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!
More Great Reviews and even More Reviews
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!
Lisa Miller
Can I use something else instead of molasses?
Mary Neumann
Hello Lisa, I have only made this recipe as is, so I can’t say how they will turn out without molasses – but here is a helpful post for molasses substitutes:https://www.thespruceeats.com/molasses-substitute-1388891
Imdarax
I cut the recipe in half. Used 8×8 dish, cooked for 1.5 hours. Mine came out rather soupy. Don’t get me wrong, delicious, but soupy. Was I supposed to drain the beans?
Mary Neumann
Hello! You do not need to drain the beans, just didn’t bake them long enough for the liquid to bake out, they need to bake for 2–3 hours. Hope they were still fantastic!
Tammi Foster
I’ve made my baked beans like this my whole life. My mom made them like this too! I’m glad to know somebody else thinks they’re perfect lol
Liza
Best baked beans I ever had! Easy recipe to follow
Carol
This is the best baked beans ever! The only recipe I use. Everyone always loves these beans . Thanks so much for your recipe.
Karen Halowell
Do not drain beans and substitute pineapple chunks for the onions.
Karen Halowell
I’ve done this recipe for years. My only tweaks are substitute 1 can pineapple chunks instead of onions and do not drain beans.
Laurel
My mother made a recipe exactly like this except it had one pound of ground beef too, it took it from a side dish to more of a main dish.
Kim
I just spent several minutes of my life writing a very nice 5 star review. But just before I finished, the page refreshed due to all the ads (I get it, some bloggers need them) . I can’t do it again. But this is what I was looking for to share with a friend because she asked for my recipe, which I don’t have. I have made by feel and taste for 45 years. A few differences. The main takeaway: no need to sauté onions if they are going to bake for 3-4 hours. But happy to be able to share with her
Mary Neumann
Hello Kim,
I am so sorry to hear you had that issue, I’ll be reaching out to have that fixed, that should not be happening. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and share a review, and thank you so much for letting me know.
Mary
Kim
It wasn’t a huge deal but thought you should know. I build WordPress websites. The only other little tweaks iI do differ that are green bell peppers and maybe a touch more mustard. We like the tang! I’m so happy to have an actual recipe to share with my friends who are always asking for mine. Thank you!
Dr Mary Smiroldo
This is a great recipe! Here in New Mexico, we add Hatch green chili to everything, including baked beans! So delicious with a little kick! Also, finely chopped jalapeño is a great addition.
Cathie
I’ve been making this recipe for over 40 years, I’ve found that using a variety of proteins like pulled pork, smoked brisket or bacon amps up the dish to a lovely level. We serve this when my husband uses the smoker for his amazing pork or brisket. Also with coleslaw as a side. I’ve also found that it really only needs about 1 hour of baking time for a juicier less dry outcome. All in all its a terrific recipe.
Shari murray
Do u have measurements for half ing this recipe? There r only 5 of us n this is way too much for us. Thank u.
Des
Best recipe ever!
Peg
This is a favorite of ours. Delicious….. I don’t drain the beans because I tried that once and they were dry. Thanks for a great recipe!