Baked Beans Recipe

Soak beans

Rinse the dried beans and remove any debris. Place beans in a bowl and cover with cold water by about 2–3 inches (approximately 4 cups). Soak at least 6 hours or overnight. Alternatively, use quick soak: cover with water, bring to a boil 2 minutes, remove from heat and soak 1 hour.

Cook beans

Drain and rinse soaked beans. Place beans in a medium pot and add 4 cups fresh water (or enough to cover beans by about 1–2 inches). Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and gently simmer 30–40 minutes until beans are just tender but not falling apart. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid, then drain beans and set aside. (If using canned beans, drain and reserve 1 cup liquid and skip soaking/cooking steps.)

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). If using bacon, heat a 10–12-inch ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook chopped bacon until edges are browned and fat rendered, 5–7 minutes. Remove bacon to a plate, leaving fat in pan. If not using bacon, add 1 tbsp neutral oil.

Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat (or oil) and sauté over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and smoked paprika and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat briefly.

In a bowl, whisk together ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, 1 cup reserved bean cooking liquid (or hot water), black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt until smooth.

Pour the sauce into the skillet or Dutch oven with the sautéed aromatics. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits. Add cooked (or canned) beans and the bay leaf. If you cooked bacon, return the bacon pieces to the pot and stir through.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer on the stovetop for 3–5 minutes to blend flavors. Cover the Dutch oven or loosely cover a baking dish with foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until sauce is thickened and beans are tender and saucy. Check at 45 minutes and stir gently; add a splash more reserved cooking liquid or water if the mixture looks too dry.

Remove from oven, discard the bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper or a splash of vinegar if desired. Sprinkle chopped parsley before serving, if using.