Irresistible Brown Sugar and Bacon Baked Beans

If you ask me, brown sugar and bacon baked beans are pure comfort food magic.

This hearty side dish takes regular beans and turns them into something special with smoky bacon and sweet brown sugar. The bacon adds a salty crunch while the brown sugar creates a rich, caramelized sauce.

Everything bakes together in the oven until the flavors meld and the sauce gets thick and bubbly. A touch of mustard and onion rounds out the taste with just the right amount of tang.

It’s the kind of dish that disappears fast at barbecues and family dinners, perfect for feeding a crowd.

What Kind of Beans Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to grab canned pork and beans from the grocery store – they’re usually found right next to the regular baked beans. Most brands like Bush’s, Van Camp’s, or even store brands will work perfectly fine, so don’t stress too much about finding a specific type. The key thing to remember is to buy the UNdrained cans, since that liquid helps create the perfect sauce consistency. If you can only find smaller 15.5-ounce cans, you’ll need about four of them to equal the 54-ounce size called for in the recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This baked beans recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:

• Bacon: If you don’t have bacon, try diced ham, turkey bacon, or even crumbled breakfast sausage. For a vegetarian version, skip the meat entirely and add a tablespoon of smoked paprika for that smoky flavor.
• Pork and beans: You can use navy beans, great northern beans, or cannellini beans instead. Just drain and rinse canned beans, then add an extra 1/2 cup of water or broth to the recipe since you won’t have the bean liquid.
• Molasses: No molasses? Try maple syrup or honey, but use about 2 tablespoons less since they’re sweeter than molasses.
• Brown sugar: White sugar works fine, or you can use coconut sugar for a slightly different flavor. You might want to add an extra tablespoon of molasses if using white sugar to keep that rich taste.
• Cider vinegar: White vinegar or even a splash of apple juice with a teaspoon of lemon juice will give you that tangy kick if you’re out of cider vinegar.
• Green bell pepper: Red bell pepper works just as well, or you can skip it altogether if peppers aren’t your thing.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making baked beans is not cooking the bacon long enough before adding the other ingredients – you want it crispy and golden, not chewy, since it won’t get much crispier once mixed with all that liquid.

Another common error is skipping the step of sautéing the onions and peppers until they’re soft and translucent, which takes about 5-7 minutes and prevents you from ending up with crunchy vegetables in your finished dish.

Don’t forget to taste and adjust the sweetness before baking, as different brands of pork and beans vary in their sugar content, and you might need to add a bit more brown sugar or molasses to get that perfect balance.

Finally, resist the urge to cover the dish while baking – leaving it uncovered allows the top to caramelize and the sauce to thicken properly, giving you that rich, sticky consistency everyone loves.

What to Serve With Brown Sugar and Bacon Baked Beans?

These sweet and smoky baked beans are perfect alongside classic barbecue fare like grilled burgers, hot dogs, or pulled pork sandwiches. I love serving them at summer cookouts with coleslaw and cornbread – the creamy slaw cuts through the richness of the beans while the cornbread is perfect for soaking up that molasses-bacon goodness. For a complete comfort meal, try pairing them with grilled chicken or ribs, some buttery corn on the cob, and maybe a simple cucumber salad to balance out all those hearty flavors. They’re also great as a side for any barbecue spread where you want something substantial and satisfying.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: These baked beans actually taste even better the next day after all those flavors have had time to meld together! Store them in the fridge in a covered container for up to 5 days. I love having leftovers because they make such an easy side dish for weeknight dinners.

Freeze: You can definitely freeze these beans for later! Let them cool completely, then portion them into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Since this recipe makes a big batch, freezing half is a great way to have a ready-made side dish for your next barbecue.

Reheat: Warm up your leftover beans in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If they seem a bit thick after storing, just add a splash of water or broth to loosen them up. They’ll taste just as good as when you first made them!

