These Easy Southern Baked Beans is the best authentic recipe perfect for your BBQ or cookout. This classic dish is made with canned beans, bacon, and your favorite BBQ sauce.
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When it comes to Southern-style side dishes, I may love the sides and appetizers more than the main dishes!
This is truly the best soul food baked beans recipe you will find! It’s loaded with hickory smoked flavor, making it perfect for any BBQ or cookout pairing.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Rich Flavor: Southern baked beans are known for their rich, sweet, and smoky flavor profile. The combination of ingredients like bacon, brown sugar, and barbecue sauce creates the perfect feel of barbecue.
- Comfort Food At It’s Finest: This dish is classic comfort food. Whether served at a summer barbecue, potluck dinner, or family gathering, they are a crowd-pleasing dish that brings people together and satisfies both the palate and the soul.
- It’s Versatile: This side dish can be served alongside grilled meats, burgers, hot dogs, or fried chicken. They also make a delicious topping for baked potatoes or a filling for burritos and tacos.
- Easy to Make: These are simple to prepare and require minimal effort. Once the ingredients are combined, the dish is baked in the oven, allowing the flavors to meld together and the beans to become tender and flavorful without much hands-on cooking time.
Key Ingredients
- Canned Baked Beans
- Bacon
- Onions
- Garlic
- BBQ Sauce
- Ketchup
- Chili Powder
- Brown Sweetener or Sugar
What Type of BBQ Sauce to Use
This is probably the most important ingredient in the recipe! Your baked beans need BBQ flavor. Use your favorite sauce! I like to use our local Kansas City Gates BBQ Sauce or if I’m looking for something unsweetened I use the BBQ sauce from Primal Kitchen.
How to Make Southern Baked Beans
Detailed instructions and serving sizes can be found in the recipe card below.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add bacon and chopped onions. Cook.
- Drain any excess fat. Add in garlic and stir.
- Add in beans, ketchup, BBQ sauce, liquid smoke, chili powder, and brown sugar or sweetener.
- Bake.
Are They Spicy?
I love to serve mine with a kick because the combination with brown sugar and bacon is just out of this world! I don’t find chili powder spicy, but some people do! So if you don’t want spicy beans omit the chili powder or start with 1/2 teaspoon and continue to adjust to taste.
Are the Beans Sweet?
I like for a moderate taste of sweetness so I use 3 tablespoons of brown sugar or sweetener. If you want them to be really sweet use 1/4 cup.
What Type of Pan to Use
I love to use a cast iron skillet. That’s the traditional Southern way and you can make everything in one pan since cast irons are oven safe.
You can also use a 9×13 baking dish.
How to Make a Large Pan for a Crowd
This recipe will make 8 servings, but you can easily double or triple that by doubling the ingredients used in the recipe. You will need to bake the beans at least 10 minutes longer, but maybe even a little more. Use your judgment and check in on the texture of the beans to determine if they have finished cooking.
Can You Make Them Ahead?
Yes, you can make these ahead. Allow the beans to cool and place them in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. They will last up to 4 days.
Can You Add Ground Beef?
Absolutely! This is another common way to make Southern baked beans. You can add in a pound of ground beef at the same time that you add the bacon. If you are omitting the bacon, you can simply add it in it’s place.
How to Make them Vegetarian
Make sure to grab vegetarian baked beans. From there, you can simply omit the bacon used in this recipe.
Freezer Tips
You can freeze these in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight. I love to reheat these in the oven or air fryer on 350 degrees until warm.
How to Reheat
I love to reheat these in the oven or air fryer on 350 degrees until warm.
