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Can you smell that? It's barbecue season! That means grilled meats and baked beans all-around. To ditch the canned stuff, we've created our own baked beans in a crockpot. These pack a lot more flavor, plus they'll make your house smell absolutely incredible while they're cooking! This also works as a good dairy-free, gluten-free and nut-free side allergy sensitive guests can enjoy, too.
There was a time when I thought baked beans only came out of a can. And, since we did away with most pre-made, canned foods back when we started our real food pledge, that means I didn't have baked beans for a LONG time!
Cooking Baked Beans in a Crockpot
As it turns out...I really like and missed baked beans. So needless to say, I am glad to have them back in my life and am also glad to be able to introduce them to my kids (they both gave this recipe two thumbs up - whew!). With a little easy prep, you're well on your way to making a baked beans side that everyone will gobble up this summer.
How to Soak Dried Navy Beans
Making baked beans in a slow cooker from scratch means using whole-food ingredients to get the most out of this recipe. For that reason, we recommend using dried Navy beans! Don't worry though, all it takes is a simple soak in the fridge overnight to make them perfect for absorbing the spices and sauces that go into this set-and-forget side.
To soak dried Navy beans: Place them in a mixing bowl or container with water that just about covers them. Leave them in the fridge for about 6-8 hours, (or overnight), and drain them in the morning before putting them in the slow cooker!
We are officially ready for summer—bring it on!
Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups dried navy beans ((optional, but recommended: soak beans in water in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours and then drain))
- 8 oz bacon (cooked and diced (organic and/or local recommended))
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 15 oz tomato sauce (plain)
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper (black or red, to taste)
- 3 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Place the beans, bacon, bell pepper, and onion in the bottom of a slow cooker. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together the tomato sauce, syrup, mustard, vinegar, chili powder, salt and pepper. Pour over top of bean mixture and then add 3 ½ cups of water. Turn the slow cooker onto high and cook for 10 to 12 hours. Discard onion pieces and serve warm.
Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Irene says
Turned out great, I am use to adding molasses so I added some and it turned out delicious. Next time I'll be more mindful of soaking the beans to get rid of the 'gas' (you change the water halfway through)
Julie says
I have the same question as Dianna. Either way, I can't wait to make these!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
HI Julie. This was my reply to Dianna: "Because of their acidity, tomatoes likely leach more BPA from cans than other items might. I have used up what I had in my pantry and have moved, when possible, on to fresh, jarred, or boxed tomatoes. Hope that helps." ~Amy
Dianna says
Am new to your Blog..and really enjoying it!
just wondering why you are still using tomatoes out of a can? I have heard that the cans (tomatoes, beans, etc.) are leaching out bad chemicals over time, and we should all be using jarred items, or items from the tetra-paks?
Any comments would be appreciated, as I still have cans left too!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Dianna. Because of their acidity, tomatoes likely leach more BPA from cans than other items might. I have used up what I had in my pantry and have moved, when possible, on to fresh, jarred, or boxed tomatoes. Hope that helps. ~Amy
Drea says
Another option might be to find the few brands out there that have BPA free lined cans when the suggestions above are not available. Eden foods and Muir Glen are two brands that are organic and bpa free. One note about Muir glen is that they only started the transition in 2011 so be weary of that. This tip was quoted from http://thedelicioustruth.blogspot.com
"Since Muir Glen has no plans yet for labeling (unlike Eden Foods, which marks its BPA-free cans of beans accordingly), follow these guidelines:
Look for an expiration date with the year 2014; there's a very, very good chance you'll get a golden, BPA-free surprise. Expiration dates of 2013 could go either way, while 2012 and 2011 should be avoided. When Muir Glen starts packaging tomatoes anew at the end of this summer, the cans will have expiration dates of 2015 and will be BPA-free."
Martha says
FYI - Here's the response I got from Costco in October 2013 on their Kirkland canned tomatoes:
"Our Kirkland Signature Organic Tomato products (diced, stewed, etc.) are all BPA free and lined with vinyl."
