Slow Cooker Baked Beans
User Reviews
5
Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Description
This recipe starts with navy beans soaked overnight for tenderness and quicker cooking, combined in a slow cooker with a sauce of ketchup, brown sugar, and molasses, which provides a balanced sweetness and rich flavor. Chopped bacon introduces smokiness and saltiness, while diced celery and onions add texture and aromatics. A bay leaf infuses subtle herbal notes during the slow cook.
The dish cooks for several hours at low heat allowing the beans to soak up flavors and become soft without disintegrating. The result is a dish with a thick, saucy consistency and well-rounded sweet-savory taste driven by molasses and brown sugar sweetness balanced with bacon’s saltiness.
Slow Cooker Baked Beans are a traditional accompaniment to BBQ or picnic meals and can serve as a hearty side at family dinners.
Practical notes suggest alternatives for beans, soaking methods, and preparation tips including oven baking. They also include suggestions for flavor variations such as adding garlic or mustard and options for swapping bacon with ham bones for a meaty depth.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Navy beans picked over and soaked overnight (see note 1, dried
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses (see note 2)
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 pound Bacon chopped
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 bay leaf
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Drain beans well. In small bowl, whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, and molasses. In the bottom of a slow cooker, add beans, water, bacon, celery, onion, and bay leaf. Add sauce and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours or LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until beans are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Navy beans are traditional but can be substituted with small white or great northern beans; soak overnight or use a quick-soak method before cooking.
- Molasses enhances sweetness and depth; a 2:1 ratio of brown sugar to molasses is recommended for balanced flavor.
- The recipe yields about 12 side dish servings.
- Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 4 days; reheat until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- To bake in the oven, combine ingredients (except salt and pepper) in a Dutch oven and cook covered at 300°F for 4 to 5 hours until beans are tender.
- Ham bone and chopped leftover ham can replace bacon for a different meaty flavor; remove ham bone before serving.
- Additions like minced garlic or brown mustard can vary flavor; substituting half the ketchup with barbecue sauce is another option.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings (1/2 cup each)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 273 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0.5cup | |
| Calories | 273kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 37g | 12% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 19mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 521mg | 22% |
| Potassium | 702mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 10g | 40% |
| Sugar | 13g | 26% |
| Vitamin A | 148IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 80mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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