Best Southern Baked Beans

Sweet, tangy, and smokey flavors blend perfectly with beans, onions, and bacon to create this classic side dish. These baked beans are so incredibly good, no barbecue meal or outdoor cookout should be without them.

When my husband asked me to prepare a meal for his guy’s weekend golf trip, I was more than happy to oblige. It’s not a challenging task for me because, as we all know, I love to cook for others to enjoy. The challenge is always what to make. So, I asked what he had in mind knowing full well that he really didn’t know.

He asked if there was something that could cook all day while the group was out golfing. That way, they could eat at the end of the day without having to cook or wait. Yep, that’s easily done with Slow Cooked Barbecue Pulled Pork.

Was there a side that I could make in advance that didn’t require cooking? Sure, Broccoli Bacon Pasta Salad. It’s a hardy, crowd-pleasing favorite that’s especially tasty after a day or two in the refrigerator.

What else? Well, baked beans of course. Beans are the epitome of barbecue meals and outdoor cooking, and this meal simply wouldn’t be complete without them.

I’ve been making these baked beans for years. They have the ultimate combination of smoky, sweet, and tangy flavors from my homemade barbecue sauce combined with onions and bacon. They’re a hit every time I serve them and, without fail, someone always asks for the recipe.

There were 16 guys to feed, so I made a double batch. I though with just shy of 10 pounds of baked beans, surely there would be a bit of leftovers for me to enjoy. Uh, no; none for me. The guys ate every last bean.

These baked beans are really the best. I hope you enjoy them as much everyone else does.

Maybe you could save me a bowl?

Worry-Free Cooking

• Nothing fancy needed to fry up the onions and bacon. I use this nonstick fry pan, which cooks evenly and cleans up nicely. This pan also does well in the oven, so you could easily baked the beans right in this pan if you want.

• I use this glass casserole bakeware to bake my beans, especially since it allows me to go from oven to table. The lid is also super convenient when making ahead or storing leftovers. For higher quality bakeware, the Le Creuset Bakeware Dishes is also an excellent choice.

Menu Planning

• You can easily make this the night before. Cover tightly and put in the refrigerator until you’re ready to put in the oven.

• Store leftovers, if there are any, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Add a splash of water before reheating in the microwave.

• If there’s a need, you can certainly freeze cooked beans in the freezer for up to three months. Be sure to use a freezer friendly, airtight container. You’ll want to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave or oven.

• Serve these alongside any outdoor cooked or barbecue meal like grilled chicken or steak. These are especially good with my Barbecue Country Ribs,  Slow Cooked Pulled Pork, and BBQ Pork Belly.

Helping Hand

• This recipe uses my homemade barbecue sauce. Make a batch ahead of time or just before preparing the bean mixture.

• It’s best to not fully cook the bacon before adding in the beans. This allows the bacon to finish cooking while in the oven, which adds a little extra punch of bacon flavor.

• This recipe tastes good with any kind of beans, so feel free to use your favorites. Mix it up or stick with one type, it’s your call.

• Turn up the heat by adding cayenne pepper to the bean mixture.

• It’s rare for the beans to be runny after two hours of cook time. If this happens, though, fear not. A little added time on the cook timer should take care of that problem. Another 30 minutes usually does the trick.

Best Southern Baked Beans

Recipe by Annette (•‿•)

These baked beans have the ultimate combination of smoky, sweet, and tangy flavors combined with onions and bacon. A classic side dish that’s a must have for any barbecue or outdoor cookout.

Course: SidesCuisine: American

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Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 pound bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

• 1-1/2 cups Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce

• 1 15.5 ounce can northern bean

• 1 15.5 ounce can pinto beans

• 1 15.5 ounce can black beans

• 1 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans

• 1 15.5 ounce can red kidney beans

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325° F.
• In a large skillet, fry bacon over medium-high heat until partially cooked. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels.
• Drain bacon grease from skillet, keeping about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add onions and cook, stirring often, for 5-8 minutes until the onions are tender and translucent.
• Stir in barbecue sauce, bacon, and beans.
• Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake until sauce is thick, about 2 hours.
• Serve and enjoy!

Grocery & Gourmet

• This recipe uses my homemade barbecue sauce. Make a batch ahead of time or just before preparing the bean mixture.

Worry-Free Cooking

• Calphalon Fry PanView Details
• Le Creuset Bakeware DishesView Details
• Pyrex 8-Piece Bakeware SetView Details

Have you tried this recipe? Tag @annettes.cooking on Instagram and hashtag it #annettescooking

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and star rating below. It’s always refreshing to hear how others like a recipe, find success with it, or tweak to suit. I’d love to hear from you!