Easy Baked Bean Casserole

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 03/1/22
Baked bean casserole in pan on table

GMVozd/Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 38 mins
Total: 53 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Baked beans are a ubiquitous dish at summer cookouts and picnics, whether from a can or homemade. This recipe falls in between, taking cans of baked beans and doctoring them up with rich flavors, making for the perfect last-minute side dish to bring to a gathering or enjoy at your dinner table on a busy weeknight.

This recipe enhances your favorite canned baked beans with crispy bacon, sautéed onion, ketchup, and corn syrup or brown sugar, along with some dried mustard. The onion is cooked in the bacon fat, adding even more rich flavor to this comforting dish. The ingredients are cooked on the stovetop in a skillet, and then the casserole is baked in the oven until hot and bubbling.

Serve this easy baked bean casserole with hot dogs and hamburgers, barbecue chicken or ribs, or pulled pork sandwiches. Additional sides like coleslaw, potato salad, and mac and cheese, as well as cornbread, round out the meal perfectly.

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Ingredients

  • 8 slices bacon, diced

  • 1/4 cup minced onion

  • 2 (16-ounce) cans  baked beans

  • 1/2 cup ketchup

  • 1/4 cup dark corn syrup, or brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 350 F. 

  2. In a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until almost crisp.

  3. Add the minced onion to the bacon drippings and continue to cook until tender.

  4. Add the cans of beans, the ketchup, corn syrup or brown sugar, and ground mustard; mix well.

  5. If ​the skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish.

  6. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

  7. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Variations

  • Swap out the dried mustard for prepared mustard, such as brown, Dijon, or spicy if you'd like to add a little bit of a kick to the beans.
  • Add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce for extra umami.
  • Instead of corn syrup or brown sugar, use maple syrup.
  • Cook some sliced smoked sausage along with the onion.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoons molasses.
  • To make a heartier dish, add some ground beef along with the onion.
  • Include some chopped bell pepper and sauté in the bacon fat with the onion.

Can I use flavored baked beans?

This recipe will work with almost any type of canned baked bean. Original, of course, is nice because all of the additional ingredients will boost the flavor, but you can also use Country Style, Brown Sugar Hickory, Boston, Maple and Cured Bacon, or Bourbon and Brown Sugar, to just name a few varieties available. If you'd like this baked bean casserole to be vegetarian, skip the bacon, sauté the onion in olive oil, and use vegetarian baked beans.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
281 Calories
6g Fat
49g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 281
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 980mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 498mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)