Barbecue Baked Beans

Sweet, savory, and a little smoky – the perfect flavor profile for these barbecue baked beans. Using canned beans makes this recipe quick and easy to prepare.

Jun 27, 2023

When I think of classic summertime picnic fare, a few side dishes come to mind – potato salad, coleslaw, macaroni salad, and of course baked beans. Today’s barbecue baked beans are slow cooked in the oven and covered in a sweet and savory sauce. These beans are the perfect make-ahead dish that taste even better the next day.

I like to use great northern beans when making baked beans. However, navy, cannellini, garbanzo (chickpeas), or kidney beans would also work. For convenience, I opted for canned beans. If you’re watching your sodium intake, be sure to drain and rinse the beans prior to use. According to the Canned Food Alliance, draining and rinsing canned food reduces the sodium content by up to 41 percent. Interestingly, draining alone results in a 36 percent reduction in sodium.

From a nutritional standpoint, what I love about baked beans is the fiber they provide. Beans (like great northern, navy, cannellini, cranberry, kidney, pinto, and black beans) and dried peas (like chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and split peas) supply 4 to 8 grams of fiber in every half-cup serving. Today’s barbecue baked beans have an impressive 7 grams of fiber per serving. That’s about 25 percent of an adult’s daily fiber needs.

A fiber-rich diet appears to offer many health benefits including reducing the risk of heart disease as well as certain types of cancer. Adding more fiber to the diet may help those with diabetes experience better blood sugar control. Following a meal, fiber slows the body’s absorption of sugar which helps prevent spikes in blood sugar. A high-fiber diet can be beneficial in achieving weight loss goals. Fiber-rich foods provide a feeling of fullness, which can help people eat less. Fiber is also important for a healthy gut and helps prevent issues like constipation and diverticular disease.

So just how much fiber should you consume each day? Although the specific amount depends on your age and whether you’re a man or woman, the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 22 to 34 grams of fiber for adults each day. A serving of today’s baked beans will have you well on your way to meeting that goal!

To your health,

Darlene

BARBECUE BAKED BEANS

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1/2 cup baked beans

Prep: 10 minutes

Ready: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cans (15.8 ounces each) great northern beans, drained and rinsed

DIRECTIONS

Place oil in a saucepan and sauté onion, green pepper, and garlic over medium-low heat until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat.
To the saucepan, add barbecue sauce, brown sugar, maple syrup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and black pepper; stir to combine. Add beans and gently stir to combine.
Transfer bean mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish and bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove cover, stir beans, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.

Nutrition Information per Serving

268 Calories, 5 g Total fat, 0 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 325 mg Sodium, 51 g Total carbohydrate, 7 g Dietary fiber, 30 g Total sugars, 26 g Added sugars, 8 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 89 mg (6%) Calcium, 2 mg (10%) Iron, 101 mg (2%) Potassium