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Baked Beans don’t have to be boring and from a can, Baked Beans in the Slow Cooker takes a classic recipe to a whole new level! The rich aroma, savory flavors, touch of sweetness and simplicity of using a crock pot make them irresistible. Perfect for all your summer cookouts!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Effortless Cooking: Just toss all your ingredients in a slow cooker and let it do the work for you! Especially if you’re making these during the summer, it’s so convenient to not have to stand over a hot stovetop!
- Versatile: Perfect as a side dish for barbecues, potlucks, or even as a main course just like my Summer Pasta Salad recipe!
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Make your baked beans in advance and enjoy later! The flavors only get better with time.
- Full of Flavor: These baked beans are the perfect balance of sweet and saucy. My kids could eat beans for every meal. They’re obsessed. If yours are too, try these Pressure Cooker Pinto Beans or Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas.
- Vegetarian: This baked beans recipe is a hearty, delicious vegetarian option that everyone will love!
The Ingredients
- Small onion: You’ll sauté the onions before adding them to the slow cooker. They provide a savory base flavor for the beans.
- Small white beans: The main ingredient! We use dried beans for this recipe and cook them low and slow. Any white or Great Northern bean variety will work fabulously in this.
- Tomato paste: Instead of ketchup we use tomato paste to add that delicious tomatoey, tangy flavor.
- Maple syrup: This adds a touch of natural, rich sweetness to the beans without being overly sweet.
- Molasses: This ingredients adds a slightly smoky, complex sweetness.
- Dijon mustard: Adds more tanginess with a little spicy note.
- Vegetable broth and water: Cooking the beans in vegetable broth and water adds more flavor to the cooking liquid.
Variations and Substitutions
- For a meatier option: Cook 4 pieces of chopped bacon with the onions for a meaty, smokier version of this recipe. You could also add cut up hot dogs in the last few minutes to cook through.
- Sweeteners: Swap maple syrup for light brown sugar or coconut sugar if you need.
- More Heat: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a small diced jalapeño pepper (at your own risk!).
- Chicken Broth: If you don’t need this recipe to be vegetarian, you can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
How to Make Baked Beans in the Slow Cooker
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a saute pan, add the onions and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 2: Transfer the onions to a crock pot, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Step 3: Cook on low for 8-10 hours or 6-8 hours on high or until the beans are tender.
Storing Tips
- Refrigerate: You can store leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: To freeze baked beans, place cooled beans in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a splash of water or broth if they need to be loosened up a bit.
Serving Suggestions
Looking for delicious ideas to serve with your next big batch of baked beans? Here are some of my favorites:
- Summer BBQs: Baked beans are the perfect side dish for summer BBQs. Serve them with juicy burgers, marinated chicken, DIY hot dogs, or southern-style pork tenderloin for a classic pairing.
- Baked Potato Topping: Add baked beans on top of a baked potato with some shredded cheese for an English-inspired “jacket potato.”
- Cornbread: Baked beans and basic cornbread are a match made in heaven, offering a comforting and hearty meal.
FAQs
Yes! This baked beans recipe can be made in a pressure cooker really easily. Here’s how: lock the lid of your pressure cooker and cook for 60 minutes at high pressure. Once the cook time is finished, allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 10 minutes. Then, release the remaining pressure, remove the lid and serve.
Absolutely! Store them in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Baked Beans tend to fly under the radar a bit at a potluck or barbecue, but this crockpot baked beans recipe will be the star of the show wherever you take it. If you make these, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and comment below!
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Baked Beans in the Slow Cooker
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 pound small dried white beans
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 32-ounce box vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a saute pan, add the onions and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the onions to a crock pot, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours or 6-8 hours on high or until the beans are tender. See notes for pressure cooker instructions.
Another great one! Thanks so much!
yes, slow cook and crock pot is the same thing.
crock-pot is the rival brand of a slow cooker.
I don’t have a crock pot. Is it the same as a slow cooker? Do you have any advice on brands/features to look for? Thanks.
Unfortunately beans are just one of those foods that cause a bit of gas, but you could try pureeing or mashing them for your baby. This recipe is super easy for making fresh black beans: http://b12.ba4.myftpupload.com/2010/03/04/black-beans/ I keep them in the fridge for my daughter at all times b/c she loves beans as a snack, for breakfast, whenever!
Great recipe! Exactly what I need for my little boy who is really starting to love eating along with us!
Are the beans in the recipe dried beans? I really like serving him beans, but I prefer to stay away from cans whenever possible. I’m experimenting more with dried beans, but I’m always worried that I won’t cook them properly and they will upset his tummy. Can you offer any tips for preparation so that baby doesn’t end up too gassy? (I know canned beans need to be rinsed, but not so sure about dried.)
I LOVE homeade baked beans!!!! I had made them once before and liked the taste but wasn’t too happy with the recipe. Thanks for posting a healthy one! I am going to try it this week
Finally. 🙂 I’ve been waiting for this recipe since you hinted about it on Facebook. I can’t WAIT to try it! I LOVE that you put maple syrup in them… being Canadian, it’s my favorite way to have baked beans! 🙂 THANK YOU!
Yay for baked beans without refined sugar!
I like the canned version, but they taste so “sugary” to me. These are plenty sweet, but they just taste a lot more fresh (and not like they’ve been sitting in a can-if that makes sense)?! I grew up eating my fair share of canned everything, so now whenever I can recreate some of my favorite foods that came out of a can like chicken noodle soup, Spaghetti O’s or baked beans I like to do it b/c my family seems to love it too.
When you say that these “bears practically no resemblance to their canned cousins” how do you think they will go over at a New Years Eve party where everyone is very used to the canned version? Are they a little bit similar so they will go over with a crowd who likes “tradition”?
I’m making them now and they have great colour and the beans are still firm in texture, not mush. I didn’t presoak and they seem to be coming along nicely though I think they will need 10 hours. I ran out of maple syrup after I decided to double the recipe so I substituted some brown sugar that seems to be working okay.
Can’t wait for dinner!
I freeze mine! I use a food saver so they don’t get freezer burned. My husband actually like them better the second time because all the flavors has soaked in for such a long time!
These sound delicious. Can I sub something for molasses, since I don’t keep it on hand? Also, can extra be frozen?
The white beans are pretty small, so you don’t have to soak them. Just dump everything in, stir and cook on low for 8-10 hours. SO easy!
Do you soak the beans before or just put them straight to the slow cooker?