Calico Beans are the kind of irresistible comfort food that never seems to go out of style. A big baking dish loaded with bacon, colorful beans, and a rich sweet, tangy sauce has a way of disappearing fast at potlucks, backyard cookouts, and family dinners. It’s hearty, inexpensive, and feeds a crowd without much fuss. Simply stated, this is the best pot of beans you’ll ever tango with.
What To Expect From This Recipe
- Made with canned beans = easy!
- Thick, sweet and savory sauce that clings to every bite. It’s a great combo of sweet and tangy.
- Perfect for potlucks, picnics, and backyard barbecues.
- Many calico bean recipes include ground beef. My recipe does not. The only meat in the recipe is bacon.
- Feeds a hungry crowd without stretching your budget.
- Easy to make ahead.
- Freezer friendly.
- A couple of simple tricks to keep the sauce from getting watery.
I make my calico beans with canned beans because, honestly, they give me exactly what I’m after. No soaking. No guessing whether the different variety of beans will soften at the same time. Just dependable results every time.
Table of contents
What Are Calico Beans?
Calico heans are a classic All-American bean casserole. They’re called “calico” from the colorful mix of beans. Traditional versions use several bean varieties, and bacon is always involved. Calico beans are popular throughout the midwest and very popular at church suppers, family reunions and back yard BBQ’s.
Calico Beans vs. Cowboy Beans
Cowboy Beans:
- Usually contain fewer variety of beans, and commonly include pinto beans.
- Smokier BBQ Flavor
- Contains ground beef or beef chunks.
- Contains some sort of tomato product, either canned tomatoes, BBQ sauce, or ketchup.
- Chuckwagon inspired.
Calico Beans
- Several variety of beans that are not “Western” in nature.
- Calico beans have a sweeter sauce.
- Can contain ground beef, but always has bacon.
- A traditional pot-luck favorite.
The Sauce Makes The Difference
Early versions of this recipe turned out thinner than I wanted because the beans released additional moisture during baking. Test batches found me reducing the liquid slightly and allowing the casserole to bake in the oven, uncovered. Creating the rich, glossy sauce that coats every bean. And doesn’t turn out watery. I’ve not liked the versions I made in the crock pot, (too watery) or cooked stovetop (doesn’t deepen flavors). Oven baking creates the best results.
Why My Version Is Different
- No Ground Beef: The main difference is the lack of ground beef hamburger. I’ve tried that recipe and I think the addition of ground beef takes away from the beautiful, thick, sweet and spicy sauce. And omitting it, makes this recipe more budget friendly.
- Simple Cooking Method: Almost every recipe you’ll find for calico beans uses a slow cooker, crock pot method. I’ve tried it and the sauce simply doesn’t thicken. Plus these recipes used canned beans, which are already cooked. A slow cooker renders these cooked beans to almost a mushy state. And I’ve seen recipes who use a Dutch Oven method, like I do, but instruct to cook them covered. Don’t cover that pot. Again, the sauce won’t thicken.
- Flavor: Most recipes use a scant amount of brown sugar and vinegar. My recipe doesn’t skimp. One cup of brown sugar and ½ cup vinegar elevates the flavor to WOW.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Best Beans To Use
- Colorful Canned Beans: Green lima beans, white butter beans, red kidney beans, and Bush’s original baked beans bring a sweet and tangy flavor profile.
For The Sweet and Tangy Sauce
- Bacon: Cooked crispy.
- Sweet Onion
- Brown Sugar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Mustard Powder and Garlic Powder
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Cut bacon into good sized bacon bits. Fry until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to a plate and drain most of the grease.
- Step 2: Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened.
- Step 3: Add vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder and mustard to the onions. Stir and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Step 4: In the meantime, drain lima beans, butter beans and kidney beans in a colander.
- Step 5: Add all of the beans to the sauce, stir in half of the bacon and mix well.
- Step 6: Pour ingredients from the skillet into a Dutch oven. Sprinkle the remaining bacon on top. Cook at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, uncovered.