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
That's good to know. ~Amy
Claudia says
Do you think it would be okay to freeze them and then thaw out and reheat again? Same for lentils?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Claudia. Sure, you can do that. I would not refreeze, however. You may want to freeze them in smaller portions so you can thaw only what you need. ~Amy
Tracy Teague says
What size slow cooker does Lisa use?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tracy. You can find it here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/my-kitchen-essentials/. :) ~Amy
amyo6 says
I have a Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker with 3 pots- 2-4-6 quarts.
I used it all last winter- spring- summer, practically everyday for something.
Hamilton Beach 33135 3-in-1 Slow Cooker with 2-, 4-, and 6-Quart Crocks, Stainless Steel
$54.99, Not bad for 3 pots.
Nicole says
I made this recipe for a party this weekend and it turned out great! I followed it exactly, but took the cover off the crock pot for the last hour to allow the sauce to thicken a bit. It was a big hit:) Thanks for sharing!
JKB says
I made these on the 4th. I used Great Northern's instead of Navy beans. I left out the bacon and didn't bother with liquid smoke either. They came out great! They still had plenty of flavor.I started them on high at 4am and we ate around 4pm and they were the perfect consistency.
Melanie Brown says
I made these for the 4th...soaked the beans on the 3rd & planned on putting them in the crock pot before bed so they would be ready the next day for our cookout. I forgot but woke at 2 am & realized I had forgotten to put them in the crockpot. I layed there thinking I could just buy some, but my inner voice told me "you are trying to eat clean - get up & make them". I ended up making them at 2 am & so glad I did! My family laughed about how special these beans were since I made them in the middle of the night & thought I was half crazy, but I felt good knowing I was feeding my family a clean & yummy version of baked beans. This recipe is a keeper!! Thank you!
JKB says
Why do you say discard the onion pieces?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi. You are welcome to keep the onion pieces in. We take them out simply because they did their flavoring job and they are very large pieces. :) ~Amy
Hill says
Do you have any really, really cheap menus? I try to shop for a family of 4 (2 adults, a 3 yr old and 18 month old) on under $150 every TWO weeks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Hill. Have you downloaded meal plans 1-5: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/our-free-meal-plans/? Those are the plans that we available and you are welcome to tweak them to fit your budget. ~Amy
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
...and this might help, too: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/09/30/real-food-tips-12-ways-to-keep-it-cheap/. Lisa also did a whole series based on her budget: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/100-days-on-a-budget/. ~Amy
Kristina says
I am slightly short on navy beans. Would it be better to round out with great northern beans, or kidney? Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kristina. We rarely are able to respond to recipe questions in real time. What beans did you go with? ~Amy
Amiee says
I used red and yellow in mine and they tasted great.....I cannot stand the green ones and they upset my stomach also...glad to see I'm not the only one~most people look at me strange when I tell them I can eat the colored ones, but not the green ones.
Poblanos might work too...I've never had a problem with those.......
Brigetta says
Do you think Red Peppers would taste ok? Hubby's gut doesn't like green peppers so much!
Amiee says
I used red as I cannot stand green peppers and I left the onions in (I chopped the onion in the begining vs quartered) and used liquid smoke since I left out the bacon and they turned out great...I had several who said they were the best baked beans they've ever had....... :) and that was a big compliment from these folks who think bacon should be in everything..
Trish says
This sounds really good. What size crockpot? Also, what is a serving size? Trying to get feel for how much to make for a potluck that is coming up. Thanks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Trish. Lisa uses a 6 quart pot. A serving size is about a cup.~Amy
Kellie says
Do you have a recommendation for a bacon substitute? I'm a vegetarian but I know that baked beans' flavor is enhanced with bacon.
Amiee says
Kellie,
I made these for father's day and wanted them to be vegan so I left out the bacon as well. In the 30 minutes of cooking I added liquid smoke to taste(a teaspoon maybe?) and they turned out great!
Vegan Worcheshire would be good also with the liquid smoke.
