Baked Beans with Ground Beef
Meet the southern baked beans recipe of your dreams! Baked Beans with Ground Beef make a hearty side dish for your next family meal or summer cookout. A Beef and a bean medley provide the basis of the rich flavors, and a combination of sauces and seasonings makes the dish sweet and tangy. Feeling wild? Add some bacon!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup chopped bacon optional -- see more about draining in the recipe card and the notes section
- 2, 15- oz cans of baked beans
- 4, 15- oz cans of beans black, kidney, pinto, navy and/or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 shakes of hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- ½ cup minced red onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray an 8x13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling as it cooks, for 5-6 minutes or until browned.
- If adding the bacon to the beans, drain the excess grease from the ground beef in a colander over a paper towel-lined plate. If you do not use the bacon, do not drain the meat. The beans require some fat for optimal sauce consistency.
- Add the ground beef to a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon (if using), baked beans, drained and rinsed beans, ketchup, brown sugar, salt, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, molasses, minced red onion, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and black pepper. Mix well until combined.
- Pour the baked bean mixture into the prepared baking pan. Cover and bake for 1 ½ hours. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes until the sauce is reduced, syrupy, and bubbling. Serve hot!
Notes
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Keep covered in an airtight container or with aluminum foil for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This bean dish freezes well up to 3 months! Defrost overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 375°F, or microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
- Draining the beef. If you're adding bacon, I recommend draining the beef to prevent the beans from becoming too greasy. Alternatively, if you omit the bacon, do not drain the meat, as the beans require some fat for optimal sauce consistency and flavor.
- Add bacon. Bacon = happiness. Include ½ cup chopped bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces, to give these hamburger baked beans a smokier flavor and more luscious sauce. My mouth is watering just writing this!
- Ground beef alternatives. If you don't have ground beef on hand and are in a pinch, you can also use ground chicken, turkey, or pork.
- Include veggies. Bell peppers are a great addition to these baked beans. Add the peppers when you mix the ground beef with the minced onions and seasonings.
- Vegetarian? No problem! Vegetarian friends, you can enjoy baked beans with hamburger meat, too! Substitute ground beef for a plant-based beef option, like Beyond Meat.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 9gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 601mgPotassium: 360mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2mg
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