Baked Beans Recipe

Soak the beans (overnight or quick soak)

Rinse 1 cup dried navy beans and remove any debris. For overnight soak: cover with 4 cups cold water in a bowl, refrigerate 8–12 hours. For quick soak: place beans in a pot, cover with 6 cups water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse soaked beans.

Simmer beans

Transfer drained beans to a medium pot and add 2 cups low-sodium stock and enough fresh water to just cover (about 1–2 cups). Bring to a simmer and cook gently 30–40 minutes until beans are tender but not falling apart. Add 1.5 tsp salt during the last 10 minutes of simmering. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of cooking liquid.

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbs olive oil or bacon fat over medium heat. If using bacon, add diced bacon and cook until fat renders and bacon is crisp, 6–8 minutes. Remove and set aside on paper towel leaving fat in pan. Add diced onion and green pepper; sauté until softened and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Stir in 3 tbs tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to remove raw flavor. Add 3 tbs brown sugar, 1 tbs molasses, 1 tbs yellow mustard, 1 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and let the mixture bubble gently for 1–2 minutes so the flavors meld.

Add the cooked beans to the pan along with reserved cooking liquid (about 1 cup). Stir gently to coat beans. Taste and adjust seasoning — add up to 1/2 tsp salt or a splash more vinegar or brown sugar as desired to balance sweet/tangy/salty notes.

If you removed bacon earlier, stir it back into the beans now. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then transfer the skillet or Dutch oven to the preheated oven. Bake, uncovered, for 45–60 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until sauce is thickened and glossy and beans are tender to your liking. If mixture looks too dry during baking, stir in a few tablespoons of reserved cooking liquid or stock.

Remove from oven. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the beans if using. Let rest 10 minutes before serving to thicken further.