Easy BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon
No Southern backyard barbecue is complete without a big pan of Easy BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon. This easy homemade recipe starts with canned pork and beans, then gets loaded with seasoned ground beef, crispy bacon, sweet onions, green bell peppers, jalapenos, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, and simple pantry spices for a rich, smoky, sweet-and-savory flavor everyone loves.
Perfect for cookouts, potlucks, game day parties, and family gatherings, they’re simple to make, feed a crowd, and taste even better the next day.
Whether you’re planning a Fourth of July celebration, Memorial Day picnic, Labor Day cookout, church potluck, or family reunion, these Southern BBQ baked beans are always one of the first dishes to disappear. They’re hearty enough to enjoy as a main dish but also make the perfect barbecue side dish alongside grilled burgers with all the toppings, slow-cooked pulled pork sandwiches, juicy BBQ chicken legs, or tender oven-baked BBQ ribs.
Pair these baked beans with my barbecue sausage or my Easy Rib Recipe for a simple and delicious cookout spread.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The perfect southern comfort food for cookouts or family gatherings.
- Easy pantry ingredients.
- Ground beef and thick-cut bacon make this a hearty and crowd-pleasing side dish.
- Sweet, smoky, tangy flavors in every bite.
- Make-ahead dish for backyard barbecues and holiday entertaining.
Ingredients Needed for BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon
You can find the simple ingredients for this easy Southern Baked Beans Recipe in most grocery stores. This recipe has the perfect balance of sweet and savory and serves as a side dish or a hearty main dish. See the printable recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and amounts.
- Pork and Beans: Canned pork and beans are the shortcut that makes this homemade baked beans recipe quick and easy. You can also use baked beans for this recipe.
- Ground Beef: Adds hearty flavor and turns this into a filling side dish.
- Bacon: Bacon bakes right on top of the beans. I prefer thick cut bacon.
- Onion, Green Bell Pepper, Jalapenos: Fresh vegetables add crunch and a touch of heat. Leave the jalapenos out if desired or remove the seeds for a milder dish.
- Brown Sugar: Balances the barbecue sauce, ketchup, and mustard.
- Barbecue Sauce and Ketchup: Use your favorite barbecue sauce and ketchup. Mix the ketchup and barbecue sauce into the beans for homemade BBQ flavor.
- Mustard: Just a little yellow mustard adds brightness and balances the sweetness.
- Seasonings: I use chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika. They bring a warm, smoky flavor to the sauce.
Recipe Variations
- This recipe can be served as a main course. The bacon and ground beef make this a hearty dish. I like to serve it over a baked potato.
- Swap the ground beef for cooked sausage.
- Mix in pulled pork or diced brisket.
How to Make BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon
Step 1: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, onion, green bell pepper, and jalapenos until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease and add the beef mixture to the beans.
Step 2: Stir in the seasonings, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, ketchup, and yellow mustard until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Pour the bean mixture into a baking dish. Arrange the bacon pieces in a single layer over the beans.
Step 4: Bake uncovered for 1 hour, or until the bacon is cooked and slightly crisp. These oven baked BBQ beans develop a rich, thick, smoky sauce as they bake. Let the baked beans rest for about 10 minutes before serving to thicken the sauce.
These homemade baked beans are delicious served with cornbread, Southern potato salad, macaroni salad, or vinegar coleslaw for the ultimate barbecue meal.
Expert Tip
- Drain the thin liquid from the top of the can of pork and beans, leaving the thick sauce behind.
- This classic recipe can be made ahead of time and kept warm in a slow cooker.
- Allow the beans to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: Store all leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
- Freezer: Store leftovers in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or oven until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This is an excellent make ahead recipe for the holidays, gatherings, or cookouts. Assemble the recipe, cover, and refrigerate the day before. Add the bacon just before baking for the best texture.
Yes. Once cooled, store the baked beans in an airtight freezer safe container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Drain the thin liquid off the top of the beans and discard.
Absolutely. Canned baked beans will work nicely in this homemade baked beans recipe.
Yes. Brown the ground beef, onions, bell pepper, and jalapenos, then combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker except the bacon. Cook the bacon separately and add it to the top or stir it in before serving. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Ground beef and bacon are classic additions, but you can also use smoked sausage, pulled pork, diced brisket, ham, or shredded chicken for even more flavor.
What to Serve with BBQ Baked Beans
If you tried these Easy BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments. Thanks for visiting!
Easy BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 (28 oz.) Cans Pork & Beans
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1 large Onion diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper diced
- 2 Jalapenos seeded and finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ cup Brown Sugar Light or Dark Brown
- ½ cup BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup Ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Yellow Mustard
- 6 slices Thick Cut Bacon cut into 1" pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Open the Pork & Beans and drain any liquid from the top of the can. Discard liquid. Pour beans into a large bowl and set aside.
- To a large skillet, add ground beef, onions, jalapenos, and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Remove from heat. Drain grease. Add to the bowl with the Pork & Beans.
- Stir in chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, brown sugar, bbq sauce, ketchup, and mustard. Mix well.
- Pour baked beans into a 13" x 9" inch baking dish.
- Place uncooked bacon pieces evenly on top of the beans in a single layer.
- Bake uncovered for 1 hour until bacon is cooked and slightly crisp.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Drain the thin liquid from the top of the pork and beans can, leaving the thick sauce behind.
- This classic recipe can be made ahead of time and kept warm in a slow cooker.
- Allow the beans to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken.
- Fridge: Store all leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
- Freezer: Store leftovers in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or oven until heated through.
Made these over the weekend for a big family cookout- brought home an empty dish!
This is truly fantastic. Serious comfort food for me. I really loved it. Thank you for this awesome recipe for our backyard BBQ tonight.
These baked beans look delicious! What a great idea to add bacon.
These hearty baked beans are easy to make and so tasty! One of my family’s absolute favorite recipes!
This is my absolute favourite way to make baked beans!! Thank you so much for this recipe, it is a new favourite in my kitchen 🙂
These Southern bbq baked beans were the perfect side dish recipe, everyone loved them!
Enjoyed these with dinner last night and it was a savory success! Easy, hearty and delicious; the best summertime staple, indeed!