even layer.
• Sprinkle the cooked and chopped bacon from Step 1 evenly over the top of the casserole. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes so the top gets nicely browned and bubbly. Let the dish rest for about 10 minutes before serving to help the flavors settle. I find that letting it sit briefly makes it easier to serve and even tastier.