Baked Beans Recipe

Soak the beans (preferred)

Place 1 cup dried navy beans in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 cups cold water. Soak 6–8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking.

Quick-soak option

If short on time, put beans in a pot, cover with 4 cups water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour. Drain and rinse.

Par-cook the beans

Transfer drained beans to a saucepan, add 3 cups fresh water, bring to a simmer, and cook until beans are tender but not falling apart, about 25–35 minutes depending on age of beans. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid; set beans and reserved liquid aside.

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a medium skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil. If using bacon, add chopped bacon and cook until fat renders and edges are crisp, 5–7 minutes. Remove most of the bacon (reserve for topping) and leave any rendered fat in the pan. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook until soft and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and cook 15 seconds to bloom the spices.

In a bowl or directly in the skillet, combine 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp molasses, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp Dijon, and 1/2 cup broth. Whisk until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper (start with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper).

Add the drained, par-cooked beans and reserved 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid to the sauce; stir gently to coat. If mixture looks too thick, add up to 1/2 cup additional water or broth to achieve a saucy but not soupy texture.

Transfer the beans and sauce to a 2–2.5 quart ovenproof baking dish (or Dutch oven). Sprinkle the cooked bacon pieces over the top if using (reserve a few for garnish). Cover the dish with a lid or foil and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for 1 hour covered. Remove cover and bake an additional 20–30 minutes, until sauce is thickened and bubbling and the top has slightly caramelized. Stir once halfway through uncovered baking to incorporate any browned bits.

Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a splash more vinegar or molasses to balance sweetness/acidity. Garnish with reserved bacon and serve warm.