Discover the ultimate comfort food with this irresistibly smoky and savory recipe for Spontaneous Baked Beans! Featuring tender navy beans infused with the richness of crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and a perfectly balanced homemade sauce, this dish comes together effortlessly in under an hour. The flavor-packed sauce combines ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, molasses, and apple cider vinegar, with a touch of smoked paprika for an irresistible depth. Baked to bubbly perfection in a single skillet, this recipe is ideal as a hearty side dish or the star of a meal when paired with crusty bread. Quick, easy, and loaded with sweet-and-savory flavor, these baked beans are the weeknight dinner or barbecue side you've been craving!
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Heat a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Cook the bacon slices until crispy, then remove them from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve the bacon fat in the skillet.
Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet with the bacon fat and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
In the same skillet, stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, molasses, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and water. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes to combine the flavors.
Drain and rinse the canned navy beans, then add them to the skillet. Stir well to coat the beans with the sauce.
Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces and mix it into the skillet.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and becomes bubbly.
Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve warm as a side dish or on its own with some crusty bread for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Calories |
713 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 18.8 g | 24% | |
| Saturated Fat | 5.2 g | 26% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.2 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 36 mg | 12% | |
| Sodium | 2981 mg | 130% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 125.6 g | 46% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 7.0 g | 25% | |
| Total Sugars | 92.3 g | ||
| Protein | 18.7 g | 37% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 207 mg | 16% | |
| Iron | 4.7 mg | 26% | |
| Potassium | 1353 mg | 29% | |
*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.