Easy Baked Beans Heathy Made Without Bacon Wellplated Com

While I like to assume that my husband married me for my irresistible charm, girlish good looks, and sparkling personality, I know better: he married me for my easy baked beans (and this Jalapeno Cornbread). Broadly speaking, he actually married me for Kansas City barbecue, of which baked beans are a critical component. Whenever we head back to my hometown, at least two barbecue runs are a mandatory part of our travel agenda. Back home in Milwaukee, we survive on a few imitator recipes of my own (sorry Wisconsin, you just don’t do BBQ like Kansas), among my favorites are today’s healthy and easy baked beans (as well as this Grilled Corn Salad). Although I might lack the proper equipment, meat supply, and beard to be a serious barbecue contender, these barbecue beans still scratch our barbecue itch, and they are always a sure hit at potlucks too. I have full respect for traditional baked bean recipes, which start with dried beans (like my Crockpot Baked Beans), but they take hours and are usually on the heavy side. Thanks to canned beans (one of my fave pantry staples), these short-cut baked beans are:

Ready in 30 minutes—which means more time to socialize and sip with your guests (or sneak a few scoops of this Greek Layer Dip).Don’t require you to turn on the oven and bake—so if you want to be technical, these are stove top “baked” beans, but the spirit is there.AND are much, much healthier for you too—no corn syrup, brown sugar, or bacon (bacon grease) to be found. (This Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip is another slimmed-down version perfect for cookouts.)

How to Make Easy Baked Beans

Making these delicious baked beans is as simple as sautéing onions, stirring everything together, then letting it simmer on the stove. In just 20 minutes, the ingredients transform into a sweet, smoky, savory pot of healthy barbecue bean satisfaction.

The Ingredients

Ketchup. Adds body to the sauce along with some tang and natural sweetness.

Tomato Paste. For thickness and the robust tomato flavor. Maple Syrup. Instead of making this baked beans recipe with brown sugar or molasses, I swapped pure maple syrup. It adds natural sweetness and a bit of extra smokiness too.Onion. For a little zip and added layer of complex flavor.Worcestershire. Adds some savory umami flavor.

Spices. I flavored these babies with smoked paprika, a little dry mustard (no need for yellow mustard), and cumin. It’s my secret to building big barbecue bean flavor without the extra heft is spice.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Place baked beans in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.To Reheat. Gently rewarm beans in a Dutch oven on the stove over medium-low heat until hot. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave.To Freeze. Store leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Recommended Tools to Make these Easy Baked Beans

Whisk. I love this set of three whisks so I always have the right-sized whisk for the task at hand.Mixing Bowl. This nested set of glass bowls is my fav!Saucepan. This one is an investment but worth every single penny.

Better-for-you, easy baked beans means an extra serving of Instant Pot Ribs is a must. To make sure the canned beans do not end up overly sweet, look for a barbecue sauce that is lower in sugar.