These Crock Pot Baked Beans are your favorite summer side dish made with the ease of a slow cooker. They’re made with tender beans infused with flavor from bacon, onion, and pepper and smothered in a sweet and tangy sauce.
Easy Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Baked beans are a pretty common recipe, but everyone tends to add their own spin.
Well, these Crockpot Baked Beans are my spin on a classic baked bean recipe. Now, if you want to get technical, I suppose these beans are technically baked.
They’re slow-cooked from the bottom and around the sides with consistent, low heat for several hours…and the flavor result is incredible!
This recipe is easy to make and full of BBQ flavor. They’re a great addition to summer dinners, BBQs, and picnics!
Ingredients You'll Need:
- Bacon: We use ½ a pound of bacon to give these baked beans a bit of salty flavor. Leftover ham, salt pork, or a meaty ham bone also work if you prefer.
- Pork and Beans: You'll need 56 ounces of canned pork and beans. Small white beans like navy beans or great northern beans also work. If you use dry beans, they should be soaked overnight and you'll want to add extra ingredients like maple syrup, additional brown sugar, molasses, or apple cider vinegar to name a few.
- Barbecue Sauce: We use ½ cup barbecue sauce to give these beans a sweet and smoky flavor.
- Ketchup: You'll need ½ cup of ketchup to give these beans a slight tomato flavor.
- Light Brown Sugar: We use ⅓ cup of light brown sugar to give these easy baked beans the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Dry Mustard and Worcestershire Sauce: You'll need 2 teaspoons dry mustard and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to give these beans extra flavor. One tablespoon of prepared yellow mustard works in place of dry mustard.
- Onion and Bell Pepper: We use 1 cup of diced white onion and ½ cup green bell pepper to add fresh flavors to the beans as they cook.
How to Make Crock Pot Baked Beans
Scroll to the recipe card below for full instructions and ingredient amounts!
This easy baked beans recipe only takes a few minutes of prep and a few minutes of stove top cooking. The rest is done in the slow cooker!
- In a skillet, cook the bacon until halfway done or slightly underdone. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix together the beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
- Place the bacon pieces into the bottom of your crock pot, layer the diced onions and green pepper on top, then pour the bean mix over that. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, then serve hot.
Tips and Notes
- Pre-cook the bacon. You don’t need to cook it all the way, but it does need to be cooked at least halfway before you add it to the slow cooker.
- Layer the ingredients properly. The key to the best flavor is to layer the bacon, then the onion and pepper, then the bean mixture. The flavor of the ingredients cooks up and releases so much delicious flavor into the beans.
- Cook on low. This is the key to avoiding over-cooked, burnt baked beans.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve these homemade baked beans hot and garnished with extra crumbled bacon and chopped green onions.
And, of course, as part of a big summer-y feast! Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
Storage
Refrigerator: Leftover baked beans will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer: To freeze your baked beans, let them cool completely, then transfer them to freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to reheat your beans, let them thaw in the fridge first.
Reheating: To reheat baked beans, simply warm them over low heat on the stove until heated through.
Can You Put Raw Beans in the Slow Cooker?
You absolutely can cook raw (soaked) beans in the slow cooker, but I don’t recommend it for this recipe.
The amounts and ingredients listed for this particular recipe are designed to accommodate already-cooked, canned beans. It just won’t work the same with dry beans.
Will Baked Beans Thicken in a Crock Pot?
Yes! The slow cooker cooks the beans and the sauce perfectly to create a thick, rich, oh-so-tasty concoction. They may look a bit thin as soon as they’re done cooking, but will thicken up as they cool.
If the baked beans do still seem a little bit too thin, simply let them cook for a little bit longer with the lid set slightly off the top of the pot. This will allow some excess moisture to evaporate.
Can You Overcook Beans in a Slow Cooker?
Technically yes—although it is difficult to over-cook anything in the slow cooker, it is possible.
The key to the perfect beans is to cook them on low and to not leave them in the crockpot far past the recommended cooking time. As long as you follow the instructions as listed, you’re good to go!
Can You Use Ground Beef in Crock Pot Baked Beans?
Yes, you can! It is best to brown the meat before adding it to the slow cooker. This ensures that the meat cooks all the way through.
Can You Cook the Bacon Completely on the Stove Top?
Absolutely! If you prefer to cook the bacon all the way through on the stove top, that works!
Add the crispy bacon to the beans before slow cooking or after they're finished. Either way works. If you add the bacon ahead of time, it will soften as the beans cook.
How Many Calories are in Baked Beans?
Each recipe uses different ingredients in varying amounts, so the calories will be slightly different. Our crock pot baked beans have 423 calories for every 1 cup serving.
More Summer Side Dishes You’ll Love
Recipe Card with Ingredient Amounts and Instructions
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 56 ounces pork and beans, 7 (8 ounce) cans
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup white onion, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
Instructions
- In a medium skillet over low to medium heat, cook the bacon until about halfway done or just underdone. Transfer to a waiting paper towel lined plate. Set aside.8 ounces bacon
- In a large bowl, combine the pork and beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, salt, and pepper until well mixed. Set aside.56 ounces pork and beans½ cup barbecue sauce½ cup ketchup⅓ cup light brown sugar2 teaspoons dry mustard1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauceSalt and pepper
- Place the bacon pieces in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the diced onions and green peppers on top. Carefully scoop the bean mixture over the onions and peppers, and smooth into an even layer.1 cup white onion½ cup green bell pepper
- Cover with a lid, and cook on low for 4 hours. After 4 hours, check to ensure the bacon is cooked through, taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve hot with more crumbled bacon and green onions.
- Scroll up and see the post for tips, storage information, and FAQs.
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