What would happen if you opened a can for dinner, added very FEW ingredients and your family RAVED about the dish you prepared? That is AMAZING, isn’t it? That’s what will happen when you learn How to Cook Canned Baked Beans!
What could be easier than opening a can of baked beans, adding a few easy and simple ingredients and before you know it you have the PERFECT addition to your Hotdog or Hamburger meal?
You could just add a Potato Salad or a Pasta Salad and your family would be ENTHRALLED with your cooking talents! Seriously!
Of course, if you love baked beans, you might also enjoy learning the Secret to Perfect Old Fashioned Pinto Beans.
You might have a few questions about How to Cook Canned Baked Beans and I’ll try to answer them here…
HERE'S A QUICK VIDEO OF WENDI MAKING CANNED BAKED BEANS!
WHAT TO ADD TO CANNED BAKED BEANS
Of course you don’t actually HAVE to add anything at all to baked beans and they are fine, but we won’t be happy with “fine” will we? No siree! We want EXCEPTIONAL and AMAZING baked beans!
You want to be a KITCHEN ROCKSTAR not just a "good" cook! No sirree! COOKING GODDESS or die!
We DO have some choices though and it depends on what you like and what you have time to do. The possibilities include:
- Onions
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- BBQ sauce
- Ketchup
- Molasses
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cayenne
- Vinegar
- Bacon
- Ham
- Brown Sugar
- Ground Beef
- Sausage
- Mustard
And FROM LOAVES AND DISHES READERS.....
- Jalapeños
- Honey
- Walnuts
- Bell Pepper
- Liquid Smoke (be careful with this one ya'll, a few drops will do ya).
- Chickpeas
I’ll give you a basic recipe and then, if you feel “experimenty” you could add/substitute some of these other things yourself, OK? OK!
WHO MAKES THE BEST CANNED BAKED BEANS?
This is really a loaded question! Of course, there are many opinions about this, so I’m just going to tell you who I like and why.
I simply LOVE these B&M baked beans! The beans themselves are smallish and the skin is thin so they chew easily. The flavors are about right.
By the way, these photos are links to Amazon. You can click the photo and go directly through to Amazon to comparison shop. I am an Amazon affiliate and receive a commission if you should decide to buy.
That said, I think they are a little pricey.
These Bushes beans are good too, especially in the brown sugar and hickory flavor. They cost slightly less than the B&M usually.
ARE CANNED BAKED BEANS READY TO EAT?
Yes, you can eat canned baked beans directly from the can. However, if you heat them up, they taste even better!
ARE CANNED BAKED BEANS GOOD FOR YOU?
Here’s the thing, canned baked beans might be good for you, or they might not. It entirely depends on what you are going for.
Are you diabetic or trying to eat Keto or low carb? Then canned baked beans might not be the thing for you!
Do you want higher protein in your diet? Canned baked beans might be the perfect thing for you to try!
HOW LONG ARE CANNED BAKED BEANS GOOD FOR?
If you haven’t opened the can yet, then please check the expiration date on the can to see how long they are good for.
Once you have opened the beans and cooked them, they will be good for about 5 days if kept in the refrigerator.
You can allow the beans to sit out for about 2 hours before you need to refrigerate them again.
If anything starts to smell bad, if you see mold or any other funky thing then its time to throw them out!
HOW TO COOK CANNED BAKED BEANS IN THE OVEN
This is simple! The recipe below is for stove top preparation, but you can cook canned baked beans in the oven just as simply!
To cook these beans in the oven, first cook the bacon till crispy in a frying pan on the stove top and crumble it or cut it up and put it and the bacon grease into the beans. Add the other ingredients and give it a good stir. Preheat the oven to 350.
Pour all of that into an ovenproof baking pan and place in the oven. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly.
HOW TO COOK CANNED BAKED BEANS IN THE MICROWAVE
While most people really prefer their baked beans cooked on the stovetop or in the oven, sometimes what we have available is the microwave! Baked beans are simple enough in the microwave.