***Keep an eye on your crockpot as cooking times vary widely...mine cooks on warm like others do on high****
They were so good I am making them again tomorrow...yummmm....
Amiee says
***in the last 30 minutes of cooking~~sorry
Jessica says
These look great! I am going to try this for our 4th of July BBQ. I'm having 20 people over...should I double the recipe? It says it will feed a small crowd, but 2 1/2 cups beans hardly seems like enough. Thanks!
D says
I have some died cranberry beans to use up --- would they be a decent substitute?
D says
*dried
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi D. I've not tried baked cranberry beans but I think they should work out just fine. Let us know. ~Amy
Anna says
My store doesn't carry navy beans. What would an other type of beans be that would work as an substitute?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Anna. Great Northern beans are a good substitute. ~Amy
Elizabeth Bishop says
Hey, just wanted to thank you for this recipe. I have never liked baked beans because they are full of sugar etc. I made this recipe for the first time on Saturday for a church pot-luck. It was a big hit. It tasted so good!!! Thank you for all of your recipes. I have tried most of them and even printed them off and made a cook book out of them. You have showed me how to make eating healthy yummy!!
Joanne K-J says
Great Recipe. I made a couple of adjustments to turn out a rich and delicious vegetarian version. I diced a large onion and then slowly caramelized it in a bit of non-gmo canola oil. When it was almost done I tossed in a cup of diced red pepper (red and orange actually - I had bits and pieces left over from other recipes) and allowed the pepper to pick up some color. Instead of a tsp of kosher salt I used 1/2 tsp kosher and 1/2 tsp smoked salt to add some smoky flavor. I cooked them 12 hours on low and then turned the slow cooker to high and propped up the lid with a wooden spoon for about another 2 hours until the beans were cooked through and the sauce was rich and thick - I think cooking times and temps vary wildly with different brands of slow cookers. The beans are terrific. Next time I will use all smoked salt.
Tamara says
Amy or Lisa,
Do you think tomato paste would be ok instead of tomato sauce? I don't have any sauce on hand, but plenty of paste! Thoughts? Maybe reduce the amount of paste vs sauce since it is quite a bit thicker?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tamara. I think the paste will work. You may want to dilute it a bit with a little water to bring it to a saucy consistency. Good luck. ~Amy
Katy G says
I just woke up to a dry burned pot of baked beans as well, like Danielle. I do not have a fancy slow cooker, it's just a knob that you turn to low, high or warm. I thought it was strange that the recipe called for high temperature for that long of cook time, but I wanted to follow the recipe as written. I'm super disappointed right now, especially when you purchase high-quality organic ingredients. And I rarely buy any meat, bacon included, due to the high price of quality products.
Liz says
Don't leave cooking food unattended even if in a crock pot. Elevation and humidity can affect cooking time and amt. of liquid needed in a crock pot; always check food as it cooks to catch problems before they destroy food.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Oh, Katy, so sorry you had a bad experience! :(
~Amy
Mona Cameron-Ball says
I made these this weekend for the first time for guests. Yummm! Everyone loved them! I left the onion in and needed to add another 1 1/2 cups water toward the end of the cooking time. I think my crock pot runs hot. I may try them without the bacon next time and freeze the leftovers.
Brandie says
I made these today, followed the recipe exactly and cooked on high in my biggest crock pot for 9 hours. They were so good! I am going to make them for my 4th July cook out.My husband likes them a bit thicker but I thought they were perfect. Thank you!
Danielle says
I made these last night, exactly as the recipe states and I woke up this morning (after having them cooking for 8 hours and they were completely dry and burned. Should I have cooked on LOW? I want to make them so I am trying to figure out what I did wrong? :(
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Danielle. Hmmm, I don't know what the problem might be. I suppose it is possible that your cooker cooks at a higher temp than most? Maybe try again on a lower setting. Good luck. ~Amy
Leya says
OMG!! This turned out so yummy and was so easy. I followed the recipe pretty much to the "T", except I only had 2 cups of navy beans (I think that is standard packaging) and used less bacon. I also only cooked for 7 hours b/c had to leave the house but the beans are great, not super soft but definitely cooked through (plus, I think my slow cooker cooks quicker than most). For those with questions about freezing, I found on this website: http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16469, that the beans will turn out softer after freezing and should only be used as add-ins w/ other recipes; so best to eat fresh and/or share!!
