Baked Beans

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I swear, I tried to have the post live yesterday. I swear, I did. But the Saturday monster came and ate up the day before I could work on it. Luckily, this is a long weekend for many of us, which means that you still have time to make these beans for your Labor Day cookout. This was my first time making baked beans by scratch and after making them, I know that I’ll never use canned beans again. Basically, the beans cook themselves and now I’m just thinking about all of the fun tweaks I’ll be making to this recipe—beer, coffee, bourbon, some spice, oh the possibilities are endless!

Before getting to the recipe, I want to thank all of you for your lovely wishes on my first day of work! Your collective positive energy worked and I not only had a great first day, I had a great first week! I also wanted to share three things with you. First, Como Water‘s basil vinaigrette was featured on Know Food Now‘s site. Second, Como Water‘s watermelon ginger soup was featured as the ROS Culinary Network‘s recipe of the week. And third (and totally randomly), I just finished the book The Power of Now and highly recommend it! ย Check them out and enjoy the rest of your weekends!ย ๐Ÿ˜€

Baked Beansย (Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups dry navy beans (soaked overnight)

2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups water

2 cloves garlic–chopped

1 onion–chopped

1/2 serrano chili–minced

1/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

olive oil

salt

pepper

Method:

*Soak navy beans overnight in large bowl of cold water. When ready to prepare baked beans, drain and rinse navy beans.

*Saute onion and serrano chili in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil until soft in large stock pot over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add garlic. Saute 5 minutes. Add drained beans. Add vegetable broth and water. Turn heat to high and bring to boil. Once boiling drop heat to medium low and let the beans simmer until they are soft–approximately 1-2 hours.

*Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Once beans are soft, pour them into a large baking dish. In a small saucepan, heat the molasses, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of salt and pepper over medium heat. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture just starts to bubble. Remove from heat and add the sauce to the beans. Stir. Bake uncovered for approximately 1 hour or until beans have thickened and are bubbly.

Written by

Tiffany M. Griffin is the woman behind Como Water, Washington DCโ€™s premiere veg-centric cuisine consulting company. Through cooking classes, demonstrations, catering, and consultations, Como Water gives people the opportunity to learn how to prepare veg-centric cuisine that boasts maximum flavor, with minimal effort. Tiffany is quickly becoming a go-to expert on the future of veg-centric cuisine, and is a regular contributor to Como Water, the blog, as well as to vegetarian and vegan sites across the Internet. For over a decade, this self-taught, entrepreneurial expert has developed a set of tried and true techniques for making simple, delicious, and sometimes decadent veg-centric dishes. Featured on the Steve Harvey Show and other leading media outlets, Tiffany was born and raised in Springfield, MA. She then earned Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Communications from Boston College and a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan. She now resides in Washington DC, where she has worked in the US Senate and at a federal agency on issues around health, food, nutrition, and international food aid/development, and of course, as the owner of Como Water. Tiffany gets culinary inspiration from the food she grew up eating, and from her travels throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Western Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa. She is dedicated to sharing her wealth of knowledge on veg-centric cuisine with others and to help others live by her mantraโ€”love life, live long, and eat veg-centric cuisine!

Comments

  1. Tiffany these beans sound delicious! I love a good batch of baked beans and this would be perfect at a labor day picnic! The serrano chili is a nice addition.

  2. Tiffany, these baked beans look amazing! As an omni, baked beans were always a favorite of mine (made with pork) and I have yet to eat a really great baked bean dish. This looks fantastic!

    I’m sorry that I missed that you have a new job — I’ve been traveling for most of August. I’ll scroll through your posts to get caught up!

    xo

  3. Just look at those beans swimming in all that flavor! I know I need to make my baked beans from scratch, but somehow the sweet stuff jumps in line ahead of them. Happy you had a great first day at work and wishing you a peaceful and fun holiday!

  4. Canned beans are never the same after cooking your own. This looks like one elicious recipe

  5. Good call on the serrano chilies… I’m off to go and Google The Power of Now, sounds like just the kind of book I need to read right now. Hope you have a fabulous holiday!

  6. Wow those beans look delish, I’ve never made baked beans before either. Will have to try it now, you’ve convinced me! Congrats on your first week at your new job, sorry I’ve been awol, had a horrible virus and I couldn’t eat! I know it was hideous even the smell of food was revolting! I’ve read the power of now too, it’s amazing, you’ve got to read A New Earth too it’s totally lifechanging, very intense but incredible!!

    • I just started A New Earth! Thanks for the recommendation!

  7. Those beans looks so darn tasty! I could just dig a spoon into it right. I am a baked bean lover. Yes, I have even eaten them cold out of the can ..Don’t judge me..lol ; ) I love to eat baked beans with hot butter toast. Baked Beans are part of a good ol’ British fry-up breakfast and I just love them. I would eat your beans for lunch, dinner and breakfast. Yum, yum, yum.

