Southern style Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon in a thick, rich, glossy sauce with a perfect balance of sweet and a hint of tang. An essential side for a blow out BBQ or Southern feast – think pulled pork, barbecue chicken, sticky ribs, Fried Chicken, sweet juicy corn, coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad and cornbread. Swoooooon!!
Southern Baked Beans
Southern Baked Beans are like the bolder, brasher big sister of our Aussie baked beans. Whereas our beans are known as a breakfast staple, with its translucent, shiny tomato sauce, the Southern version is a a side dish that’s packed with big, bold southern flavours.
The sauce is glossy, it’s sweet, it’s savoury, and even though it’s “just” a side dish, no one could overlook it on a table laden with food!
Here it is pictured with a side of Coleslaw, Pulled Pork and crusty Artisan bread (it’s unbelievably quick and easy, no knead. Though….. cornbread would be much more on theme on this plate!)
What goes in Southern Baked Beans
You’ll find a lot of recipes are based around store bought canned baked beans – sauce and all. I really just prefer making it from scratch – you can control the flavour yourself, you know what goes in it, and all that usual jazz. 🙂
So here’s what you need to make these Southern Baked Beans.
Just a note on a few of the ingredients:
Beans – I usually make this with red kidney beans, just something I picked up from Ina Garten’s baked beans recipe. Flavour wise it doesn’t really make a difference what beans you use because the sauce flavour is so strong. So feel free to use navy beans (haricot) which is the more common type of beans used in Southern Baked Beans, pinto, cannellini or any other small to medium beans of choice;
Molasses – adds colour, gloss and flavour. Easy substitute: golden syrup!
Tomato passata – this is just plain, pure, pureed tomato. If you’re in the US, it’s sometimes labelled “tomato puree” instead. More information on tomato passata here.
How to make baked beans
It’s probably thoroughly not in the spirit of baked beans to NOT bake it! But it starts on the stove with the browning of the bacon, so I just find it easier to leave it on the stove.
But you can bake it if you prefer! It can also be slow cooked – directions included in the recipe.
I know baked beans are traditionally served as a side in the states, but in all honesty, the sauce of this Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon is so good, with such much kapow flavours, I’m happy to slurp it up just like this: in a big bowl with some corn bread to slop up all that sauce. (Try the muffin version too, they’re fabulous!)
Or even as breakfast. I promise there is a couple of pieces of (burnt) toast under that very generous serving of baked beans! Try it with a fried or poached egg, or even scrambled eggs!
Big Barbecue Feast!
And of course, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t suggest a load of dishes for a big barbecue feast. Here are some barbecue favourites that demand a side of baked beans!!
I know I keep going on and on about giant BBQ feasts, but of course baked beans are a brilliant side dish for normal meals too. 😂 It will keep in the fridge for days, so you can keep bringing it out over and over again… who can get sick of these baked beans?? – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon (Southern)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 150g/ 5 oz bacon , chopped
- 1 medium onion , finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced (or 1 1/2 tsp garlic paste)
- 3 x 400g / 14oz cans red kidney or other beans, drained and rinsed (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup ketchup (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup tomato passata / US tomato puree (Note 3)
- 1/4 cup molasses (Note 4)
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tsp mustard powder (or 1 tbsp Dijon or American mustard)
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3/4 tsp EACH salt & pepper , plus more to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil over high heat (can skip oil if bacon is super fatty). Add bacon and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until onion and bacon are golden.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir, bring to simmer, then place lid on.
- Then either turn down heat to medium low (simmering gently) and cook on the stove for 1 hour, stirring every now and then so the bottom doesn't catch. OR bake at 160°C/325°F for 60 minutes.
- SLOW COOKER option: Reduce water to 1/4 cup, transfer to slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on low.
- The sauce should be thickened (cook with lid off for a bit if not thick enough) and glossy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste at the end. See notes for serving suggestions!
Recipe Notes:
- 1 can = 1 3/4 cups beans once drained
- Recipe calls for 3 cans = 5 1/4 cups beans
- 1 cup dried beans = 2 3/4 cups cooked
- So you will need 2 cups dried beans (2 x 2.75 = 5 1/2 cups cooked beans)
Nutrition Information:
Originally published June 2017, updated June 2020 with fresh new photos, brand new video!
