Baked Beans Recipe

Soak (overnight or quick)

Rinse beans under cold water and remove any debris. For best texture, soak beans overnight in 6 cups of water (cover by about 2 inches). For a quick soak: put beans in a pot, cover with 6 cups water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour. Drain and rinse after soaking.

After soaking and draining, place beans in a large pot and add about 2 cups fresh water and 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook partially — simmer 25–35 minutes until beans are just tender but not falling apart. Drain, reserve cooking liquid (about 1–1.5 cups) and set beans aside.

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).

If using bacon: in a 10- or 12-inch ovenproof Dutch oven or deep baking dish, cook diced bacon over medium heat until fat renders and edges are crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Remove most of the bacon (leave 1–2 tbsp fat) and set aside for sprinkling on finished beans. If not using bacon, melt the butter in the pot over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion to the hot fat and sauté until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to remove raw flavor, stirring constantly. Then add ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes to meld flavors.

Add the par-cooked beans to the sauce in the Dutch oven. If beans seem dry, add 3/4 to 1 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid (or water) so the mixture is saucy but not soupy. Stir gently to coat beans with sauce.

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning: add up to 1 tsp extra salt, more brown sugar or molasses for sweetness, or 1 tsp yellow mustard or hot sauce if using for brightness/heat.

Cover the Dutch oven (or tightly with foil if using a baking dish) and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the cover and gently stir. If sauce is too thin, bake uncovered another 30–45 minutes until thick and beans are fully tender and saucy. Total bake time typically 1.5–2 hours depending on bean age and oven.

If reserved cooked bacon was used, stir most back into the beans and reserve a little for garnish. Let beans rest 10–15 minutes out of the oven to thicken further.

Serve warm. Baked beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.