Description
A flavorful slow cooker baked beans recipe featuring crispy bacon and smoky BBQ sauce, perfect for Memorial Day BBQs and crowd-pleasing gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cooked Great Northern beans or 2 cans, drained
- 8 slices thick-cut crispy bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (smoky and not overly sweet)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Crisp the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain, reserving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.
- Add diced onions to the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat until translucent and soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- In the slow cooker, combine cooked beans, sautéed onions and garlic, tomato paste, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and half of the chopped crispy bacon. Stir well.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours until beans are tender and flavors meld.
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the remaining chopped crispy bacon. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If too thick, add a splash of water or broth. Serve warm.
Notes
Crisp bacon separately for best texture and flavor. Use bacon fat to sauté onions for smoky richness. Add salt at the end to avoid over-salting. For vegetarian version, omit bacon and use smoked paprika and olive oil. Leftovers taste better after flavors meld overnight. Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup per serv
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 15
Keywords: baked beans, BBQ baked beans, slow cooker beans, Memorial Day recipe, crispy bacon, BBQ side dish, easy slow cooker recipe