Description
A comforting and flavorful Crockpot Baked Beans recipe featuring a hearty blend of white and brown beans, sweet brown sugar, tangy ketchup, and smoky bacon. This slow-cooked dish is perfect as a side for barbecues, family dinners, or potlucks, offering a rich, thick, and bubbly texture after hours of gentle cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans
- 3 (15-oz) cans white or brown beans, drained (2 cans Navy beans and 1 can Pinto beans recommended)
Vegetables
- 1 onion, diced
Sauces and Sweeteners
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup (or more to taste)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (or more to taste)
Meat
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a 2.5-quart slow cooker, add the drained beans, diced onion, ketchup, brown sugar, and chopped bacon. Stir gently to mix all the components evenly.
- Cook on Low: Set the slow cooker to the LOW setting and cook for 6 to 8 hours. During this time, the mixture will thicken and become bubbly, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully and the bacon to infuse the beans with smokiness.
- Adjust Seasoning: Before serving, taste the baked beans and adjust seasoning by adding more ketchup or brown sugar if desired, ensuring a perfect balance of sweetness and tang.
Notes
- Use a slow cooker of at least 2.5-quart capacity to accommodate the ingredients.
- For a deeper smoky flavor, consider browning the chopped bacon before adding to the slow cooker, though not required.
- Can be made a day ahead; flavors improve after resting overnight in the fridge.
- This recipe is easily doubled for larger gatherings; adjust slow cooker size accordingly.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and optionally add smoked paprika for flavor.
