Sweet and Smoky Baked Beans🥗 Side

Name: Sweet and Smoky Baked Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 cans (15 oz each) navy beans, drained; 4 slices bacon, diced; 1 small onion, diced; 1/3 cup ketchup; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 2 tbsp molasses; 1 tbsp yellow mustard; 1 tsp smoked paprika; Salt and pepper to taste

Slow-simmered beans with bacon, brown sugar, and a kick of mustard. A BBQ essential.

By Jason Miller, Weeknight Cook & Household Coordinator

Prep: 10 minCook: 60 minServes: 8

beans bbq smoky classic comfort-food

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The best side dishes do not just fill space on the plate — they earn their spot. This sweet and smoky baked beans is exactly that kind of recipe: simple enough to make on a busy weeknight, flavorful enough to hold its own next to any main course, and satisfying in a way that makes you reach for seconds.

Position your oven rack in the center for even heat distribution, and let the oven preheat fully before anything goes in — this is especially important for achieving a crisp, golden exterior.

This pairs well with almost any protein, from a simple roasted chicken to grilled steak or baked salmon. Make extra — it reheats well and having a ready-made side dish in the fridge makes weeknight cooking significantly easier.

Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz each) navy beans, drained
4 slices bacon, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook bacon in an oven-safe pot until crispy. Remove and set aside.
Saute onion in bacon fat until softened.
Stir in beans, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, and paprika.
Crumble bacon back in and stir to combine.
Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes until thick and bubbly.
Season to taste and serve.