Three-Bean Baked Beans

These three-bean baked beans will make you forget all about those cans of ready-made baked beans. This casserole-style baked bean recipe is a close cousin to cowboy beans or calico beans—comforting, rich, and layered with meaty, smoky, sweet and savory flavors. It’s the perfect hearty side for feeding a crowd (hello, potlucks and tailgates).

The dish gets its name from a trio of canned beans: creamy butter beans, tender kidney beans and saucy pork and beans. You’ll start by browning ground beef, bacon and onion on the stovetop. Mix in the beans and sweet-and-savory sauce, then bake the dish low and slow until it’s thick and bubbly. Whether you’re headed to a party or grilling in the backyard, this is the kind of crowd-pleasing side you’ll be asked to make on repeat.

Ingredients for Three-Bean Baked Beans

• Ground beef: Browned ground beef crumbles bring a hearty texture and savory depth to the beans. Use 85% lean beef for the best flavor without too much grease.
• Bacon: Dice five strips of your favorite bacon (you can use turkey bacon for a lighter flavor), and add it to the pot with the beef. It’ll add smoky richness and a little extra chew to the finished dish.
• Onion: Yellow onions are ideal for baked beans. They become sweet and mild as they cook.
• Sugar: Using both brown and white sugar gives the beans classic sweetness with caramel-like notes. If you want a deeper molasses flavor, you can exclusively use brown sugar.
• Ketchup: Ketchup adds tangy sweetness and gives the sauce its familiar, glossy texture.
• Barbecue sauce: Use your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce to layer savory flavor into the sauce. Choose the style you enjoy best, whether that’s sweet, hickory-smoked or spicy.
• Molasses: This sticky syrup enhances the caramel flavor of the brown sugar and thickens the sauce for a stick-to-your-spoon consistency. Regular unsulphured molasses is perfect for baked beans, but blackstrap molasses works just as well if you prefer a stronger, less-sweet flavor.
• Mustard: Mustard brightens the dish with gentle tang, and cuts through the sweetness to create a well-balanced sauce. Yellow mustard is classic, but Dijon or spicy brown mustard works if you want a bit more kick.
• Chili powder: Chili powder adds warmth, color and smokiness without making the beans spicy.
• Canned beans: Pork and beans come in a lightly seasoned tomato sauce that adds moisture and sweetness, so don’t drain them. The butter beans and white kidney beans should be drained and rinsed before they’re added to the dish. Feel free to use other varieties from your pantry: Navy beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans and great northern beans all work here.

Directions

Step 1: Brown the meat and onion

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, bacon and onion over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink. Break the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Remove the skillet from the heat and drain off any excess grease.

Step 2: Prepare the sauce

Stir in the sugars, ketchup, barbecue sauce, molasses, mustard, chili powder and salt until they’re well blended with the beef and onions. Then, gently stir in the canned beans.

Editor’s Tip: Drain the butter and kidney beans, but add the pork and beans with their sauce—it adds flavor and moisture to the baked beans.

Step 3: Bake

Transfer the bean mixture to a greased 2-1/2-quart baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake the beans for one hour or until the beans are bubbly and the sauce reaches your desired thickness.

Recipe Variations

• Mix and match beans: Replace the butter beans or white kidney beans with navy beans, pinto beans, great northern beans or any other variety you have in your pantry.
• Try different meats: Make baked beans and sausage by swapping mild or spicy sausage for the ground beef, or try ground chicken or turkey for a lighter batch of beans.
• Go meatless: Skip the meat and bacon if you’re serving the beans with meaty barbecue mains, or if you prefer a more budget-friendly version—the sauce and beans offer plenty of flavor on their own! If you need a vegan bean dish, replace the pork and beans with another bean variety.
• Add some heat: For sweet-and-spicy baked beans, stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce. Start small and adjust the spice level to taste.

How to Store Three-Bean Baked Beans

Store leftover three-bean baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat them, warm them gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water to help loosen the sauce. You can also reheat them in the microwave.

Can you freeze three-bean baked beans?

Yes, these baked beans freeze very well. Let them cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Store them in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating them.

Can you make three-bean baked beans ahead of time?

Yes, this baked bean recipe is extremely make-ahead friendly. You can fully assemble the bean mixture in the baking dish, cover it and refrigerate it for up to a day before baking them. Let the beans sit on the counter while the oven preheats, and add a few extra minutes to the bake time since they’ll be starting cold.

Three Bean Baked Bean Tips

Can you make three-bean baked beans in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can use this recipe to make slow-cooker baked beans. Brown the ground beef, bacon and onion on the stovetop first, then transfer the mixture to a lightly greased slow cooker and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook the mixture on low for two to three hours, until the beans are thickened and heated through.

How do I thicken baked beans if they’re too saucy?

If the sauce in your baked beans is a little thinner than you’d like, simply uncover the dish and return it to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to let the excess liquid evaporate. You can also simmer the mixture on the stovetop for a few minutes before baking to help reduce the sauce.

What can you serve with three-bean baked beans?

Three-bean baked beans pair perfectly with cookout favorites and comfort food staples. They’re especially delicious alongside juicy burgers, hot dogs, smoked sausage or barbecue chicken, but they’re also tasty served with roast pork, hot roast beef sandwiches or meatloaf. Add classic barbecue sides like cornbread, coleslaw, potato salad or a crisp green salad to the menu for a crowd-pleasing spread.

Watch How to Make Three-Bean Baked Beans

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