More bean recipes
Life of Dozer
In case you missed the Life of Dozer video on Monday – Dozer’s analysis of deconstructed Gado Gado at a glance:
And Life of Dozer from the original publication date:
First sunrise back in Sydney with Mr D after arriving home from my trip to Japan. 🙂 Even though his boarder reported no signs of separation anxiety or even a fleeting moment of forlornness that would indicate that he missed me in the slightest (😤), I was greeted with sufficient enthusiasm to think otherwise!
Nagi – I received a bean pot from my new SIL, who is from the US East Coast. Do you know if and how I could make your recipe in that? Thanks for all your great recipes!
I know this is an old comment, but you can definitely use a bean pot to make this recipe. You would use the bean pot to cook your dried beans, using whatever recipe you usually use. You can even add your aromatics (onion, garlic) at that point if you wish. Or you can cook the dried beans in the bean pot with just water.
After the beans are soft, that’s when you would want to make the recipe the rest of the way in a dutch oven or other similar wide pot. Finish the recipe per the instructions. So, you can use the bean pot for half of it, but once you are adding ketchup, sugar, molasses, etc, you would only want to do that in a casserole dish, dutch oven, or something similar.
Save the bean liquor from the bean pot, using what you need to get the right liquid consistency for the baked beans and free the leftover bean liquor for future use.
Gosh! Never even heard of it before! Just googled it and unfortunately I don’t think you can. You can’t really saute in it I don’t think??
Hi Nagi, I’m wondering if there is only one can of kidney beans? It seems like a lot of bacon for only one can of beans. Not that there can bee too much bacon!! lol
Hi Gail! It’s 2 standard cans or 1 large can 🙂 I know it seems like a lot of bacon but when you pour the beans out of the can, you will be surprised how much comes out!
Thanks for the clarification Nagi, this is happening tomorrow. So looking forward to it!
Gail
Oh Naji, you’re so naughty/nice ?. I’m sitting here with my bowl of porridge reading your latest addition, licking my lips, wanting to trade for an English breakfast with a southern twist. Will definitely be making these beans and freeze. I’m not a fan of freezing food but I have to with this. Yesterday I made the bbq pulled pork for our Sunday roast. It was Yummy.
Oooh! Sunday BBQ Pulled pork – YUM!!! And THIS certainly would have completed a southern spread…. 🙂 PS Hmm, porridge is rather a stark comparison to this, isn’t it?? 😉 N xx
True. But we like to spice up even porridge. Cinnamon, ginger, honey and friut.
If I make this with dried kidney beans instead of canned, should I soak them overnight and boil them before adding to the bacon and onion? I’m assuming so, or else they’d be like little pebbles! Looking forward to trying this!
Hi Annie! I’ve added directions in Note 1, sorry I forgot!
My Mom always made this variation on MFK Fisher’s recipe: Add 2 crumbled slices of bacon; one medium onion halved, sliced, and sauted in the bacon fat; and 1T each ketchup, mustard, and molasses to a 28 oz. can of baked beans; bake uncovered for an hour at 350. You can vary anything you want.
Looking forward to trying yours, Nagi. Today!
Oooh, that sounds amazing Charles! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! N x
Would love to make these beans in a crock pot using dry beans. Should the beans be soaked and cooked before adding to the rest of the ingredients in Step 3 or just soaked since they will cook for 6 hrs at low? Sounds like these will go good with fried chicken!
Thanks for picking that up! I’ve added the directions in Note 1 🙂
Love this plate full of chicken/bacon and beans and some toasted breads, omlette. Oh my god.. that is a lovely plate which i will always look for
Love the way dozer gazes through
A plate full of goodness…..
Did you say Baked Beans with bacon? I’m addicted to beans in any style. I cannot say enough how I love your videos!
I hear you Carlos! Bring on the beans!!!
Beautiful Photo of Mr D.! Briliant receipt! Love, love bake beans, any time , Forget b’ fast ALL have IT with any meal. Love IT with Soft eggs. Thank YOU Nagi!
ME TOO!!!!
hi nagi, i have been following you for a little while now and have tried a few, and love to read all your recipes! we are originally from LI, NY USA and my dad used to make what i guess you would call Boston Baked Beans. i never did get the recipe, but i think he used canned pork & beans and molasses and maybe bacon. i do not remember any tomato product being added to it. i’m not sure what else he added. but we loved it! we def did not eat it for breakfast; it was a side dish with hot dogs and maybe hamburgers on the grill, potato salad, that kind of thing. casual dining! thanks for the recipe; i would def love to try it. i actually live in the south now!
