Looking for a simple and flavorful side dish for your next cookout? These Easy BBQ Baked Beans are a no-fuss, crowd-pleasing favorite! Made with pantry staples and just a few add-ins, this comforting dish is the perfect summer side dish to serve at any barbecue, potluck, or family dinner.
This shortcut BBQ baked beans recipe is one I grew up on. Anytime my mom fired up the grill or hosted friends over, these sweet and smoky beans were always on the table. They're simple, affordable, and totally customizable! You can adjust the sweetness, toss in cooked ground beef or pulled pork, or add even more bacon (because why not?).
If you’re craving a heartier option, my Cowboy Beans are packed with meat and flavor and can hold their own as a main dish!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here's what you'll need to make these easy baked beans with bacon. To see printable recipe card with full directions, scroll to the bottom of the post.
- Baked Beans– Two 16-18 oz cans of any flavor, lightly drained. We love Bush's! Drain the liquid a bit prior to emptying.
- Brown Sugar– light brown sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Mustard– Dry mustard or 1 tablespoon yellow mustard works.
- Bacon– About 6 slices, chopped. You can sub in cooked ground beef, brisket, or pulled pork for variety.
- Ketchup– any brand works, adds tang and flavor. Swap for sweet BBQ sauce if you like it smokier!
How to make BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon
Here is a quick step by step on how to make these baked beans.
Step 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8×8 baking dish. In a bowl, combine the beans, brown sugar, mustard, and ketchup.
Step 2. Pour bean mixture into prepared dish and top with sliced bacon.
Step 3. Bake for 2 hours until bubbly and the bacon is crisp.
Step 4. Remove and serve! Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Baked Beans
- Choose good beans. Bush's Best Original Baked Beans are flavorful right out of the can!
- Drain slightly. Too much liquid can make the beans runny.
- Low and slow. Let them bake for full flavor. Or make slow cooker baked beans by cooking on low for 6 hours!
- Customize. Add diced onions, bell pepper, cayenne pepper for a little heat, jalapeños, or flavored bacon for an extra kick.
- Feeding a crowd? Double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan.
- To balance the sweetness in this BBQ Style Baked Beans recipe, add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar when assembling.
Storing BBQ Baked Beans
These BBQ baked beans taste just as good (maybe even better!) the next day.
- Refrigerator– Allow leftovers to fully cool and store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Freezer– Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.
- Reheat– Microwave in 30-second intervals or cook at 350°F for 30 minutes.
- Make Ahead– Assemble up to 2 days in advance and heat when ready (just add a few extra minutes).
What to serve with BBQ Baked Beans
These beans pair perfectly with all your grilled favorites and BBQ classics:
- BEST EVER Juicy Hamburgers (similar to meatloaf burgers)
- Garlic Herb Chicken Kabobs
- Fiesta Chicken Foil Packets
- Smoked BBQ Baby Back Ribs
- Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken
More Summer Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love
If you give these BBQ Baked Beans a try, be sure to print the recipe, save it to Pinterest, and leave a comment and rating below-I'd love to hear what you think! Whether you're serving them up as baked beans with bacon at a summer potluck, cookouts, or as a cozy barbecue side dish for family dinner, this easy recipe is sure to be a hit!
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Easy BBQ Baked Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cans baked beans *use 16-18 oz cans, drain a bit prior to dumping them in
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 6 slices bacon *cut into small pieces
- ½ cup ketchup
Instructions
Notes
- Refrigerator– Allow leftovers to fully cool before covering pan or transferring to an airtight container to store up to 5 days.
- Freezer– Place in a freezer safe container up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating– microwave in 30 second increments until heated through or place pan into oven at 350 degrees to bake for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.
- Making Ahead– Prepare beans as directed and cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge up to 2 days. Once ready to bake, place in oven and add a few extra minutes to cook time since the beans will be chilled.
- Don't skimp on the beans! Use a good, quality canned bean such as Bush's. You can pick any flavor they offer, but Bush's brand is packed with flavor as is, so once you add the extra ingredients to them, you'll have a mouthwatering dish!
- Don't forget to drain the cans of beans a bit prior to adding them to the dish. This will help avoid runny beans, which can be hard to scoop!
- Cook low and slow! If you get in a bind and need to cook these for a shorter duration, that works, but trust the time and allow the flavors to truly meld together! Want to switch things up? Turn these into slow cooker baked beans by cooking on low for 6 hours.
- Don't be afraid to add extra additions! Extra bacon (perhaps even jalapeno flavored), onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, green onions on top, etc.
- If doubling recipe, prepare in a 9×13 baking pan and place a sheet pan underneath to prevent spills in the oven.
- To balance the sweetness in this BBQ Style Baked Beans recipe, add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar when combining the ingredients.
Nutrition
Emily says
So if I’m doubling the recipe to make it it a 9×13 dish do I cook for longer than 2 hours?!
Kristin says
Nope, you’re just cooking the bacon basically, as well as warming the beans up, so 2 hours is perfect whether one batch or two!
Ashley says
I cooked my bacon ahead of time on accident. So should I still bake it in the oven for 2 hours?
Kristin says
No problem at all!! I would decrease the time to about an hour, but its not a problem to go longer! Just eye it until its all bubbly and warmed through!
Shannon says
Can these be made a day ahead of time and then reheated/warmed in a crock pot the day of?
Kristin says
For sure! I have done that several times and it is great!
Germaine Therrien says
says to put in a 8×8 pan, but picture shows it’s 9×11 pan.Which one is it?
Kristin says
Yep, 8 x 8 is perfect. I doubled the recipe for the picture because I had gone to a BBQ and needed to bring a bigger dish. Enjoy!
Sara says
Have you ever tried this and then just sprinkled cooked bacon bits on top before cooking?? Or tried it without the bacon?? Just curious. Thanks!!
Sara
Kristin says
I have tried that a few times and it has been just as yummy! Either way works great!!
jo says
will have to try these baked beans ,
Kristin says
Definitely!! So easy to make and incredibly flavorful!!
Brenda says
Yum! Will be making this weekend.
Kristin says
Oh awesome! Keep me posted how it turns out! Hope you have a wonderful 4th of July
Anonymous says
Do you Russians of baked beans (like Bush’s) or regular pork and beans?
Kristin says
I like to use the Bush’s beans 🙂
Maria says
We have used the same recipe but added onion and fried lean ground round lb hamburger meat cook the onion in the hamburger meet before you. Add to beans
Kristin says
Oh yum!!! Sounds like great additions to the beans, 🙂
Leslie Day says
Almost exactly how I’ve been making them for years. I add a little chopped green pepper & onion. My family’s favorite.
Kristin says
Great idea on the peppers and onion!!! So glad they are your family’s favorite as well!!
Suzanne Mccaw says
Our family made a similar dish but add chopped green onions, celery and green peppers. Drain beans first. Add prepared mustard and brown sugar in proportion desired as to tartness or sweetness. Do not add ketchup! Finish as u said. I cover mine with foil for part of baking.
Kristin says
Oh yum!! I love the changes you do!! Ill need to try that next time, 🙂
Marc Oelofse says
Thanks that sounds just a perfcet side dish at the BBQ.
Kristin says
Definitely 🙂