These Slow Cooker Baked Beans are smoky, savory, perfectly sweet, and loaded with rich bacon flavor in every single bite. You don’t even need to heat up your oven to make them!
If you love these Crockpot Baked Beans, check out my other barbecue favorites like Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork, Creamy Potato Salad, or Grilled Corn on the Cob in Foil next!
Are you someone who only eats baked beans at summer barbecues, or do you crave them all year round? I am fully in the year-round camp — baked beans are honestly one of my FAVORITE foods, ever, and I won’t pretend otherwise!
This easy baked beans recipe cooks low and slow, allowing the rich flavors to meld together into a thick, bubbly side dish that pairs perfectly with anything from burgers to weeknight air fryer hot dogs.
The secret to this recipe is using a trio of different beans. I love a mix of navy beans, pinto beans, and dark red kidney beans because it looks nice and tastes really great! It makes the dish look like something much more complex and interesting than it actually is, while keeping the prep work completely effortless.
Because these are baked beans made in the slow cooker, you get that classic, deep-baked flavor without having to watch a pot on the stove or run a hot oven for hours – a win when it’s too hot to cook!
Slow Cooker Baked Beans Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
- Canned Beans: You will need 3 (15-ounce) cans of white, brown, or red beans, rinsed and drained. For the best visual appeal and texture contrast, I highly recommend using 1 can of navy beans, 1 can of pinto beans, and 1 can of red beans.
- Medium Onion: One medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup), provides a savory base flavor that breaks down into the sauce during the long cook time.
- Ketchup: This forms the sweet and tangy base of your sauce. You can use 1 ½ cups of standard ketchup, or you can swap half or all of it for your favorite BBQ sauce if you enjoy a smokier flavor profile!
- Brown Sugar: This adds that essential molasses sweetness. I use 3 tablespoons, but my husband doesn’t like his beans too sweet! If you prefer a traditionally sweeter style, adjust to your taste.
- Mustard: One tablespoon of yellow or Dijon mustard adds a sharp, tangy contrast to balance out the sweetness of the sugar and ketchup.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: A single teaspoon adds just enough bright acidity to cut through the richness of the bacon and sugar. It won’t make your beans taste of vinegar!
- Smoked Bacon: Six slices of chopped, high-quality smoked bacon cook right in the pot, infusing the entire dish with a rich, savory depth. You can leave out the bacon… but why 😉
How to Make Baked Beans in the Crockpot
Making these baked beans made in the slow cooker involves just a couple of simple steps, and absolutely none of them are hard!
Just stir all the ingredients together in a slow cooker, slow cook, adjust seasoning and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Crockpot Baked Beans
- Careful when stirring: Try to stir carefully so you don’t mash up all the beans!
- Don’t rush the cook time: Always cook these on the LOW setting rather than high! The long, slow simmer is exactly what softens the onions, cooks the bacon through, and lets the sauce thicken naturally. I do not recommend cooking the beans on the HIGH setting – the sauce tends to catch and burn a lot on the side of the slow cooker that way. The LOW setting for a longer time works a lot better for baked beans.
- Rinse your beans thoroughly: Make sure to completely rinse and drain the canned beans before adding them to the crockpot. This removes the starchy, salty canning liquid so your homemade sauce flavor really shines.
- Adjust sweetness at the end: Because everyone has different preferences for sweetness, taste the sauce during the last 30 minutes of cooking. You can easily stir in an extra tablespoon of brown sugar if you want a sweeter profile.
- Keep an Eye on the Liquid: If you prefer your baked beans with a lot of extra sauce, keep the slow cooker lid completely closed. If you like them extra thick, you can prop the lid open slightly during the final 30 minutes of cooking.
- Adjust ketchup to taste: If the mixture doesn’t look juicy enough, add a bit more ketchup. Just remember that liquids about double when cooking in a slow cooker, so don’t overdo it. You can also add more ketchup once the cooking time is up!
How to store and reheat homemade baked beans
- To store: Keep your leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days. The flavors actually continue to develop and deepen as they sit, making the leftovers taste even better the next day!
- To freeze: Allow the beans to cool completely, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. For larger portions, transfer them back to a pot on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has gotten too thick.
Crockpot Baked Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 3 (15-oz) cans white, brown or red beans (rinsed and drained (I like to use 1 can navy beans, 1 can pinto beans and 1 can red beans because it looks and tastes really great))
- 1 medium onion (diced (about 1 cup))
- 1 ½ cups ketchup (or more to taste (you can also use BBQ sauce, or a mix of both if you prefer))
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or more to taste (my husband doesn’t like his beans too sweet, so if you do you’re going to want to add more))
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 6 slices smoked bacon (chopped)
Instructions
- Combine: Combine all ingredients in a 4-5 quart slow cooker.3 (15-oz) cans white, brown or red beans, 1 medium onion, 1 ½ cups ketchup, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 6 slices smoked bacon
- Slow cook: Cook on LOW setting for 6-8 hours, until thickened and bubbly.
- Serve: Check for seasoning and adjust to taste before serving.
Video
Notes
Serving ideas
I love to have baked beans on toast – that’s how we ate them as kids all the time for dinner!
But they’re obviously mainly a popular BBQ side dish. So serve them up with some pulled pork in a bun or with BBQ chicken! And by the way, my Crockpot Mac and Cheese recipe and my coleslaw are other sides that goes so well with typical BBQ or cookout food.
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap the sauce base: For a deeper, wood-smoked flavor profile, swap out half of the ketchup for a bold, hickory-style molasses BBQ sauce.
- Add some heat: If you like your side dishes with a bit of a kick, stir in a finely diced jalapeño, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or a few dashes of hot sauce along with the other ingredients.
- Make it vegetarian: To make this recipe completely vegetarian, omit the smoked bacon entirely and add a half-teaspoon of liquid smoke to maintain that signature smoky flavor.
- Change up the sweetener: If you run out of brown sugar, you can easily substitute it with an equal amount of pure maple syrup or dark molasses for a slightly different depth of sweetness.
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