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!
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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!
john
when I do my ribs on a rack, I put my cast iron beans under them to catch all the drippings, little extra in the beans
Gramma Sue
I make these yummy beans as well and add 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper with the onion and 2 TLB BBQ Sauce with the sauce part. They are AMAZING !
Sandy RueLem
Try substituting a can of French’s fried onions for the sautéed onions. It’s fantastic!
Gramma Sue
THAT sounds like a great addition!
Kathy Grimm
I made this recipe and it was a big hit with everyone. I'll never go back to my old recipe. This one's a keeper.
Lise Ode
Looks amazing. Love the step by step photos!
Anonymous
We will need to make this for football games. Looks delicious!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
I gotta try this recipe for my last cookout this summer!!!
Anonymous
I don't sauté the onions they'll cook through while baking. Plus I add a diced green pepper. Instead of ketchup and molasses I use my favorite bbq sauce. Dark brown sugar has molasses in it. Bacon? You can't use too much bacon!!!!!
Tiffanie
Thank you so much for sharing. I have a barbecue to go to on Labor Day on Monday. How would the recipe be without the molasses? I heard molasses wasn't good for you.
Anonymous
I make mine like this except I use grandma browns baked beans instead of pork & beans
Anonymous
I have been making this for years. But it seems like the can beans have more sauce than years ago, making the end result soupy. Should I start draining the canned beans?
April
I always drain the liquid out of the cans.
Anonymous
My family has been making these baked Baked bean for 4 generations and we call them the the Roberson Family Baked Beans.
Anonymous
Hi just wondering — No cover for the 3 hrs? And still juicy or is it a thick sauce?
The recipe sounds delicious, can't wait to try it :)!
Anonymous
I use this recipe adding a green pepperwhen sautéing the onion. I add a bit of cumin or chili powder red pepper flakes and some of a good barbecue sauce if I don't have molasses my extra pow comes from two tablespoons of bourbon…the alcohol burns off during the cooking so just the flavor remains….any recipe is a work in progress and everyone should say thanks and take no offense as tweeks are suggested. This is how perfection is achieved. No offense should be taken. Rageoninky
Anonymous
I use this recipe adding a green pepperwhen sautéing the onion. I add a bit of cumin or chili powder red pepper flakes and some of a good barbecue sauce if I don't have molasses my extra pow comes from two tablespoons of bourbon…the alcohol burns off during the cooking so just the flavor remains….any recipe is a work in progress and everyone should say thanks and take no offense as tweeks are suggested. This is how perfection is achieved. No offense should be taken. Rageoninky
Anonymous
Can't anyone accept a recipe just as it is and say thanks?
Michelle
I totally agree, people are soooo annoying with all their changes and additions! The only ingredient that is the same is the can of beans… I want to make a recipe as stated and see how others liked it!
Anonymous
Imake the same that you have here with 2 additions hamburger and bell pepper
Anonymous
I add crushed pineapple instead of molasses
Anonymous
I made these tonight and the taste was good however,they were really runny. What did I do wrong?
Anonymous
I know it sounds weird but i throw in some crushed pineapple. If you like baked beans on the sweet side this will do it!
carrie Bennett
I make 2 kinds of baked beans using this recipe. I make them regular as directed and the second recipe has pineapple tidbits in it (juice drained off) and it is delicious.
Anonymous
I love this recipe – now if there was only a way to de-fart the bean/onion combo!!
neuroticmom
These look amazing I am wondering, it is just my husband and I would I be able to freeze leftovers?
Unknown
This recipe sounds absolutely perfect for putting on the smoker a hour or so to give it a rich, sweet smokey flavour. Can't wait. Thank you 👍 😄
Byron Wright in VA
This is pretty much how we do it only with the addition of pineapple tidbits. Gives it an extra bit of flavor.
Don Sylvia
Sounds yummy to me. I’ve always used canned apple pie filling, just a different take on the fruit.
Anonymous
This sounds amazing and I will be trying this soon!