Thank you for the lovely message Ginger! I think the canned pork & beans already has tomato in it 🙂 We don’t have that here in Australia which is why I make this from scratch. YUM to adding this onto hot dogs and burgers!! 🙂 N xx
Our missionaries will love them. With sourdough toast and lashings of butter.
Ohhhhh….what a vision 🙂 I wish I could make it for them myself!
What a great idea for a Sunday winter evening meal. CAn leave them in the slow cooker and have ready to eat. Thanks for the great recipe ideas Nagi. Love the Dozer, what a boy.
Thanks Elaine! I actually think this would be fabulous with some chicken or pork added too – what a stew! 🙂
Here in America,we;us kids that is,like to sing:”BEANS,BEANS,THE MAGIC FRUT,THE MORE YOU TOOT,THE MORE YOU TOOT,THE HAPPIER YOU FEEL,SO EAT SOME BEANS WITH EVERY MEAL!”BAHAHA…?Highly do NOT recommend you treat Dozer to the magic fruit!Doggie toots!WHEW!?
That is very similar to the song we used to chant as kids here in Queensland, Australia “baked beans make you fart, baked beans are good for your heart. The more you fart, the better you’ll feel. So have baked beans with every meal” I may or may not have also sung this as an adult ?
OMG OMG I seriously almost FELL OFF THE COUCH from laughing!!!!
BA HA HA!!! I song about BEANS?? Too funny!!!!
I’m American and lived in the south most of my life. I love good baked beans! As for the bacon, American bacon does have a lot more fat, but I love the flavour. I buy English back bacon and really like it, but it is much different flavour. I made something recently with it (succotash) and it was still really good. I’ll have to try this soon, and I love mustard powder, so much more flavour than the bottled stuff, as long as I can get a good can of it here. We don’t live in a climate controlled environment here in the Caribbean, things like this can go off really fast, unfortunately. I hate how often I have to throw away different flours and things?
I love the flavour too! I used a fairly lean bacon which is the standard type we get here in Australia 🙂 And PS Summer here in Australia is probably similar to where you are! It is CRAZY hot here!! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi. These are similar to the beans I make, only I use northern or navy beans. I fry off the bacon separately and don’t include the fat. I also top the beans with raw bacon sprinkled with brown sugar before I bake them. I always make baked bean sandwiches with the leftovers, something my Great Uncle got me hooked on when I was about five.
Hiiii Dorothy! I love the idea of topping with bacon and sugar then baking it! I’ve seen versions like that as well. I must try that next time! N xx
I’m Canadian, so baked beans is a common dish for me. Want to drop that calorie count significantly? Instead of using side bacon, cut up some back bacon (pea meal or otherwise), fry it off to whatever level of browning best suits your tastebuds, and use that in those beans. All the flavour, all the zest lent by curing, all the smoky taste, but nice and lean. I have to admit to being surprised and impressed: you didn’t forget the Worcestershire; most recipes do. Also YAY to using real mustard!
Thanks Shalryn! I think that without the Worcestershire and mustard, the sauce is missing that “something something”! And YES to cutting back the cals with healthier bacon. Actually, the bacon I was using in the video was pretty lean compared to typical American bacon but I did the nutrition count assuming it was made with streaky. 🙂 N xx
Love Baked Beans and these look delicious. I was just wondering how to store or possibly freeze what doesn’t get eaten in one sitting. Thanks again for all the great recipes
Thanks for the question Roy! I’ve added a note on freezing – it’s absolutely perfect for freezing! 🙂
These look yummy! and beans for breakfast is very much a British staple — although i am very American and live in California, my hubby & I are avid football fans (and I don’t mean American football)… We have a local pub that shows the English Premier league games live – which means of course that we have to be there between 5 and 6 AM. There’s nothing like having a traditional English breakfast of bangers, beans, tomatoes, eggs & toast along with your ale at 6:30 in the morning while we watch our favorite teams.
WHAT??? You hit up the pub at 5am to watch a soccer game??? OK, I am mighty impressed. You may be American but you clearly have British blood in your veins!!!!
Oh my! these beans look and sound delicious!
Thank you Gaila! Hope you have a fab weekend! N xx
Why do people comment that have never made your recipe?
Hi there! People like to engage in conversation and also many people like to read recipes even if they haven’t tried making it and leave their thoughts 🙂 I really like that because I love hearing what people think or how they make recipes differently, and they share their ideas with other readers! N x