World’s Best Baked Beans Recipe| The Recipe Critic

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These World’s Best Baked Beans will be the last recipe you will ever make! This easy recipe is the perfect side to a potluck and a tried and true family recipe that your family will go crazy over!

A good side dish really makes a meal, in my opinion. Try out some more of my favorite sides that will complement just about anything! My favorites are these Creamy Parmesan Garlic Brussels Sprouts, this delicious Grilled Asparagus, and these yummy 1-Hour Dinner Rolls.

Close view of the baked beans in a baking dish with a wooden spoon.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy: This recipe uses simple ingredients but put them together and you have the best baked beans for any potluck!
It Has Bacon: Are baked beans even worth eating if they don’t have bacon? The added ingredient fills the beans with flavor.
Goes With Everything: These beans can be used as a side to so many different recipes! I especially love having them at all of my summer BBQs.

World’s Best Baked Beans Recipe

This recipe is a family tried and true favorite! It’s simple to make, and it’s packed full of flavor. Using canned pork and beans make it so easy and no one will ever know because the other ingredients make this recipe shine! The secret to these baked beans is the bacon and brown sugar and the incredible flavor that it adds. They are hearty and rich, and turn out perfect every single time! The best part is that once they’re baked, you can put it in a slow cooker to keep it warm. Keeping them in the slow cooker also makes it easy to transport.

Our family requests these beans for every occasion, especially in the summer! Serve these beans at your next BBQ alongside this pasta salad and some grilled chicken. You won’t regret it!

Ingredients in Baked Beans

These ingredients are simple and easy for the world’s best baked beans. Once you try this recipe you will always want to have these ingredients on hand! It’s a perfect side dish because it goes with everything! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient measurements.

Bacon: The crispy bacon is the secret ingredient that really makes this recipe stand out.
Green Pepper: I like to dice this up nice and small.
White Onion: You can also use a yellow onion if that’s what you have.
Pork and Beans: This part is so easy. You just open the cans and dump them in!
Ketchup: This adds a deeper flavor to the beans.
Brown Sugar: The brown sugar adds a sweet flavor that goes especially well with the bacon.
Worcestershire Sauce: This savory and sweet sauce complements the other ingredients perfectly.

Ingredients labeled to make the world's best baked beans.

How to Make Easy Baked Beans

The world’s best baked beans take just over an hour to bake. Prepare the beans in the morning so that it’s ready to throw in the oven when you need them. This is easy because then you can bake them while you make the main course.

Preheat Oven/ Cook the Bacon: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry up the bacon and crumble in pieces. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and discard some of the grease.
Cook the Green Pepper and Onion: Returning to the same skillet, add the diced green pepper and onion to some of the bacon grease then cook until tender.
Stir in the Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the cooked bacon, pork and beans, ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Place the beans in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Cover and Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil or a lid and bake for 1 hour.

First photo of the bacon frying. — Cook the bacon until crispy.

How do I Cook Baked Beans in a Slow Cooker or on the Stove?

Looking for more ways to cook the world’s best baked beans? Even though baking them is the preferred method, you can definitely cook them in a slow cooker or over the stove.

In the Slow Cooker: Follow all of the steps in the recipe card but instead of combining the ingredients in a 9×13 pan, place them in a slow cooker. Cook the beans on low for 4-6 hours.
On the Stove: Use a large Dutch oven over the stove to cook and combine all of your ingredients. Follow all of the steps in the recipe card, but instead of baking the beans, allow them to simmer on the stove in the Dutch oven for one hour.

Top view of the world's best baked beans in a baking dish with a wood spoon.

How to Store Leftovers

These world’s best baked beans make even better leftovers! Once the beans have cooled then make sure to save the leftovers for another day. The flavors meld together and are incredible!

In the Refrigerator: Once cooled, place the beans in an airtight container. Store the beans in your fridge for 3-4 days.
To Reheat: When you are ready to eat them again, you can reheat them on low-medium heat on the stove until they are warmed through.

Close view of the baked beans spooned with a wooden spoon.

More Ideas For a Potluck

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry up the bacon and crumble in pieces. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and discard some of the grease.
Returning to the same skillet, add the diced green pepper and onion to some of the bacon grease and cook until tender.
Stir in the cooked bacon, pork and beans, ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Place the beans in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Cover the baking dish with foil or a lid and bake for 1 hour.

Originally posted on July 30, 2018
Updated on June 06, 2024

Serving: 8gCalories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 8gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 677mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 230IUVitamin C: 14.5mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 0.7mg