Our family’s go-to baked beans recipe for decades – Anastasia’s Best Ever Baked Beans – can be made in the oven or slow cooker. These are a must-have at barbecues and get-togethers. This shortcut recipe is easy to make and darn good. Rave reviews!
RAVE REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE WHO TRIED THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST!
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The Best Versatile Baked Beans Recipe for the Oven or Crock Pot
My sister Anastasia’s famous baked beans recipe is an easy-to-make, go-to favorite side dish. Made with canned pork and beans, sautéed onions, molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, and bacon, it’s a big ol’ dish of comfort! The perfect side for so many meals, holidays, potlucks, picnics, and barbecues. Simple to make, so good, and sure to become a new favorite.
This favorite family recipe has so many rave reviews and even won best baked beans at a festival!
My friend, Marsha, from The Better Baker, even won PEOPLE’S CHOICE at her local Beans Day festival with my sister’s recipe!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS FAVORITE BBQ SIDE DISH (full recipe below in the recipe card)
- canned pork and beans – I like VanCamps’s canned Pork and Beans (this is not a paid link), but you can use your favorite similar brand
- onion (yellow)
- butter
- ketchup
- molasses, unsulphured
- yellow mustard
- brown sugar
- bacon
How to make the best baked beans in the oven
Preheat oven to 325 degrees f. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Sauté onions over medium to medium-high heat in butter until onions are tender and translucent.
Mix beans, ketchup, mustard, molasses and brown sugar…
Next, add the sautéd onions and mix well and pour in prepared baking dish.
Top with uncooked bacon in single layer.
Bake on middle rack of oven uncovered for 2–3 hours.
Beans are ready when the top is dark and caramelized. Serve warm. Enjoy!
How To Make Baked Beans in the Slow Cooker
These can also be thrown together and cooked in the slow cooker set on low for 6 to 8 hours. You won’t get that nice caramelized top, but they will still be delicious. Mix everything the same way as the oven method, including sautéing the onions. However, you will need to pre-cook the bacon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prep time for the baked beans is about 20 mins. They are baked low and slow fin the oven for 2–3 hours, until the bacon is dark and caramelized.
The oven is best. The oven allows the bacon to caramelize. So good.
We use VanCamp’s, but others have used different brands and love the results.
Yes! You can prepare everything the night before, then pop them in the oven the next day.
For this recipe, use unsulphured molasses. 
Store leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. You can reheat the baked beans in the microwave, stove or oven.
Want More Great Side Dishes for your next get-together?
PLEASE NOTE: This is not a paid sponsored post. I have no affiliation with any of the products shared or linked in this recipe. The original recipe post date was April 3, 2016. This post was updated, May 1, 2024.
Best Ever Baked Beans (Anastasia’s Recipe)
Ingredients
- 5 cans pork and beans (15 ounce cans) VanCamps’s Pork and Beans or similar
- 1 large yellow or sweet onion, chopped (or 2 medium size onions)
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons butter (for sautéing onions)
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 3 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- ½ cup molasses, unsulphured
- ¼ – ½ cup brown sugar (use less for less sweetness)
- 6-8 slices uncooked bacon (each slice cut in half or thirds)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees f. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Sauté onions over medium to medium-high heat in butter until onions are tender and translucent.
- Mix beans, ketchup, mustard, molasses and brown sugar.
- Add the sautéd onions and mix well and pour in prepared baking dish.
- Top with uncooked bacon in single layer. Bake on middle rack of oven uncovered for 2–3 hours. Beans are ready when the top is dark and caramelized.
Notes
These can also be thrown together and cooked in the slow cooker set on low for 6 to 8 hours. You won’t get that nice caramelized top, but they will still be delicious. Mix everything the same way as the oven method, including sautéing the onions. However, you will need to pre-cook the bacon. Please Note: Oven method is the best!
Laura Roy
This sounds great! I'm serving vegetarians so I will have to omit the pork. Do you think this would work in a cast iron dutch oven? ~Laura
Barbara
Got a similar recipe from my mother in law nearly 50 years ago. Instead of putting the bacon on top, I chop it and fry with the onions, and I don't use the molasses. Rave reviews every time! I think I'll try them this way and see which my family likes better. Thanks!
Anonymous
That's how I make mine too..no molasses
Anonymous
Me too, they are so good……
Annie Winningham
Maybe I missed it but how many servings does this recipe yield?
phyllis
how manoy people does this recipe serve?
Unknown
I make mine this way but also add red pepper for that extra wow. Great recipe
Unknown
I make mine this way but also add red pepper for that extra wow. Great recipe
Unknown
My rec. For beans for years…Onions are left out depending on crowd or I add minced onion
Anonymous
I have made baked beans this way for years. I also use kielbasa sausage (I boil it for 10 minutes first).
Stasya
Nice)
marysweetlittlebluebird
No, Anonymous – you do not drain the beans.
Anonymous
Do you drain the beans?
Anonymous
I make these as well. I fry chopped bacon with the onion and drain and add in beans. Everything else the same. So yummy.
Anonymous
I made this dish this passed weekend for a family get-together and it was a big hit!
Anonymous
I made this dish this passed weekend for a family get-together and it was a big hit!
sharon Skidmore
I have been making my beans similar to these for years, I add 1-2 tbs. chili powder and 1/2 cup of b-b-que sauce
My Recent Favorite Books
I have been making a version of this recipe for a while now. I love baked beans!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Barbara
I've been making these beans since I was a kid. My family added a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce as well.
blkmandc
Thank you, I will be making these baked beans soon!
Anonymous
I to have been making this baked been recipe forever, since the 1970's. I have made a few changes. fry the bacon (chopped) with the onions and hamburger. I use dry mustard instead of jar mustard. I add a little vinegar for the tang. Lastly I add a can of baby butter beans and a can of kidney beans.
Anonymous
That's a totally different recipe from hers.
Kathy Sears
I have been looking for a great baked beans recipe this looks like the one can't wait to make this. Thanks for sharing
AiJen
This is the recipe I have used for years, with Campbell's pork & beans (they don't get as mushy). For a kick, I add chopped jalapeno! Great side for dinner, also great topper for a hot dog.
Marsha Baker
WOW! This looks divine. I'm always interested in bean recipes because I fill a roaster and serve to folks on the street at a local festival during the summer. This just may be the one I make this year. '-} I can almost taste it. YUMMMM!
marysweetlittlebluebird
Yes you can, Anonymous!
Anonymous
Can I make this the night before and bake in the morning? Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
marysweetlittlebluebird
Funny you should ask< Susan. I love Vidalia onions and yes they are a sweet onion. My sister specifically said when she first gave me the recipe not to use Vidalia because it doesn't add as much flavor to the beans as a yellow or other sweet onions. But you can use it if you like, it just won't add as much flavor. She actually likes yellow best.
Susan P
You ingredient list says "yellow or sweet onion, not vidalia" …… why not vidalia? Isn't that a sweet onion?
Janet
Thanks for posting, our family uses very similar as well. My aunt ads sliced green olives with pimento, love that bit of saltiness in there!