These sweet, smoky, saucy baked beans are loaded with onions, crispy bacon, and rich brown sugar flavor. They’re perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or as a hearty side for grilled meats.
Ingredients
Beans & sauce:
- 4 cups canned baked beans (or 2 large cans)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp mustard (yellow or Dijon)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
Topping:
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- Extra BBQ sauce (optional)
Instructions
1. Cook the Bacon
In a skillet, cook the bacon until crispy.
Remove and crumble or chop into pieces.
Reserve a spoonful of bacon grease for the onions.
2. Sauté the Onions
In the same skillet, add your chopped onion into the leftover bacon grease.
Cook 4–5 minutes until soft and lightly caramelized.
This gives the beans their deep flavor.
3. Mix the Beans
In a large bowl or directly in your baking dish, combine:
- baked beans
- onions
- brown sugar
- BBQ sauce
- ketchup
- mustard
- Worcestershire
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salt & pepper
Stir everything until well combined.
Fold in half of the bacon pieces, saving the rest for topping.
4. Bake
Pour the bean mixture into a baking dish.
Top with the remaining crispy bacon.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45–60 minutes, or until:
- bubbling around the edges
- thickened
- caramelized on top
If you want it extra sticky, bake even longer.
5. Serve
Serve hot with:
- grilled chicken
- ribs
- burgers
- cornbread
- smoked brisket
Or enjoy it on its own—these beans are THAT good.
Tips
- Add diced jalapeños for heat.
- Use maple bacon for extra sweetness.
- Replace brown sugar with maple syrup for a deeper flavor.
- Add ground beef to make it a full meal (“cowboy beans”).