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These homemade slow cooker baked beans are super easy to make and packed with flavor! They’re sweet, savory, and satisfying, made lighter with turkey bacon but still just as delicious.
These baked beans have been a favorite in our family for years, and we love making a big batch for BBQs, potlucks, or relaxing weekend dinners. Plus, this recipe is effortless to make! Just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it simmer to perfection!
Table of Contents
- Why You Will Love These Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions & Variations
- How To Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- How Long To Cook Baked Beans In A Slow Cooker
- Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Slow Cooker Recipes To Try!
- SLOW COOKER BAKED BEANS Recipe
Why You Will Love These Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- Lightened-Up: This baked beans recipe is made with turkey bacon for a lighter option without sacrificing flavor.
- Incredible Flavor: The combination of smoky, sweet, tangy, and savory flavors hits all the right notes.
- Effortless to Make: The slow cooker does most of the work, for effortless and delicious baked beans!
- Minimal Prep Required: We used canned beans and simple ingredients! There’s minimal prep work required for this recipe.
- Customizable: You can use your favorite BBQ sauce, beans, or bacon for your preferred flavor.
Ingredients Needed
- Bacon: Cook the turkey bacon using your preferred method. Once cooked, chop it into small pieces before adding it to the slow cooker. For another delicious slow cooker recipe with bacon, try our slow cooker charro beans!
- Onion: Finely dice one small white or sweet onion.
- Beans: Use three cans of pinto beans for this recipe. Rinse and drain the beans before adding them to the slow cooker.
- BBQ Sauce: Make our incredible homemade BBQ sauce in this recipe. Or, you can use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce.
Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Bean Mix: Feel free to swap out the pinto beans for navy beans, Great Northern beans, or use a combination of your favorites. Mixing different beans adds interesting textures and flavors to your baked beans.
- Bacon Options: For a richer and smokier taste, try smoked applewood bacon instead of turkey bacon. You can also use traditional pork bacon.
- Vegetarian & Vegan Option: Simply omit the bacon from this recipe and use a vegan Worcestershire sauce when making the homemade barbecue sauce.
- BBQ Sauce To Use: You can substitute the homemade BBQ sauce in this recipe with 2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce for an easy and quick option. Or, try our homemade smoky BBQ sauce!
- Vinegar Substitutions: You can substitute apple cider vinegar with red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Sweetener Options: If you don’t have maple syrup, brown sugar or honey are great substitutes. For a sugar-free option, try sugar-free maple syrup or a sugar-free brown sugar sweetener.
How To Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Step 1: Cook the turkey bacon using your preferred method. We like to bake ours in the oven. See our post on how to cook bacon in the oven.
Step 2: Add the chopped turkey bacon, diced onion, and rinsed and drained canned pinto beans to the slow cooker.
Step 3: To make the homemade BBQ sauce, add the tomato sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, smoked paprika, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.
Then, mix until smooth and combined.
Step 4: Pour the BBQ sauce into the slow cooker. After that, stir gently to combine the ingredients.
Step 5: Place the lid on the slow cooker and let everything cook.
Step 6: Once done, give the beans a final stir and serve them warm.
How Long To Cook Baked Beans In A Slow Cooker
Cook these homemade baked beans in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Serving Suggestions
These baked beans are perfect for any occasion! Serve them at BBQs, potlucks, or as a comforting side dish anytime. Here are some of our favorite ways to serve them:
- BBQ Meats: Serve these baked beans alongside grilled chicken, pulled pork, or your favorite BBQ meats for a classic combo. We love to serve them alongside slow cooker BBQ chicken.
- Classic BBQ Sides: Serve them alongside delicious sides like our air fryer corn on the cob, healthy mac and cheese, and cottage cheese mac and cheese.
- With Cornbread: Pair with cornbread or corn muffins to soak up all that delicious sauce. We like to serve these baked beans with our single-serving cornbread recipe and Jiffy corn casserole!
- Salads: Serve them alongside classic salads like our broccoli salad, cauliflower ‘potato’ salad, healthy coleslaw, and watermelon feta salad!
- Toppings: Use these baked beans as a topping for baked nachos. Or, spoon them onto a burger, hot dog, baked potato, or baked sweet potato.
Expert Tips
- Use Plain Canned Beans: Use low-sodium canned beans for the best control over the flavor and seasoning. Also, make sure to rinse and drain the canned beans.
- Finely Chop the Bacon: Finely chop the cooked turkey bacon before adding it to the slow cooker. This helps distribute the smoky flavor evenly throughout the beans.
- Taste & Adjust: Before serving, give the beans a stir and taste. You can always adjust the sweetness and saltiness to your liking.
Storage Instructions
These slow cooker baked beans are great for meal prep! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Slow Cooker Baked Beans Last?
These homemade slow cooker baked beans will last up to four days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Can I Freeze Baked Beans?
Yes! You can freeze these baked beans in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat gently before serving.
Can I Make This Recipe On The Stove?
Absolutely! Simmer the ingredients over low heat in a large pot for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
More Slow Cooker Recipes To Try!
- Slow Cooker Charro Beans
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Crockpot Marry Me Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce
If you try this recipe please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating ★★★★★ letting us know how it turns out for you.
SLOW COOKER BAKED BEANS
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Beans:
- 8 slices turkey bacon, chopped
- 1 small white or sweet onion, finely diced
- 3, 15-ounce cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
For The BBQ Sauce:
- 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar-free maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, (or 1 garlic clove or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or brown sugar substitute, optional for more sweetness
Instructions
- Cook the turkey bacon using your preferred method. We like to bake ours in the oven. Simply place the turkey bacon slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, let the turkey bacon cool slightly, then chop it into small pieces.
- Add the chopped turkey bacon, diced onion, and rinsed and drained canned pinto beans to the slow cooker.
- To make the homemade BBQ sauce, add the tomato sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, smoked paprika, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, and optional brown sugar to a large bowl. Then, mix until smooth and combined.
- Pour the BBQ sauce into the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine the ingredients.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Once done, give the beans a final stir and serve them warm.
Video
Notes
- How to Cook Bacon: See our post on how to cook bacon in the oven.
- Bacon Options: For a richer and smokier taste, try smoked applewood bacon instead of turkey bacon. You can also use traditional pork bacon.
- Bean Mix: Feel free to swap out the pinto beans for navy beans, great northern beans, or use a combination of your favorites. Mixing different beans adds interesting textures and flavors to your baked beans.
- BBQ Sauce To Use: You can substitute the homemade BBQ sauce in this recipe with 2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce for an easy and quick option.
- Vinegar Substitutions: You can substitute the apple cider vinegar for red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Sweetener Options: If you don’t have maple syrup, brown sugar or honey make great substitutes. For a sugar-free option, try sugar-free maple syrup or a sugar-free brown sugar sweetener.
- Vegetarian & Vegan Option: Simply omit the bacon from this recipe and use a vegan Worcestershire sauce when making the homemade barbecue sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These slow cooker baked beans are the ultimate side dish. Dump and go and let the slow cooker do the work. You will love th rich flavor and how easy they are to make.