Pair This Dish with These Main Dishes
Air Fryer Ribs
Air Fryer Catfish
Air Fryer Fish Sticks
Traeger Smoked Salmon
Instant Pot Ribs
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Traeger Smoked Brisket
Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich
Homemade BBQ Seasoning
How to Make a Charcuterie Cheese Board
Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs
Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon
How to Grill the Best Burgers
Cedar Plank Shrimp
Mushroom Swiss Burgers
Queso Burgers
How to Grill Chicken Wings
Grilled Baby Back Ribs
More Southern Side Dishes
Southern Coleslaw
Southern Potato Salad
Grilled Asparagus in Foil
Air Fryer Hush Puppies
Southern Soul Food Baked Mac and Cheese
Instant Pot Southern Green Beans
Instant Pot Collard Greens
Instant Pot Potato Salad
Southern Mustard Greens
Southern Homemade Cornbread
Easy Spaghetti Salad
Southern Macaroni Salad
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
Avocado Deviled Eggs
Southern Green Beans
Scalloped Corn
If you want to make beans without using canned, check out my Instant Pot Baked Beans.
Check out a listing of all Southern Soul Food Recipes the Best Authentic Soul Food Recipes here.
Easy Southern Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 cup chopped onion I use white onion.
- 2 garlic cloves Minced.
- 2 28oz cans baked beans I use vegetarian.
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon chili powder This amount will give the beans a kick. If you don't want a dose of spicy omit it or start with 1/2 teaspoon and continue to taste and build.
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2-4 tablespoons brown sugar or sweetener I typically use 3. See notes.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- I like to use a cast iron skillet to make everything using one pan. You can use any pan or oven safe baking dish.
- Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add the bacon and chopped onions. Cook until the bacon is crisp and the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- Drain any excess fat. Add in the garlic and stir.
- Add in the beans, ketchup, BBQ sauce, liquid smoke, chili powder, and brown sugar or sweetener. Stir. Taste the mixture repeatedly to ensure the flavor meets your tastes. I don't add any salt because I feel the bacon adds enough. Taste and decide if you want to add salt or any other flavor.
- (Alternatively, you can cook your bacon separately and simply add all of the ingredients to your baking dish without sauteing them on the stove first. Sauteing the onions and garlic first is done to enhance the flavor).
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the beans are bubbly and the sauce has thickened.
- Bake the beans uncovered. Place a sheet pan under your pan if you fear the mixture will drip over and seep out.
- Remove from the oven and cool before serving.
Video
Notes
- Macros noted assume monkfruit sweetener is used.
- I don’t completely drain the beans, but I do pour off the top layer of liquid that forms in the can.
- I don’t find chili powder spicy, but some people do! So if you don’t want spicy beans omit the chili powder or start with a 1/2 teaspoon and continue to adjust to taste.
- I like for a moderate taste of sweetness so I use 3 tablespoons of brown sugar or sweetener. If you want them to be really sweet use 1/4 cup.
- You can omit the liquid smoke, it’s the secret star that adds flavor.
Jesse
Saturday 27th of May 2023
Can you make them in a crockpot?
staysnatched
Saturday 27th of May 2023
Probably. I haven’t done it.
Kim
Saturday 2nd of July 2022
This came out great! (even though I have never been down South!)
:O
I'll definitely be making this again, especially when Fall weather gets here!
staysnatched
Saturday 2nd of July 2022
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Chene’
Monday 30th of May 2022
I made these this weekend and they were PHENOMENAL! My husband and my kids both loved them. I added ground beef along with the bacon and it really just took it to the next level. I will be making this recipe over and over.
staysnatched
Monday 30th of May 2022
That’s so good to hear!
Ashley
Monday 30th of May 2022
These are amazing! Everyone raved about them and said they tasted just like a top tier bbq joint! Thanks for a great recipe!
staysnatched
Monday 30th of May 2022
I’m glad to hear everyone enjoyed them!
Lucia smith
Thursday 21st of April 2022
Easy southern baked beans are nice to eat. I have tried the recipe with ghee as the baking oil. ghee clarified butter smoke point is higher than any other oil, and I like the ghee favor.
staysnatched
Monday 25th of April 2022
Thanks for sharing!