Get ready to elevate your baked bean game with this hearty and flavorful Calico Beans recipe, a crowd-pleasing dish loaded with savory ground beef, crispy bacon, and three varieties of tender beans—kidney, pinto, and great northern. Perfectly balanced with a tangy-sweet sauce made from ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of mustard, this baked bean casserole bakes to bubbling perfection with a caramelized topping. Ideal for potlucks, barbecues, or comforting weeknight dinners, this easy-to-make dish delivers warm, smoky, and sweet flavors in every bite. With just 15 minutes of prep time and a hands-off bake, Calico Beans is the ultimate comfort food that will keep your guests coming back for seconds!
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and fully cooked. Drain any excess fat and set the beef aside.
In the same skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon, crumble it into small pieces, and set aside, leaving a small amount of the bacon grease in the skillet.
Add the diced onion to the skillet with the bacon grease and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked ground beef, crumbled bacon, sautéed onions, kidney beans, pinto beans, and great northern beans.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Pour the sauce mixture over the bean and meat mixture. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread it out evenly.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes to allow the top to caramelize slightly.
Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy your hearty Calico Beans!
Calories |
2092 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 106.7 g | 137% | |
| Saturated Fat | 39.2 g | 196% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5.8 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 369 mg | 123% | |
| Sodium | 5081 mg | 221% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 188.1 g | 68% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 24.1 g | 86% | |
| Total Sugars | 102.2 g | ||
| Protein | 115.7 g | 231% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 332 mg | 26% | |
| Iron | 14.2 mg | 79% | |
| Potassium | 2532 mg | 54% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.