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2300-2500
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 410-440 g

Ingredients

For the bean mixture:

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 54 oz canned pork and beans, undrained (or use four 15.5 oz cans)
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp ground dry mustard

For the bacon topping:

• 10 slices bacon, cut into pieces

Step 1: Cook and Prepare the Bacon

• 10 slices bacon, cut into pieces

Begin by cooking the bacon slices about halfway, using your preferred method (such as frying in a skillet or baking).

Once the bacon is partially cooked, transfer it to a paper towel to drain excess fat.

Allow the bacon to cool slightly, then chop it into semi-bite-sized pieces.

I find chopping the bacon after it cools gives a cleaner cut and less mess.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Dish

Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and set the rack to the lower-middle position to ensure even heat distribution during baking.

Meanwhile, lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish or another 3-quart oven-safe vessel to prevent the beans from sticking.

Step 3: Sauté the Onion and Bell Pepper

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons bacon grease (from Step 1), or butter

In a deep skillet over medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon grease from Step 1 (or substitute with butter if preferred).

Add the finely chopped yellow onion and diced green bell pepper to the skillet.

Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.

Step 4: Combine Beans and Sauce Ingredients

• 54 oz canned pork and beans, undrained (or use four 15.5 oz cans)
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp ground dry mustard

To the softened vegetables in the skillet, add the canned pork and beans (with all their liquid), ketchup, molasses, packed brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and ground dry mustard.

Stir everything together thoroughly and let the mixture simmer gently for about a minute to meld the flavors.

I like to taste the sauce here and adjust with a bit more vinegar or sugar if I want it tangier or sweeter.

Step 5: Assemble the Beans and Bacon

• Simmered bean mixture from Step 4
• Chopped bacon from Step 1

Pour the simmered bean mixture from Step 4 into the greased baking dish prepared in Step 2.

Evenly distribute the chopped, partially cooked bacon from Step 1 over the top of the beans.

Step 6: Bake the Beans

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 2-3 hours, depending on your preference for consistency.

The longer bake time will yield thicker beans.

I like to check after 2 hours and give the beans a gentle stir to see if they’re as thick as I like.

Step 7: Let Stand and Serve

Remove the baked beans from the oven and let them stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

This resting time helps the sauce thicken and makes serving easier.

Enjoy your homemade baked beans!

Irresistible Brown Sugar and Bacon Baked Beans

Delicious Irresistible Brown Sugar and Bacon Baked Beans recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 55 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 52 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 47 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2400 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the bean mixture:

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 54 oz canned pork and beans, undrained (or use four 15.5 oz cans)
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp ground dry mustard

For the bacon topping:

• 10 slices bacon, cut into pieces

Instructions

 

• Begin by cooking the bacon slices about halfway, using your preferred method (such as frying in a skillet or baking). Once the bacon is partially cooked, transfer it to a paper towel to drain excess fat. Allow the bacon to cool slightly, then chop it into semi-bite-sized pieces. I find chopping the bacon after it cools gives a cleaner cut and less mess.
• Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and set the rack to the lower-middle position to ensure even heat distribution during baking. Meanwhile, lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish or another 3-quart oven-safe vessel to prevent the beans from sticking.
• In a deep skillet over medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon grease from Step 1 (or substitute with butter if preferred). Add the finely chopped yellow onion and diced green bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
• To the softened vegetables in the skillet, add the canned pork and beans (with all their liquid), ketchup, molasses, packed brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and ground dry mustard. Stir everything together thoroughly and let the mixture simmer gently for about a minute to meld the flavors. I like to taste the sauce here and adjust with a bit more vinegar or sugar if I want it tangier or sweeter.
• Pour the simmered bean mixture from Step 4 into the greased baking dish prepared in Step 2. Evenly distribute the chopped, partially cooked bacon from Step 1 over the top of the beans.
• Place the baking dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 2-3 hours, depending on your preference for consistency. The longer bake time will yield thicker beans. I like to check after 2 hours and give the beans a gentle stir to see if they're as thick as I like.
• Remove the baked beans from the oven and let them stand for about 5 minutes before serving. This resting time helps the sauce thicken and makes serving easier. Enjoy your homemade baked beans!