Haley says
Can these be frozen?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Haley. They can be frozen. Enjoy. ~Amy
amyo6 says
Have been trying bean recipes for many years, but did not find anything close to the taste of the canned brands. Had given up before you posted this recipe... it sounded right. I think I posted that I was going to make them, and then was without the dried beans. Where do they sneak off to??? not like a candy bar. Anyway,
I had canned Great Northern's so I was able to make this recipe
with the following exceptions.
Substituted 4 cans of rinsed and drained great northern beans for dried. Because I used canned, cooked beans, did not add the water.
I used 3/4 cup of coconut sugar because I am diabetic and it will not spike my sugar numbers.
No green pepper... just left it out.
I tasted the spice vinegar mix and gagged, but made no adjustments.
This morning I woke to the wonderful smell, mmmm, then fried two eggs and put a couple soup spoons of beans on the side.
Wonderful, perfection on my palate. So glad I did not make any changes before tasting the original. Thank You.
Christina says
I got these in the slow cooker a little late and am worried they won't be done in time for tonight.... Could I transfer these to the stove top and finish them that way? Any suggestions?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Christina. We rarely get to respond to comments in real time. How did they turn out? ~Amy
Christina says
That's kinda what I thought but figured it was worth a shot asking! They turned out great and everyone loved them!
Tom says
I was wondering the same thing Cindy. 10 to 12 hours on high seems too much. I have never cooked anything in the crock pot on high for so long.
sally cloud says
Smoked paprika instead of bacon adds unbelievable depth to the flavor & I use mustard powder instead of prepared as well-adds a bit of bite without being too hot~!
amyo6 says
Angela you are not alone...
I use coconut sugar to substitute for most other sweeteners. It has the taste and texture of medium brown sugar and is kind to my blood sugar levels.
Have everything for this recipe, so putting it together, cook all night = Beans on toast for Breakfast.
Cindy says
Recipe says to set the crockpot to high for 10-12 hours. Just checking to make sure that is correct as usually it is low for that long. LOVE your website!
Jill says
Let me start by saying I love this site and think it is a great resource. I am curious why you use canned tomato sauce in your recipe when canned foods, especially acidic foods such as tomatoes, contain BPA? Giving up canned foods was a real challenge but until BPA is banned from canned foods I am just going to take the extra steps necessary to protect my family.
Gabie says
I agree...when reading the recipe I would substitute my home canned sauce instead. Maybe a little chunkier but. I'll be giving it a try this week.
amyo6 says
Jill, Pomi Italian Tomatoes in boxes on Amazon. The only ingredient is Tomatoes. They come chopped or strained. So Good!
ashley says
Jill, not all cans contain bpa. I have found that a lot of the organic brands have now switched to bpa free cans.
Angie says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it this weekend for a cook out I had at my house. Everyone loved it.
gisela says
The bacon is said to be cooked. Does it mean I need to fry the bacon first and then dice it? Thanks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Yes, Gisela. It should be cooked and diced. ~Amy
April says
Just made a batch overnight for our get together later today. Very delicious!
Cheryl says
What is the downside of not soaking the beans? I find my crockpot cooks way faster than most recipes call for.
Alissabeth says
Depending on the cooking method, your beans may not soften if not soaked. They will still be hard or 'crunchy'. Likely depends on how well your crock pot cooks....if it cooks faster, I'd definitely soak.
Emily says
I freeze beans all the time! I would imagine that they would freeze just fine. :-)
Cheri says
Can these be frozen to save the leftovers? There are only two of us, so a big batch is overkill, but it would be nice to have them on hand to just thaw out on busy days.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Cheri. They will freeze well. ~Amy