Why Make Baked Beans From Scratch?

Tinned baked beans have their place — a lazy Sunday, a late-night snack — but homemade baked beans are a completely different experience. Slow-cooked in a rich, smoky tomato sauce with hints of molasses and bacon, they're warming, deeply flavourful, and surprisingly easy to make in a big batch.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

  • 2 cans (400g each) cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed
  • 150g (5 oz) smoked bacon or pancetta, diced
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp molasses or dark treacle
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp dried mustard powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup (250ml) chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat renders and it begins to crisp. Remove and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
  2. Soften the aromatics. Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
  3. Build the sauce. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard powder. Stir well to combine.
  4. Add beans and bacon. Return the bacon to the pot and add the drained beans. Stir everything together.
  5. Simmer low and slow. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken and the beans will absorb the flavour. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water or stock.
  6. Taste and adjust. Before serving, taste for seasoning. You may want a little more vinegar (for brightness) or sugar (for balance).

Serving Suggestions

  • On thick-cut sourdough toast with a poached egg on top
  • As a side dish alongside grilled sausages and eggs
  • Stuffed into a baked potato with grated cheddar
  • Served with corn bread for a hearty, rustic meal

Make It Vegetarian

Simply omit the bacon and use vegetable stock. Add an extra half teaspoon of smoked paprika and a dash more Worcestershire sauce (use a vegetarian version) to maintain that deep, smoky flavour. It's just as satisfying.

Storage

Baked beans keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. They taste even better the next day once the flavours have had time to meld together.