- Step 7: Allow the beans to rest for about 15 minutes. This simple step will thicken the sauce even more. Serve.
Variations
I truly wouldn’t change a thing about this recipe, but here are some ideas if you’re inclined.
Make It Spicier
- Chipotle Pepper in Adobo: Add some smoky heat. Stir in one or two finely chopped chipotle peppers for a deeper, barbecue-style flavor.
- Jalapeno Peppers: Bring a bright, crisp heat. Dice one or two peppers and cook them with the onions.
- Roasted Pueblo chile peppers are my Colorado favorite. They add a mild, earthy flavor without overpowering the casserole. If you’re wondering how they compare to Hatch chiles, see my Pueblo Chile Peppers vs. Hatch Chile Peppers guide.
- Diced green chiles are the easiest pantry option. Stir in a small can for a subtle Southwestern flavor. Their mild flavor goes will with the sweet and tangy sauce. I add Hatch chile peppers to my Spicy Baked Beans recipe, we love the addition.
- New Mexico Red Chile Sauce: Add a couple of tablespoons for some pure Southwestern savory, earthy heat. Another option is a tablespoon or two of New Mexico Chimayo Chile Powder.
Add Smoked Sausage
- Make Calico Beans heartier, by switching out half of the bacon with smoked sausage. Kielbasa is a good choice here.
- Looking for a hearty Southwestern Twist for a bean side dish? Take a look at my recipe for Mexican Chorizo Instant Pot Pinto Beans.
Tips For Success
- Drain Most, But Not All, of the Beans. I drain the kidney beans, butter beans, and lima beans that are packed in plain liquid. The Bush’s Baked Beans stay just as they are. That seasoned sauce belongs in the casserole.
- Brown The Bacon: Make sure all of the fat is rendered from the bacon and the bacon is crispy (but not burnt). If the fat isn’t rendered, the bacon will become flabby once it’s baked in the casserole.
- Bake Until the Sauce Looks Thick: Forget watching the clock. Look at the sauce instead. When it bubbles slowly around the edges and coats the beans instead of running across the top of the pan, it’s ready. And this is the biggest reason for cooking this recipe uncovered.
- Don’t Stir: No reason to stir the beans once they’re in the oven. Stirring hot cooked canned beans may make them mushy.
- Let It Rest: Give the casserole about ten minutes before serving. The sauce thickens even more, and every spoonful holds together beautifully.
What To Serve With Calico Beans
Round out the meal with a few comfort food favorites:
Make Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Make Ahead: This is a great make ahead recipe for pot-lucks. Flavors enhance as the ingredients have a chance to absorb the sauce and everything transforms from distinct flavors to one harmonious pot of beans.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Freeze: These beans will freeze well. I like to use freezer safe zip-lock style bags. Just stand the bags up, spoon in any leftover beans, squeeze the air out, make sure the bag is sealed well and store flat in the freezer to optimize space. Be sure to date and label the bag. They’ll keep for up to three months.
- Reheat: If frozen, let beans thaw in the refrigerator over night. Microwave: Reheat beans in the microwave using a microwave safe container. The 50% power feature is your best friend here. Reheat in one minute increments at 50% to gently reheat the beans and avoid those microwave “food explosions”.
FAQ’s
I don’t like this idea. If you try to cook dried beans in the crockpot, or stovetop, the different bean varieties won’t become tender at the same time. Plus Kidney beans need special attention to remove toxins that can cause stomach issues. Stick with canned beans for this recipe.
You cooked the beans covered, which didn’t allow the sauce to thicken. Did you forget to drain the beans that are packed in liquid? Another reason is you may not have cooked them quite long enough.
They’re very similar. The main difference is that calico beans is more like a hearty bean casserole and uses a variety of colored beans to live up to it’s “calico” name. Traditional baked beans are usually made with one type of bean, cooked in a sweet sauce flavored with ingredients like molasses, brown sugar, or maple syrup. Baked beans are typically served as a classic barbecue side.
