These spicy baked beans are savory, spicy, sweet and smoky. Perfect easy recipe for any casual backyard BBQ or potluck. Sprucing up a can of pork and beans with your favorite zesty ingredients provides an easy way to serve an exciting side dish. A delicious baked bean recipe from the Oklahoma Jr. League Cookbook.
Have a hard time deciding what side dish to serve at BBQ? Old Fashioned Potato Salad is always a traditional choice. Or try this popular Pea Salad with Eggs.
What To Expect From This Recipe
If you’re reading this smack dab in the middle of backyard BBQ season, you’re most certainly browsing Google for side dishes. And there are so many choices aren’t there?
But the common denominator always leads us down that Baked Bean, Potato Salad or Cole Slaw path. And don’t forget about those pasta salads. Simply stated, yay for easy breezy Summer food.
This is a very tasty and very easy big flavored spicy baked beans recipe.
This isn’t a recipe for soaking beans overnight and bake them for hours until done. This is a baked beans recipe using canned beans. Throw in some might fine flavors – the good stuff.
You’ll use a large can of pork and beans baked beans. Then to kick up the flavor you’ll add common pantry items starting with Worcestershire Sauce. Chile Powder brings some fiesty excitement and liquid Smoke adds a rich smoky flavor and you won’t even notice there’s no bacon in these baked beans.
Can you make baked beans without brown sugar? Not in my books. Brown sugar brings the sweetness.
You’ll find simple baked beans turned into a masterpiece of a side dish.
Spicy baked Beans is an easy recipe that’s unique in flavor
These beans are baked until bubbly and caramelized, you’re going to love every bite.
Table of contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Onion: Dice a yellow or sweet onion.
- Liquid Smoke: Available on the condiment aisle of your grocery store, just a few drops will add a smoky flavor to any dish. Liquid smoke is a natural by-product of smoked wood. A great condiment to have on hand.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a powerhouse umami condiment. Tangier than soy sauce, it’s rich with flavor from fish sauce, vinegar and molasses. It’s wonderful in this baked bean recipe.
- Ketchup and Mustard: Key ingredients to make these baked beans sweet and tangy. For the mustard, use prepared yellow mustard.
- Brown Sugar: Using brown sugar rather than granulated white sugar brings more of a caramel toffee like flavor. I used light brown sugar for this recipe. You can also use dark brown sugar.
- Chile Powder: How to spice up baked beans? Bring on the heat .. or not. There are many types of pure chile powders, and they all have different heat levels. I use New Mexico Chimayo Chile Powder, which is medium hot on the heat scale. You can use Ancho chile powder, which is milder. Cayenne pepper works great in this recipe.
- Green Bell Pepper: The somewhat bitter grassy flavor of a green bell pepper works well to balance the overall sweet and spicy flavor of this baked bean casserole. You can also use milder and sweet varieties such a red bell pepper or orange bell pepper.
Step by Step Instructions – It’s Easy!
With just a little slicing and dicing you’re on your way to a great little big-time baked bean side dish.
- Step 1: In a 2 quart mixing bowl, combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chile powder, Liquid Smoke, mustard and brown sugar. Whisk until smooth.
- Step 2: Add the beans and gently mix with a spoon.
- Step 3: Add the chopped parsley, sauteed bell pepper and onions to the bean mixture. Gently combine.
- Step 4: Pour the mixture into your favorite 2 quart casserole dish. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Questions You May Have
I drain about half of the liquid from the can of pork and beans. You’re adding a lot of flavor and liquid to this recipe, so draining the beans a bit will make the end dish a little thicker.
The beans inside that can of pork and beans are navy beans. If you have dried navy beans, soak a cup of them overnight in enough water to cover by an inch. The next morning, boil the beans for two minutes and then simmer than for two hours. Drain and proceed with the recipe.
I’ve never tried it, but black beans would be a good substitute for this recipe.
Absolutely yes. You can prepare the casserole ahead of time, refrigerate and then bake just before serving. Or you can bake ahead of time then gently reheat in the oven at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes. Or until nice and steamy.
Yes. The sauce around the beans protects them. Let them cool down and then grab a freezer friendly container and seal well. They’ll keep for a couple of months. Just remove the container from the freezer and place in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat either using the microwave or oven.
Yes. If you’re hosting a gathering and need oven space, feel free to use the slow cooker for this recipe. Just follow the recipe and instead of placing the ingredients in a baking dish for the oven, add it to the slow cooker, that’s been sprayed with non-stick spray. Cook on low around 6 hours and on high for 3 – 4 hours. Check on them every couple of hours so they don’t burn, as every crock pot is a little different.
Tips For Success
- The more shallow the baking dish, the more caramelized the end result will be. I’ve tried this with both shallow and deep dishes and prefer the more shallow dish.
- Don’t over stir: Using canned beans means that beans have already been cooked to a very soft stage. During anytime during the preparation process, stir the beans gently to combine ingredients. If you over-stir the beans, they can become mushy.
How To Control The Heat Level
Need to make these spicy baked beans more kid friendly? The heat level is easy to control here. Simply omit the spicy chile powder. Use a milder chile powder like ancho or even chili powder (with an “i”) which is a blend of spices used in your favorite chili soup recipe.
What To Serve With Spicy Baked Beans
There couldn’t be a more perfect side dish for any Summer style entree than these spicy baked beans. Oven Ribs come to mind along with these:
More Bean Side Dish Recipes
And don’t miss my Side Dishes Category for more delicious ideas. Including the most popular post Broccoli Cheez Whiz Casserole.
