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Baked beans from dry beans are packed with rich, hearty flavors and take this classic side dish to the next level. Slowly cooked with a blend of molasses, brown sugar, mustards, and fresh herbs, these beans are tender and infused with a deep, savory sweetness. Top them with crispy bacon for the perfect finish.
Here is Why This Baked Bean Recipe Works
No canned beans here! Starting with dried beans gives you that tender, slow-cooked texture you just can’t get from a can.
Molasses magic: The molasses and brown sugar combo adds a rich, deep sweetness that makes these beans so good.
Herb bouquet for the win: Fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme add layers of flavor you won’t find in typical baked beans.
Bacon topped perfection: That crispy bacon on top? Yeah, it’s the game-changer that takes these beans from good to amazing.
If you like this recipe, try our chili beans with dry beans.
The Ingredients
Unlike our crockpot baked beans, this recipe uses dry beans that require a bit of prep time.
- Condiments: Dijon mustard, yellow mustard
- Meat: Bacon
- Produce: Yellow onions, garlic, fresh parsley, fresh rosemary, fresh oregano
- Pantry: Dried white beans, unsulphured molasses, brown sugar, tomato paste
- Pantry seasonings: Salt, pepper, bay leaves
We used navy beans but you can use pinto, kidney beans or a combination of dry beans.
Variations
Here are a few easy variations to put a spin on your homemade baked beans.
Smoky Chipotle Baked Beans: Stir in 1-2 diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. For extra smokiness, add a small dash of liquid smoke.
Maple Bacon Beans: Swap out the brown sugar for ½ cup of pure maple syrup and use maple-cured bacon on top. Stir in some diced cooked ham toward the last half of the cooking time.
BBQ Baked Beans: Replace the mustard and tomato paste with ½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce for a version that’s perfect for cookouts.
Tips for Success
- Soak the beans overnight: This step ensures your beans cook evenly and get that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Use fresh herbs: A bouquet garni of fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano gives the beans more flavor than dried herbs.
- Keep an eye on the liquid: Check the beans every 30 minutes to make sure they don’t dry out; add more broth or water as needed.
- For crispier bacon: Par-boil the bacon slices for a minute before placing them on top of the beans. It’ll render some of the fat and keep them nice and crispy in the oven.
Storage
In the fridge: To store leftover baked beans, let them cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
In the Freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze the beans. Once cooled, place them in a freezer-safe container, leaving a little room for expansion. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating: To reheat, thaw the beans in the refrigerator overnight. Warm them on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also reheat them in the microwave. Just be sure to stir frequently. If the beans seem dry, add a splash of water or broth while reheating.
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Old Fashioned Baked Beans
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Ingredients
- 1 pound dried white beans such as Cannellini, Navy or Great Northern
- ½ yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- Fresh herb bouquet garni of rosemary, thyme, oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- 1-½ large yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- ½ cup light brown sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1-½ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4-5 slices bacon , See Notes
Instructions
- Sort through the beans discarding any pebbles or dirt clumps, rinse the beans and add them to a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 3 or 4 inches. Set the beans aside on the counter top and allow to soak for at least 6 hours, overnight is good. Check occasionally and add additional water if necessary as the beans will absorb up to about 3 times their size.
- Drain the beans and add fresh water, covering the beans by several inches. Add the onion, garlic and fresh herb bundle. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 45-60 minutes, depending on the type of bean used.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F
- Remove the pot of beans from the heat and discard the onion, garlic and herb bundle. Drain the beans, reserving the bean broth. Transfer the drained beans to a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan with a lid.
- Set a small skillet over medium heat and add the oil and when it is hot add the diced onion and cook, stirring frequently until soft. Transfer the onion and the chopped herbs to the Dutch oven containing the beans.
- In a bowl or pitcher, combine the molasses, brown sugar, mustards, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Whisk in 2 cups of the reserved bean broth, stirring to combine. Pour over the beans and stir to combine.
- Transfer the beans to the middle rack of the oven, and bake with the lid on for 4 hours until tender. Check the beans every 30 minutes, adding a little more of the water so they do not dry out.
- After the beans have baked for 4 hours and are almost tender, arrange the bacon slices on the top and continue to bake, uncovered, for an additional hour. Taste for doneness and if tender, transfer from the oven and serve.
Notes
- If you will be using canned beans for this recipe, skip to #4 in the directions
- The bacon will release it’s fat into the beans as it cooks. To reduce the amount of fat par-boil the slices in a pan of boiling water for 1-minute, drain and blot with a paper towel before arranging on top of the beans.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
The summer came and went so fast this year! Though, now that it’s officially fall, we’re having a heat wave here in Vermont. Love these beans- the addition of molasses, and your idea to serve with ribs! I have a rack in the freezer I bought at the Farmers’ market. Now I know what to serve with them!
Hi, Katie…thanks for your comments, I hope you like the beans and ribs as much as we did 🙂
What a terrific recipe for a classic – I especially love the addition of molasses! That makes everything so rich in flavor. I don’t know why I don’t make baked beans more frequently – pinning this to remind myself to change that!
Hey, thanks for pinning our baked beans recipe, Monica…molasses really adds a depth of flavor that we love. 🙂
I adore homemade baked beans, especially with barbeque flavours. I make mine in a huge one pot dish that also has sausages in it. So good. I love the flavours you have in yours.
Kavita, thanks for that nice tip on adding the sausage to the beans. I am going to do that with my next batch. 🙂
Love molasses in there and I’m going for Navy beans. Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi, Ginny…Navy beans will be great! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Baked beans are SO good! Canned ones are OK if you doctor them up a bit, but nothing beats made-from-scratch. I’ve been meaning to bake beans for ages — it’s been years since I’ve made some, and I’m hungry for them. So I really appreciate this post — true inspiration. 🙂
Hi, John….Well, I believe it is time for you to make some baked beans! And you are so right! Made from scratch are the best! Plus….I don’t know what happens when beans are canned but they sure are more ‘powerful’. 🙂
I’m a vegetarian so I eat beans almost every day! These look so flavorful!
Hi, Liz…They are very good, you will probably want to leave out the bacon…:)
I have fallen in love with this recipe, such a warm flavours here.
Thank you, Jagruti….:)
I’ve made refried beans before, but never baked beans. With so many amazing seasonings, I bet these taste fantastic!!
Baked beans are always lovely, they’re so filling and make a great side! Thanks for the recipe
Hi, Amy…Yes, they are indeed! And they are so nutritious 🙂
Love all the herbs and spices, looks super delicious and tasty
Thank you, Bintu 🙂