First place your bacon on a paper plate and cover with paper towels. Set the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Check the bacon after two minutes. If it is cooked through, take it out and crumble it up. If it isn’t cooked through, microwave in one minute intervals until cooked through.
Place the crumbled bacon and the other ingredients into a microwave safe bowl and stir in the baked beans. Microwave with a paper towel over the top to avoid splatters. Microwave for 3 minutes and then stir.
Repeat in 2 minute intervals until heated through.
HOW TO COOK CANNED BAKED BEANS IN THE CROCKPOT
Crockpot recipes are always easy and so is this one! Simply precook the bacon in a skillet, crumble it and then put everything in the crockpot together. Set the crockpot on low and come back in 8 hours for a delicious bowl of baked beans! ***Important note*** for the standard size crockpot you will need to double or even triple this recipe. If you have the 1 quart crockpot, then this is the perfect size recipe.
HOW TO MAKE CANNED BAKED BEANS TASTE LIKE HOMEMADE
That is SIMPLE and EASY! I know you want to improve your baked beans and you want to make your baked beans more interesting.
You can do that by following the recipe below. All that you need to do is to add a few ingredients and you’ll be cooking with gas in no time (so to speak).
You are really looking to add some sweet, sour, hot, acid and smoky to have that wonderful home cooked flavor you are seeking!
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR HOW TO COOK CANNED BAKED BEANS
- Feel free to experiment with what you add to your recipe! The secret is to get a little sweet, sour, hot, acid and smoky in your beans to amp up the flavor.
- Remember that some people don’t really like the texture of onions in their dish. If this is the case for you, add 1 teaspoon onion powder instead
- No garlic on hand? Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder instead.
- If you are cooking for a larger crowd, then simply increase the ingredients by doubling or tripling the recipe. It is OK to mix different brands of baked beans together, it might even taste better that way!
- Taste as you go. Baked beans are already cooked and you aren’t adding anything that isn’t already cooked so taste as you go and this will let you know if you are on the right track with your beans or not!
- Just use a regular slice of bacon if that’s what you have for the recipe
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS RECIPE, YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY...
How to Cook Canned Pinto Beans
How to Cook Canned Black Beans
and many more of my New Cooks Series!
YA’LL HELP ME OUT, OK?
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EQUIPMENT THAT I'M USING
This recipe really requires no special equipment. The thing is, you might be cooking up baked beans in a small apartment or maybe you are in a dorm with no stove, right? If you are noticing my videos, you'll see that I use a special cook top! You can get one too from Evergreen Home and it's available on Amazon (or you can WIN one, see below!).
Evergreen home sent me my very own cooktop to try for this recipe, but you'll be seeing it in EVERY cooktop recipe I make from now on because I love it so much!
Just understand that this is an INDUCTION cooktop and requires either INDUCTION cookware or Cast Iron cookware.
(The photo is an affiliate link to Amazon, you can click the photo to go through to Amazon to shop. If you decide to purchase affiliate commissions apply but it costs you nothing extra)
AND NOW FOR THE EXCITING NEWS!!!
Evergreen Home is allowing me to GIVE AWAY a cooktop to ONE lucky reader! Simply register through the Rafflecopter giveaway box that follows and a winner will be chosen in 10 days! You could be the LUCKY one! ***THIS GIVEAWAY IS FOR U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY *** (Sorry to everyone else, its a shipping thing).
THE RECIPE FOR HOW TO COOK CANNED BAKED BEANS
How to Cook Canned Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 slice of thick cut applewood smoked bacon
- 2 Tbs onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 can of baked beans 8.5 oz Bushes or 18 oz B&M
- 1 Tbs brown sugar
- 2 Tbs molasses
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 1 Tbs yellow mustard
- 1 Tbs ketchup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black ground pepper
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, cook the piece of bacon until crispy.
- Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Cook the onion and garlic in the bacon grease. (If you are using onion and garlic powder instead, move on to the next step and add those powders when you are adding the other ingredients).
- Crumble the cooled bacon and add it back to the cooking pan.
- Add all the other ingredients and give it a stir and taste to see if you are pleased with the taste. If you feel it needs more of one ingredient or another add that ingredient and taste again.
- Cook till heated through and bubbly.
Notes
- Feel free to experiment with what you add to your recipe! The secret is to get a little sweet, sour, hot, acid and smoky in your beans to amp up the flavor.
- Remember that some people don’t really like the texture of onions in their dish. If this is the case for you, add 1 teaspoon onion powder instead
- No garlic on hand? Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder instead.
- If you are cooking for a larger crowd, then simply increase the ingredients by doubling or tripling the recipe. It is OK to mix different brands of baked beans together, it might even taste better that way!
- Taste as you go. Baked beans are already cooked and you aren’t adding anything that isn’t already cooked so taste as you go and this will let you know if you are on the right track with your beans or not!
- Just use a regular slice of bacon if that’s what you have for the recipe
Nutrition
A VERSE TO SHARE
Love is patient, love is kind…. You know that verse, right? Do you know what preceded that verse? It’s just as important. Here it is…
1 Corinthians 13: 1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. When I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Barbara C. Hardison says
Love having a variety of bean recipes....Thank you!
Wendi Spraker says
Me too Barbara!
Stephanie Phelps says
I love to flavor my baked beans with brown sugar and onions!
Wendi Spraker says
Stephanie! Perfect!
Ellie Wright says
I like to add brown sugar, bacon and red onions.
Wendi Spraker says
Ellie on the money!
Kamla L. says
I like adding bacon or ham along with honey or brown sugar and sometimes spicy brown mustard. Chipotle peppers and garlic are also favorite add ins.
Wendi Spraker says
Kamla, that all sounds delish!
Ashley Mains says
I love to flavor my baked beans with some honey and walnuts!
Wendi Spraker says
Ooo. Never thought of walnuts! I bet that’s good!
Hope Hill says
We enjoy taking two cans of Bush's baked beans and adding Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce or another sauce that has honey in it along with water, diced green and red bell pepper and baking in the oven until thickened. They really come out great. Love your ideas and blog!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Hope! That sounds sensational!
Gretchen says
Looks delicious
Wendi Spraker says
Thanks!
Rajee Pandi says
I use potato and beans in Indian curry with more herbs and spices
Wendi Spraker says
OH! That sounds wonderful and so different!
David Heath says
I use scallion onions and BBQ sauce
shelly peterson says
I like brown sugar and bacon in my baked beans.
Wendi Spraker says
Terrific
Elizabeth Hartley says
I like adding a little brown sugar and bacon. Yum 😋
Wendi Spraker says
Sounds GREAT!
Joyce coleman says
This recipe sounds great! Also easy. I have wanted to make baked beans for a long time, just sounded too hard. I like all the mix ins. I doctor up canned beans on the stove top. I always add liquid smoke flavor. I didn’t see that on your list. Thanks for another great recipe.
Wendi Spraker says
I will add that liquid smoke today. Someone recommended it last night but I was away from my desktop. Thanks for the suggestion Joyce! You are the best!
Debbie Welchert says
I like to mix in onion, a little ketchup and a little brown sugar in my canned beans and pour them in a casserole dish & then throw some bacon on top and bake them in the oven. Yummy!
Wendi Spraker says
That sounds divine Debbie!
sarah s says
I really like baked beans especially with brown sugar and sometimes I'll add some chickpeas for a change.
Wendi Spraker says
Ooo chickpeas, I hadn’t even considered that!
Natalie J Vandenberghe says
I love baked beans! I appreciate your suggestions, too--because, honestly, I hadn't considered so many possibilities. I usually add bacon because bacon makes everything better.
Wendi Spraker says
Absolutely right! Bacon for the win!