And if you’re looking for even more side dishes for picnic style gatherings, don’t miss this line-up of Summer cook-out sides. I’m positive you’ll find something you love.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Spicy Baked Beans with Pork and Beans
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped
- ½ Cup Ketchup
- ¼ Cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon chile powder New Mexico Red or ancho
- ½ teaspoon Liquid Smoke
- 1 Tablespoon mustard prepared yellow
- ¼ Cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 28 oz pork and beans half of the liquid drained
- 2 Tablespoon flat leaf parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat olive oil in skillet and sauté onions for 4 minutes. (Onions should be transparent.) Add peppers and sauté another 2 minutes or until vegetables are just turning tender.
- In a 2 quart mixing bowl, combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, Liquid Smoke, mustard and brown sugar. Whisk until blended.
- Add the beans and gently stir with a spoon.
- Add onions and peppers to bean mixture. Add parsley and gently stir.
- Prepare a 2 quart casserole dish by spraying with non-stick spray. Pour bean mixture into dish and bake for 45 minutes.
Video
Notes
- The more shallow the baking dish, the more caramelized the end result will be. I’ve tried this with both shallow and deep dishes and prefer the more shallow dish.
- Don’t over stir: Using canned beans means that beans have already been cooked to a very soft stage. During anytime during the preparation process, stir the beans gently to combine ingredients. If you over-stir the beans, they can become mushy.
Nutrition
Spicy Baked Beans Recipe Using Canned Beans … it’s what’s for a BBQ side dish
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
Deb is such a wonderful writer AND has great recipes! Not only the casserole dish but your story about the first time you doctored up canned pork and beans brought back similar memories!
Yup, those baked beans of mine were a hit! All I did was drain the liquid off pork and beans and add catsup and mustard and bacon. I was pretty proud of myself at 10 years old.
Baked beans might be my favorite side to accompany a grilling party…. well, second to fresh corn on the cob.
I agree with all of that Lauren. 🙂
Thank goodness for those old Women’s Auxiliary Cookbook, also; all raggedy and stained. Your recipe is almost identical to what I’ve been making all my cooking life; molasses instead of brown sugar. We never stop grilling, just increase in the summer. Enjoy your website. Thank you.
Our son is bikinfg in the Courage Classic this weekend. I’m thinking steak and beans one night. Thanks for the recipe!
Baked Beans are a BBQ staple and this recipe just rocks! I think I’ll need to whip up a batch this weekend as I have some grilling action going on.
Thanks Aly, we enjoyed this recipe and different than we’ve ever had. Let me know how you like it.
These sound great LA especially with the addition of the liquid smoke and green pepper. We’ll have to try it.
I agree about that green pepper and liquid smoke. Made for a unique recipe. And delicious.
Lea Ann, this may not be the way *I* make baked beans, but I’d love these I’m sure. I’ve never met a baked bean I didn’t like (my take on a famous Oklahoman quote!). Can’t wait to check out her blog.
Love that quote! 🙂
We have baked beans at least once a week during the grilling season and I like having different recipes so that I can use whatever ingredients are on hand. Thanks for sharing.
Tis the baked bean season! Thanks Wendy.
Baked beans are always a must at our family barbecues…and this one sounds delicious! Glad to know I have two new baked bean recipes to try! Yours look amazing!
Thanks so much Kathy.
These look and sound simply divine! I think the liquid smoke is the secret in these beans. Nice choice!
Thanks Lisa.
Baked beans are one of my all time favorite sides and this recipe sounds spectacular! Great job 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thanks Eric. Always good to hear from you.
I’m embarrassed to say that the only baked beans I’ve ever served at home have come from a can. This recipe might just put an end to this tradition. This homemade version is so much better!
There are a couple of canned versions that are pretty darn good, but never as good as homemade sauce.
I love baked beans and these look really great! Even without the bacon! Yum!
Thanks Heather.
Bill adores baked beans and thanks to Blogger CLUE, I have two new, terrific recipes to try. He will be thrilled. This version looks terrific!
Thanks Liz and as always, thanks for rounding us all up for a great event.
I love that you found the baked beans! They are the find of the century. I have made them twice in the last month…..baked beans are always the best side.. These are great cold with sandwiches, too!
I love baked beans with a sandwich. Thanks for that reminder! 😉
I love baked beans and Okie baked beans are the best! YUM!! I want to make a dish full right now and I even have a Pyrex dish just like yours! 🙂
I love those pyrex dishes. They’re my mom’s. And I think I’ll rename this in my database as Okie beans. 🙂
Yum! I adore baked beans and since they’re the only kind that my daughter will eat, they’re one of my go-to sides. I’ll definitely be giving these a try. Good choice for the CLUE picnic.
Thanks Christiane.
Isn’t that such a great blog? I love it! And I love this dish — a good bean dish is so satisfying, isn’t it? And this sure looks like a good one! Thanks so much.
I do like her blog John! And her writing style.
Baked beans are absolutely an essential cook-out side dish (although I’ve been known to turn them into a main course). These sound AMAZING. If only I could reach in and extract that plate….
Good morning, Lea Ann! What a surprise. I was a little worried for you b/c I don’t have a plethora of grilling recipes. This is my absolute go-to cook out recipe. My sister does add black beans to her version and I’ve used all sorts of bean combos, including chick peas. Thanks for the nice write-up.
This bean recipe was the find of the century, didn’t matter if you had a zillion bbq recipes or not. 🙂 Good to hear about the black beans. I’ll try it next. Nice cooking with you for this event Debra.
Baked beans are a classic side dish for any barbecue. Great choice (and not just because that’s what I chose too!) Your Corning Ware cornflour casserole full of those lovely saucy beans reminds me of my grandmothers and mother, Lea Ann.
Thanks Stacy and I agree about those beans for a BBQ side dish. I have a whole set of those casserole dishes. Well, maybe 4 different sizes. I’ll never give them up.