Incredible Slow Cooker Baked Beans (w/ Canned Beans!)

Overhead image of a slow cooker with all of the ingredients for baked beans.

Incredible Slow Cooker Baked Beans (w/ Canned Beans!)

These simple homemade slow cooker baked beans truly are incredible. Perfectly sweet & just the right amount of saucy, they come together easily with 3 types of canned beans, a hint of brown sugar, and hit of smokey, rich bacon.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword baked beans, crock pot baked beans, slow cooker baked beans

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Servings servings

Calories 286

Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

4 slices (5-oz) thick cut bacon diced
1 small red onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 can (15-oz) pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 can (15-oz) kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 can (15-oz) Northern or white beans drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup BBQ sauce
¼ cup ketchup
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Instructions

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the bacon grease (if desired), then add the onion. [If making vegetarian baked beans, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil at this point.] Cook the onion until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic, paprika, and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
Carefully add the onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the beans, salt, vinegar, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar, stirring to combine.
Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 4-5 hours. Do not uncover during this time. Uncover, stir, and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Note: This recipe will NOT work with dried beans--it is written and tested for and with canned beans. If you'd like to use dry beans, cook them first, and then proceed with the recipe.
See blog post for further ingredient substitutions, variations, storage, and more.

Nutrition