The Best Baked Beans Ever are the perfect mix of sweet and savory. This old fashioned baked beans recipe with bacon will liven up any BBQ or cookout!
“I have used this recipe for years & always take it to BBQ’s. Everyone loves my beans (your recipe) and asks for it!”
If you come to my house for a cookout in the summertime, you’re almost guaranteed to be served a scoop (or seven) of The Best Baked Beans EVER.
I grew up eating this dish, though we called it “Judy’s Baked Beans” back then. Genuinely, none of us can remember who Judy is or was to us, but dang it did she have one heck of a baked bean recipe!
That said, no summer holiday, potluck, birthday, nor BBQ is complete without a pan of these luscious baked beans that have the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.
Quick and easy to assemble, then baked low and slow for several hours, they emerge from the oven bubbling and with a lacquered, caramelized top.
Trust me when I tell you that baked beans do NOT get better than this!
Why You’ll Love this Baked Beans Recipe
Take one bite and you’ll understand why these baked beans deserve the title of “Best Ever”. They’re the perfect side dish for any warm-weather get together.
- Canned beans: no need to soak and cook dried beans from scratch, as canned beans form the base. I guess you could call them kicked up canned baked beans!
- Savory + sweet: bacon and kielbasa balance both brown sugar and crushed pineapple in the recipe.
- Pour and bake: add all the ingredients into a casserole dish then send her into the oven. Prep the entire dish up to several days ahead of time, if you like.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItMain Ingredients Needed
Most of the ingredients needed for this recipe are fridge and pantry staples. I usually buy a case of Bush’s Baked Beans from Costco a couple times each year so we always have canned of beans ready and waiting to be doctored up for this recipe. Here’s what else you’ll need:
- Canned baked beans: I love Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans because they’re a little lower in sugar than other varieties, though your favorite flavor will work too. The Costco ones I mentioned are “original” flavor.
- Kielbasa: in the mix is a nod to “franks and beans” – they’re my favorite part of the recipe. I like Johnsonville brand pork kielbasa.
- Crushed pineapple: melts into the baked beans and adds natural sweetness. Be sure to buy pineapple packed in its own juices, vs heavy syrup.
- Brown sugar: adds sweetness and depth of flavor thanks to the molasses inside.
- Steak sauce and yellow mustard: add a savory, tangy balance to the brown sugar and crushed pineapple. Several splashes of worcestershire sauce is a good sub for steak sauce in a pinch.
- Bacon: covers the top of the beans and permeates each bite with flavor as they bake. Surprisingly, the baked beans don’t taste extremely bacon-y – it just adds to the overall flavor of the dish. Use center cut, vs regular or thick-cut bacon for the best results.
- Ketchup: slathered over the top of the bacon caramelizes in the oven as the beans bake low and slow.
How to Prep Ahead + Store + Freeze
- How to prep-ahead: assemble the beans up to the point of baking up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover with aluminum foil then refrigerate. Let the baking dish sit on the counter for 30 minutes before baking as normal.
- How to store: cool leftovers to room temperature then cover the baking dish with foil or transfer to an airtight container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.
- How to freeze: assemble the beans up to the point of baking then cover with saran wrap, and then foil, and then place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator then let the beans sit on the counter for 30 minutes before baking as normal. I like to assemble/freeze the baked beans in disposable aluminum pans.
Alrighty – let’s get you a scoop of these best ever baked beans!
Pair with Perfect Grilled Steak
How to Make the Best Baked Beans Recipe
Step 1: Drain the canned beans.
Start with canned baked beans – again, I highly recommend Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans as they’re a little lower in sugar than other varieties.
Recipe Tip
Open the cans then drain off the liquid that sits on top of each can. This will ensure your baked beans don’t turn out runny.
Step 2: Combine with other ingredients.
Add the beans to a large mixing bowl (or directly into the baking pan) then add diced kielbasa, crushed pineapple that’s been drained, minced onion, brown sugar, steak sauce, and mustard then stir well to combine.
Step 3: Top with sliced bacon and ketchup.
Scoop the mixture into a nonstick sprayed 9×13″ baking dish, or two smaller baking dishes, then line the top with sliced bacon that has been trimmed of excessive amounts of fat.
Finally, slather ketchup over the top of the bacon with the back of a spoon.
Bacon Tip
Be sure to select thin, center-cut bacon for the best results. Thick-cut bacon won’t cook all the way through.
Step 4: Bake the beans.
