Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (2024)

These Easy Boston Baked Beans are a simpler version of the traditional recipe. The homemade baked bean sauce poured over bacon and beans for the ultimate summer side dish.

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (1)

My family loves barbecue and these EASY Boston Baked Beans.

My ultimate summer dinner would be our Smoked BBQ Ribs, Cornbread Muffins, Potato Salad and these Easy Boston Baked Beans.

I have always loved baked beans, but wanted to make some authentic Boston Baked Beans for an upcoming family barbecue.

It turns out, most beans recipes require you to soak your beans overnight and then reserve some of the bean water to use later in the recipe.

But with this recipe – no soaking of beans required. No reserving bean water.

This recipe calls for canned navy beans so the hardest part is opening the cans.

Where did this recipe originate?

Authentic Boston Baked Beans include a variety of beans that have been cooked in a sweet sauce made of molasses or maple syrup and are flavored with pork.

In the 18th Century, Boston was an exporter of rum, which is produced by the distillation of fermented molasses.

At the time, people began adding molasses to local baked bean recipes which then became known as Boston Baked Beans.

In colonial New England, baked beans were traditionally cooked overnight beginning on Saturday so that on Sunday, the beans were still hot and people could enjoy a hot meal and still comply with Sabbath restrictions.

I would say we hit the nail on the head! Our Easy Boston Baked Beans are cooked in a sweet, sticky sauce made of molasses and brown sugar that is poured over bacon covered navy beans.

It doesn’t get much better than that!

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (2)

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How to make this easy Baked Beans Recipe:

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (3)

Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Rinse and drain beans, then spread in the bottom of prepared pan.

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (4)

Lay bacon slices on top of beans in the pan. Sprinkle diced onion over bacon.

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (5)

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, then pour over beans in the pan.

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (6)

Use a spoon to spread evenly over the top.

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (7)

Cover dish with foil and bake for 3 hours, or until beans are tender and heated through.

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (8)

Some people prefer to stir the beans before serving to break up the bacon. However you serve it, we know these Easy Boston Baked Beans will be a hit!

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Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (9)

Serves: 10

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe

Easy Boston Baked Beans with a rich, sweet sauce.

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

PrintPin

Ingredients

  • 3 (15.5 ounce) cans white navy beans
  • 10 bacon strips
  • 1 onion diced
  • 6 Tablespoons molasses
  • 4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

  • Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

  • Rinse and drain beans, then spread in the bottom of prepared pan.

  • Lay bacon slices on top of beans in the pan.

  • Sprinkle diced onion over bacon.

  • In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce.

  • Bring to a boil, remove from heat, then pour over beans in the pan. Use a spoon to spread evenly over the top.

  • Cover dish with foil and bake for 3 hours, or until beans are tender and heated through.

Notes

  • Some people prefer to stir the beans before serving to break up the bacon.

Nutrition

Calories: 207 kcal · Carbohydrates: 39 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 4 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g · Cholesterol: 14 mg · Sodium: 1512 mg · Potassium: 384 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 36 g · Vitamin A: 127 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 56 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch Baking Pan

  • Saucepan

  • Aluminum Foil

Recipe Details

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

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  1. Susan says:

    Want to convert to IP.. suggestions

  2. Sarah James says:

    I thought the recipes were for Instant Pot. I love Boston Baked Beans. Please let us know when you have a recipe for the Instant Pot. Thank you.

  3. Cindy says:

    Can you do this in the Crock-Pot? If so for how long on hi or lo?

  4. Cyd says:

    You could make these baked beans in the slow cooker. The cooking time will be longer. Watch them closely. Here is a link that will help you with the length of cooking time.https://www.ehow.com/info_7947443_slow-cooker-temperature-settings.html

  5. Cyd says:

    Kristen wrote a post on converting recipes into instant pot. Hope this helps.https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/how-to-convert-recipes-into-instant-pot-recipes/

  6. Janet says:

    This recipe is amazing..... can I make it in the crockpot rather than heat the whole oven

  7. Connie says:

    Can we make this in the IP then brown bacon?

  8. Momma Cyd says:

    Sure! That will work too.

  9. Katie says:

    MUCH too salty. I’m making it with 1/4th the salt next time. I also recommend cutting bacon into 1/4ths before baking. It is hard to separate after. Good flavor

  10. Alisa says:

    I made them in a crock pot this weekend! (Made them in oven before also). Cooked on low for 4 hrs then took lid off for 1 hr. Turned out great

  11. Heather Jones says:

    Just wondering what kind of bacon is used is it plain or smoked, full back or streaky.

  12. Momma Cyd says:

    You can really use whatever bacon you like or have on hand. We love a good smoky bacon.

  13. Debbie Ellwood says:

    what kind of onion? yellow? sweet?

  14. Momma Cyd says:

    We used a yellow onion, but either will be delicious in these baked beans.

  15. Debbie says:

    Thank you for this recipe. I did it exactly how you said, and it turned out Amazing!

  16. Amy says:

    Can I half it? With this change the cooking time?

  17. Momma Cyd says:

    You can easily half the recipe. Cooking time may change slightly. You want your beans cooked and heated through and the bacon cooked.

  18. Holly says:

    How important is the dry mustard if I don’t have this ingredient?

