Goodbye canned beans.
After trying this homemade baked beans recipe, it’s hard to imagine going back to canned. Bush’s is good and all, but it just doesn’t compare to the heightened flavor and superior texture of baked beans made from scratch. Since July is National Baked Bean Month, there’s never been a better time to learn how to make your own healthy baked beans. It’s much easier than you might think…
When I first started learning to cook, one of my favorite meals to make was a large sweet potato topped with Bush’s baked beans and melted cheddar cheese. I wasn’t even a vegetarian yet, but I’d eat this meal at least once a week. It was quick and simple, and I loved the revelation that I no longer needed to rely on someone else to always cook for me.
In middle school, feeling independent is of the upmost importance… I remember around the same time, my friends’ moms and mine would take us to the mall and sit on a bench while we shopped. We had to check back in every thirty minutes, but we felt super cool, shopping by ourselves. Other people in the mall were probably rolling their eyes at the 7th graders who strutted around the mall like they owned the place. But we didn’t notice or care. And then I’d come home and prepare my very own homemade dinner, feeling very grown up.
Never mind that said “homemade dinner” was as simple as popping a potato in the oven, opening a can of beans, and microwaving everything together. That’s beside the point 
.
I felt the same sense of accomplishment the first time I made this vegetarian baked beans recipe from scratch a few days ago. Never mind the fact that it’s as simple as throwing all the ingredients into a crockpot, putting on the lid, and waiting for it to cook.
That’s beside the point.
Baked Beans Recipe
Baked Beans Recipe – Healthy & Homemade
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb pinto or white beans, soaked overnight in water
- 1 can “no salt added” tomato sauce (15oz)
- 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce or gluten-free soy sauce (45g)
- 1 3/4 cup water or vegetable broth (420g)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (30g)
- 2 tsp minced garlic (10g)
- 1 tbsp molasses (blackstrap or regular) (15g)
- 1/8 tsp pure stevia extract, or 4 tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Instructions
Crockpot baked beans recipe: Drain and rinse the beans. Lightly grease a crockpot (mine is 4 quarts), then add all ingredients. Cover with the lid, and cook on high 7 hours or until beans are soft. Turning off the crockpot, but keeping the lid closed, let sit 1 hour. Serve immediately, or transfer to a container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. If reheating, add a little water (up to 1/2 cup for the entire recipe) and stir, then heat. Yields about 3 1/2 cups.
Question of the Day:
Do you remember the first thing you learned to cook?
Link of the Day: Homemade Larabars Recipes
I still haven’t had baked beans before! They seem super simple to make though, I may need to try them out.
Just wondering, would not adding the soy sauce change the flavor too much? I have a very low tolerance to salt and 500mg is still quite a bit for me.
Sorry, I really don’t know.
I use Braggs Liquid Aminos to replace soy sauce. It has about 1/3 the sodium of soy sauce and all the taste. The bottle says if you need to further limit your sodium intake you can dilute with water.
Yes I second this! Braggs amino is amazing. It saves you so much on salt intake and tastes just as good. Even better!
I have successfully used Worcestershire (Idk if it’s vegan) as a one to one ratio. And you can successfully reduce the soy sauce by about 1 T if you slightly augment all the other flavoring agents.
I wanted to provide those of you who swear by Bragg’s an article I read recently by a nutritionist. I always think if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
http://www.happybellies.net/the-digestive-system/braggs-liquid-aminos/
Do you add any water to the crockpot? If so, how much?
Nope, the beans cook in the tomato sauce. Don’t add anything else but the amount in the recipe.
Sorry, I’m confused because the recipe does list water as an ingredient. Are you just clarifying to the previous poster to not add any more water than what is listed? However, from her question it sounds like water was not listed and you state it cooks in the tomato sauce but then say not anything else but the amount in the recipe. A little confused by this exchange. Please clarify. Thanks!
Sorry for the confusion! It means to not add any extra. DO add the water listed in the ingredient list.
Hi Katie! I don’t mean to be a hater, but I feel like recently your recipes have been a bit boring and not very original. I used to try out every recipe of yours hours and sometimes minutes after you posted, but now I’m not thrilled. Is it because you are so busy writing the cookbook and putting the best recipes there? I want the old Katie back! Please, consider this a message from a fan, not a hate. I would love to see more creative desserts 🙂
I think you need to read this thread. It sounds like it was written exactly for selfish people like you.
https://lett-trim.today/2013/04/24/the-healthy-fruit-yogurt-breakfast-bowl/comment-page-1/#comment-931785%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Oooh, thank you so much for this. I’ve been wanting to make some healthy baked beans for a while but never quite gotten round to it! I have sweet potatoes that need eating and I think that’s a perfect excuse to make this recipe! I’ll probably make my own tomato sauce as I have tomatoes that need using up too, but thank you so, so much for this recipe! Lily x (I’m new to your blog and I’m in love already!)
My go to baked beans have always been in the can; I always thought baked beans needed to be baked. I never got the concept.
Awwww adorable toddler Katie learned how to cook! I am probably a noob when it comes to cooking. My first dish was tomato and egg stir fry in high school, and now I don’t really cook lol I just bake or microwave or throw a bunch of things into the pan or pot and hope it comes out okay 😛
how do you microwave an egg? 🙂
Sounds great! I love new and (old) ideas for using beans!
Hi Katie
Would your ceipe work without a crockpot? Would you then just cook the beans until they’re ready for about 90 minutes? Thanks!
I’ve only tried it in a crockpot, but I think it’d be fine in a saucepan… just cook them uncovered so it doesn’t get too liquidy.