There’s something very irresistible about Calico Beans. Maybe it’s the smoky bacon, the rich sweet-and-tangy sauce, or the colorful mix of beans that makes everyone come back for another scoop. Enjoy the recipe.
Explore More Classic Comfort Food Recipes
And don’t miss my Classic Comfort Food Category. You’ll find lots of church supper, potluck favorites like the most popular on my website for Amish Macaroni Salad and Old Fashioned Brown Sugar Green Beans with Bacon.
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Calico Beans, Using Canned Beans for the Best Flavor and Texture
Ingredients
- 1 pound Thick sliced bacon cut up into pieces
- 1 large sweet onion chopped
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 15 ounce Kidney Beans canned, drained
- 15 ounce Butter beans canned, drained
- 15 ounce Lima beans canned, drained
- 56 ounce Bush's baked beans 2-28 ounce cans, not drained
Instructions
- Cut bacon into pieces and cook in a large fry pan until fat has rendered and bacon is crispy. Once cooked, remove to a plate and drain most of the grease off.
- Sautee onion in bacon drippings until soft. About 4 – 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, vinegar, mustard powder and garlic powder. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Drain the lima beans, butter beans and kidney beans in a colander.
- Add all of the beans to the sauce and mix. Mix half the bacon into the beans and pour into a Dutch oven. Crumble the rest of the bacon on top.
- Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 50 minutes.
Notes
- Drain Most, But Not All, of the Beans. I drain the kidney beans, butter beans, and lima beans that are packed in plain liquid. The Bush’s Baked Beans stay just as they are. That seasoned sauce belongs in the casserole.
- Brown The Bacon: Make sure all of the fat is rendered from the bacon and the bacon is crispy (but not burnt). If the fat isn’t rendered, the bacon will become flabby once it’s baked in the casserole.
- Bake Until the Sauce Looks Thick: Forget watching the clock. Look at the sauce instead. When it bubbles slowly around the edges and coats the beans instead of running across the top of the pan, it’s ready. And this is the biggest reason for cooking this recipe uncovered.
- Don’t Stir: No reason to stir the beans once they’re in the oven. Stirring hot cooked canned beans may make them mushy.
- Let It Rest: Give the casserole about ten minutes before serving. The sauce thickens even more, and every spoonful holds together beautifully.
Nutrition
Calico Beans …It’s what’s for your next Pot Luck.
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
i would love to win! this cookbook will give my new cast iron dutch oven a whirl!
This sounds easy and delicious. A pot of beans sounds good on a cold winter’s night.
This looks fabulous! I have a pot luck barbecue I’m going to tomorrow and already made a three bean salad, but I’ll make this one soon for us to enjoy. We love beans!
I also love cookbooks filled with family favorite recipes like this one so please enter my name in thé draw. Thanks!
This would go perfectly under a brisket in the smoker! Nice appearance and flavors.
Yes sir! 🙂
I would really like to add this book to my collection!!
Hi Lea Ann, I would love to win this book, I love all of the recipes that you post and my daughter and her husband are trying to move to Colorado themselves which means my husband and I will be following. Beans are one of my favorite foods.
What a colorful bean dish Lea Ann with all of the different colors. It would be great for a potluck or keep at home just to enjoy with grilled foods this summer. The cookbook sounds like a great book, but I’m weeding out cookbooks as we speak, so I’ll have to pass (reluctantly I assure you). Unfortunately I can’t resist cookbooks…
Sam
Looks like my comment posted this time. Yea!
Yay!
looks like a great recipe ~`i have seen this done with ground hamburger added in and a bit of Liquid smoke for added ingredients to make more of a main meal out of it as well ~~i would love to win the cookbook by the way as well
Denise, you’ve won the cookbook, can you please email me? Under “contact” on the tab on my home page.
Yes, Please,
Thank You Very Much!
Sounds like a delicious bean recipe – I like all of the beans you used in it.
I would love to win this cookbook. I love to cook, using recipes that intrigue me.