  19. Pamela says:

    It is delicious, I didn’t measure exact on the ingredients due to I used dried navy beans that I soaked then cooked then used and I was short some, so other ingredients I eyed what I thought to adjust to amount of beans I had. I used jowls that baked (for about two hours due to less mentioned in recipe) perfect with the beans/ingredients.

    Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (10)

Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (11)

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Elyse lives in northern Utah with her husband and her four kids: 2 boys and 2 girls. She loves working out and movie theater popcorn.

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Easy Boston Baked Beans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between baked beans and Boston baked beans? ›

Regular Baked Beans. Traditional baked bean recipes use brown sugar to sweeten the tomato-based sauce, while Boston baked beans rely on molasses to add a honeyed richness to the dish.

What is the secret to soft baked beans? ›

They were creamy and soft using this technique. The secret to cooking beans is to not add the sauce ingredients, especially the molasses, until the beans are totally cooked. Once the molasses is added the beans seem to no longer cook.

What is the coating on Boston baked beans? ›

Sugar, Peanuts, Corn Syrup, Modified Food Starch (Corn), Acacia (Gum Arabic), Confectioner's Glaze (Shellac), Artificial Flavor, Carnauba Wax, White Mineral Oil, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2.

What is the flavor of Boston baked beans? ›

Boston baked beans are a variety of baked beans, sweetened with molasses, and flavored with salt pork or bacon.

Who makes the original Boston baked beans? ›

Chicago, Illinois

Though the exact origins and inventors of the mimic candies are unknown, they became popular in the 1920s and '30s. The main producer today, the Windy City's Ferrara Candy Company, has been making the crunchy red nuggets since 1924.

Which baked beans is the best? ›

Which? best baked beans
  • Asda baked beans - 77%
  • Aldi Corale baked beans - 75%
  • Branston - Branston baked beans - 74%
  • Co-Op baked beans - 73%
  • M&S baked beans - 73%
  • Sainsbury's baked beans - 73%
  • Lidl Newgate baked beans - 72%
  • Heinz baked beans - 71%
Mar 8, 2023

What can you add to a can of baked beans to make them taste better? ›

Here's what we dress them up with:
  1. Bacon.
  2. Onion.
  3. Maple syrup.
  4. Spicy mustard.
  5. Beef sausage.
  6. Molasses.
  7. Ketchup.
  8. Cider vinegar.
Jun 20, 2023

How to pimp up baked beans? ›

Mixed Chopped Herbs + Breadcrumbs + Cheddar Cheese

Combine breadcrumbs with chopped fresh herbs and seasonings, then sprinkle the top of the beans with the mixture and plenty of grated cheddar cheese. Melt under a broiler until golden brown and crisp.

What can you put in beans to make them taste better? ›

Dried beans cooked with sea salt and water are delicious, but adding an onion, garlic, or other aromatics to the pot will make them even more flavorful!

Why are Boston Baked Beans so good? ›

The ingredient that separates Boston Baked Beans from all others – molasses – probably entered the mix in the mid-18th century, as Boston's centrality to the triangular trade grew.

How do you thicken Boston Baked Beans? ›

Use starches to thicken beans

Simply add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to 1 cup of water or to the liquid from the baked beans (scoop it out into a separate bowl and let it cool first) and mix. Once the starch is thoroughly incorporated, pour the slurry into the baked beans dish and stir.

Why are Boston Baked Beans red? ›

Boston Baked Beans are a candy industry name for sugar coated peanuts that have been dyed red to match the color of, you guessed it, baked beans. Their origin is muddy. No one really seems to know who came up with them. At one point, there were several purveyors.

What is the tradition of Boston baked beans? ›

Boston baked beans bake in a sauce typically made with molasses while traditional baked beans are cooked in brown sugar and corn syrup. This is a salute to those that perished in the Great Molasses Flood, also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster.

Why are my baked beans not getting soft? ›

Dried beans typically have a moisture content of around 16%. However, as they age, moisture evaporates, giving pectin time to age and harden the skin. These beans can often take much longer to soften while soaking and cooking, up to twice the time!

What are the different types of baked beans? ›

Baked Beans
  • Zero Sugar Added Baked Beans. Classic Bush's® Flavor with Zero Sugar Added.
  • Sweet Heat Baked Beans. A blend of spices and brown sugar with a zesty kick of jalapeño.
  • Brown Sugar Hickory Baked Beans. ...
  • Original Baked Beans. ...
  • Vegetarian Baked Beans. ...
  • Country Style Baked Beans. ...
  • Homestyle Baked Beans. ...
  • Honey Sweet Baked Beans.

What are the different kinds of Bush's baked beans? ›

More Baked Beans flavors
  • Zero Sugar Added Baked Beans.
  • Sweet Heat Baked Beans.
  • Brown Sugar Hickory Baked Beans.
  • Original Baked Beans.
  • Vegetarian Baked Beans.
  • Country Style Baked Beans.
  • Homestyle Baked Beans.
  • Honey Sweet Baked Beans.

Are British baked beans the same as American baked beans? ›

Over time, the recipe was altered to a less sweet tomato sauce without maple syrup, molasses, or brown sugar to appeal to the tastes of the United Kingdom. This is the version of baked beans most commonly eaten outside of the United States.

Why are Boston baked beans red? ›

Boston Baked Beans are a candy industry name for sugar coated peanuts that have been dyed red to match the color of, you guessed it, baked beans. Their origin is muddy. No one really seems to know who came up with them. At one point, there were several purveyors.

References

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