Bake the beans uncovered for 2 – 2-1/2 hours at 250 degrees or until the bacon is deeply caramelized and the beans are bubbling. Feel free to broil near the end to really crisp up the bacon.
Baking Tip
I use the convection setting on my oven to be sure the bacon cooks all the way through at the cook temperature and time indicated in the recipe. If your oven doesn’t have a convection setting, or runs a little cool, feel free to bake at 300 or 325 degrees instead of 250 degrees.
Let the beans sit and thicken for 15-30 minutes before scooping and devouring. If you try to dig into the beans before they have a chance to cool and thicken, they’ll be runny.
Seriously, just looking at this photo makes me so very happy. These baked beans scream “summer!” to me, and I hope you, like my family, enjoy them as often as possible during the warm spring and summer months!
More Summer Side Dish Ideas
- Fruit Salad Recipe for a Crowd
- Gluten Free Potato Salad
- The BEST Pasta Salad
- Green Beans with Bacon
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Napa Sweet Corn Salad
- Marinated Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
- 2, 28 oz cans Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans, drained well, see notes
- 13.5 oz package kielbasa, chopped into bite-sized pieces, Johnsonville recommended
- 8 oz can crushed pineapple in natural juices, NOT syrup, drained well
- 1 small yellow onion, minced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons gluten free steak sauce
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 lb center cut bacon, NOT thick-cut, excess fat trimmed away
- 3/4 cup ketchup
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees then spray a 9×13” baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Pour the drained beans into a large mixing bowl (or directly into the baking dish) with the chopped kielbasa, drained pineapple, onions, brown sugar, steak sauce, and mustard then stir until combined.
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish then lay the bacon slices across the top of the beans – they may touch, but don't overlap. Ensure you have trimmed off excessively fatty portions of the bacon first.
- Spread the ketchup over the top of the bacon with the back of a spoon then bake for 2 – 2-1/2 hours or until the top of the bacon is deeply caramelized. Feel free to broil the bacon to further crisp it up.
- Allow the beans to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving otherwise they can be soupy.
Notes
- I like using Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans because the sugar content is a little lower than other varieties. You can use your favorite type of canned baked beans, just be mindful of the sugar quantity and how sweet you like your final baked beans to be.
- I like to bake these beans using the convection setting on my oven so the bacon cooks all the way through at the cook temperature and time indicated in the recipe. If your oven doesn’t have a convection setting, or runs a little cool, feel free to bake at 300 or 325 degrees instead of 250 degrees.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
Hi Kristin! Making these tomorrow… Can’t wait! What size can of pineapple do you use? I’ve got one but I think it might be too large and don’t want to over-pineapple these babies. Thanks!
The only baked beans I do now. Excellent. Have shared with family and friends.
I made these this past weekend for friends and WOW these are every bit as good as you said they would be. I plan to make them again this coming weekend for family but I’m gonna try it in the crockpot this time b/c of tiny cabin/hot oven/tons of people issues. :) Hope it works out!!! :)
I LOVE Pastries! What type of “steak sauce” did you use on Judy’s Baked Beans?
A1!
I just made them for the second time and boy do they smell yummy!!! I can’t wait til they are done!. Made them for a superbowl party. I love baked beans and this is a fabulous recipe. I guess you could make them without the bacon but it really adds to the whole thing.
Have you tried making this recipe in the crock pot or toaster oven? Just wondering if I can avoid turning on the oven for so long during these hot days!!
I haven’t! I imagine they’d be fine in the crock pot, just wouldn’t get that crusty glazed top.
I heart this baked bean recipe, but wondering if I can make it without the bacon and, if so, how does that change the baking time? Thanks so much!!
I’ve never tried it without the bacon, and the flavor would change but would still most likely be delicious. I might cut back on the sugar a bit as the bacon helps balance the sweet flavor out.
when you say steak sauce…is that like Heinz 57 or more like A1?
A1!
I know I’m going to love these. So easy. Thanks
Thank you for posting this recipe. Made them tonight and everyone loved them. Perfect combination of flavors. Will use this rcipe from now on.
I have so many bean recipes, but I couldn’t resist this one. Everything I like. Thank you.
Made the baked beans yesterday. Everyone loved them! Fun to make and delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for this recipe!! Went perfect with Alton Bowns backyard BBQ ribs tonight. II added a shot of hot sauce and it gave the perfect balance of sweet and heat.. We loved the addition of bacon and kielbasa! Yumyum!!