Easy Baked Beans
Easy Baked Beans are a quick, 5-ingredient, stovetop recipe that dresses up canned white beans for a versatile dinnertime side dish!
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If you enjoy bean dishes, you'll also love Slow Cooker Charro Beans, Instant Pot Refried Beans, Ranch-Style Beans, and AMAZING Bean Dip.
Sometimes you need an effortless side dish to round out a meal, and bonus points if the entire family loves it. And so it goes with this Easy Baked Beans recipe. After all, baked beans need not take all day, and today I'm letting y'all in on a simple, 5-ingredient, stovetop shortcut!
Southern Baked Beans
One of my favorite dishes to whip up for a summertime picnic, potluck, or BBQ is Southern Baked Beans, which are sweet and savory like traditional baked beans, but jazzed up with barbecue sauce and bacon for a southern twist.
They're as easy as stirring a handful of ingredients into canned white beans, topping with bacon, and baking until the beans are bubbly and the bacon is crispy.
When I make this recipe, I typically assemble a dish big enough to feed a dozen or so people. But sometimes I crave those same baked beans in a smaller batch -- just enough for my family -- to enjoy alongside chicken or burgers or hot dogs.
How to Make Easy Baked Beans
And that's how I arrived at these super-quick Easy Baked Beans!
- I reduced the recipe for my beloved Southern Baked Beans.
- Then I warmed everything together in a pot on the stove.
- And finally, for simplicity, I eliminated the bacon.
The result is a delicious, family-pleasing side dish that nicely complements all sorts of dinnertime fare and is ready in a matter of minutes!
Ingredients
Aside from its ease, flavor, and popularity with my family, one of the things I love about this recipe is that it requires just FIVE basic ingredients that I already always have on hand:
- Canned white beans. Navy or Great Northern work equally well.
- Maple syrup.
- Barbecue sauce. I use either homemade or a store-brought bottle with natural ingredients.
- Prepared yellow mustard. And...
- Lemon juice.
That's it!
The resulting dish is a little bit sweet, a little bit savory, a little bit tangy, and a whole lotta yummy!
I recommend pairing these stovetop Easy Baked Beans with a fresh grilled burger, zippy potato salad, and sliced garden-fresh tomatoes for a simple, scrumptious summertime meal that will have everyone licking their plate and coming back for seconds.
Enjoy!
More Summer Sides
- {2-Ingredient} Baked Parmesan Zucchini Rounds
- Tomato Cucumber Poppy Seed Salad
- Southern Squash Casserole
- Carrot Apple Slaw
Easy Baked Beans
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) can white beans, such as Navy or Great Northern beans, DRAINED
- 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stir well, and reduce to a low simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with a slotted spoon.
Notes
- Keep in mind that the type of BBQ sauce you use is going to contribute that same flavor to your beans (smokey vs. spicy vs. sweet, etc.). If your BBQ sauce is sweet, you may want to use a lesser amount of maple syrup.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled or quadrupled.
Nutrition
This is the best baked beans recipe I've ever tasted! I didn't even like baked beans that much until I made this recipe. I follow it pretty closely, since it's so simple. Sometimes I switch out the BBQ sauce for chili sauce, or add some chopped bacon/hit dogs. And I always add several dashes of smoked paprika.
This was so simple and fast, and they tasted great. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand. Added sautéed onions and a little bacon they were outstanding.