  8. Looks absolutely delicious, I have never made beans this way. Those Saturday monsters…

  9. Give me a bowl of these beans and a crusty piece of bread and I would be a happy man. Thank you for the print. I met Franco on Friday. Now I have to take it to be framed.

    • How exciting!

  10. Yummy! These look awesome!
    What a great recipe & definitely perfect for bbq over the long weekend.

    Cheers,
    Emily

  11. Great recipe! Dried beans taste so much better than canned.

  12. This looks like a great baked beans recipe! These would be great with veggie burgers!

  13. Now you have me wanting to try beans on my own too. These look awesome. P.S. Are you interested in joining a DC bloggers facebook group? I was added the other day and there are a TON of cool girls on there ๐Ÿ™‚

    • YES! I’m super interested!

  14. Tiffany….I have never made baked beans from scratch. But looking at your beautiful dish…I don’t think I can ever go to canned again! I must learn how to make these because I also LOVE your suggestions for variation. I’m glad you had a great week and congrats on your publications! : )

  15. Awesome recipe, Tiffany! I have never made them from scratch either, but I really want to give this a try sometime as my husband loves baked beans! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

  16. this looks delicious!!! i have some pinto beans, maybe i’ll make some baked beans!

  17. I have actually been looking for a baked bean dish that doesn’t include worcestershire sauce so this is absolutely perfect! Thank you! Will have to give this one a go!

  18. Oooh these look good! Perfect for the long weekend ๐Ÿ™‚

  19. Amazing how homemade versions of things can spoil us for the storebought variety. i can see why these would turn you off canned beans for good!

  20. Congrats on all the accomplishments! Sounds like life is finally finding a happy hold on things ๐Ÿ™‚ See! Told ya! Kick ASS baked beans…seriously drool inducing. Happy Labor Day! Buzzed

  21. I am so happy things are looking up for you! ๐Ÿ™‚ Happy long weekend!

  22. I’ve never made my own baked beans. Yours look delicious!!

  23. Oh goodness me! I have never eaten baked beans (I know… mad!) but we don’t have them in Italy. I love beans though and that sweet and sour sauce you baked them with sounds mouthwatering. I will have to try them!

  24. Ohhh and I am so happy you had a great first week at the new job!!! <3

  25. Congratulations on your features and the beans look AMAZING!

  26. Mmmm baked beans!! LOVE. So glad your first week of work went so well!!

  27. I just posted on beans too, aren’t beans wonderful ๐Ÿ™‚
    You did a great job with yours!

  28. I love baked beans so much I could eat them with everything. If there is a heaven, I think it involves an unlimited supply of baked beans, cake, pizza, tomatoes and pickles. And kitten snuggles.

  29. Congratulations on your features and these baked beans look yum! I’ve never cooked beans myself either. We don’t eat beans much (um because I don’t cook?). I see why you said you won’t use canned anymore. It looks much nicer when you cook yourself and it does look easy enough (altho I know other option is just open a can). Glad to hear your first week at work went okay.

  30. Ooh, look at that molasses and spice in there. This would definitely make us all forget the tins – especially with all of your creative variations. I am so glad to hear your first week at work was great. Ouf! Bet that’s a relief. Another huge hurdle cracked, well done. And FABULOUS news on your recipes being featured. You are still on that roll, Tiffany! J xo

  31. Home made baked beans! I didn’t think molasses would figure in there – totally impressed! I am a big fan of molasses and will surely have a go at making this at some point…So far, have only enjoyed the shop-bought ones…

  32. Oh man, these look so delicious, and so…American. I’m totally enjoying the Asian food I’ve been chowing down over here, but I’m definitely starting to miss some USA staples. The basics caught my eye (<3 molasses), but I truly love that you spiced these up with serrano. Yum!

  33. Tiffany, your baked beans look delicious…love the idea of homemade than the can ones…beautiful pictures as well.
    Hope you are having a great week ๐Ÿ™‚

  34. Beans. I love beans…best source of vegan protein. Pretty much!

    This looks really good! Girl, you’ve done it again!

  35. Thanks for the comments everyone!

  36. I must admit that I’m not a fan of baked beans but I have a family who is and they’d love these. I love the addition of molasses and Serrano chilies. Those sound like a great flavor additions!

  37. Baked beans…ohh yum! some people drool over dessert me..nooo I drool over beans:))
    Awesome recipe Tiff, you have no idea how much I love beans:))

  38. I am not a fan of baked beans, but hubby loves them! These look great. I always just buy them from the can for him.

  39. Your baked beans look delicious and gorgeous! I kept scrolling up and down as I type this comment between this comment box and the baked beans photos. It must be the sauce Tiffany! LOL!

  40. good sharing on how to make baked beans as I too depend on the canned ones. Its my hubby’s fav and he will simply enjoy it.

  41. Hi Tiffany! It’s so nice to hear people enjoying their work than griping about it.
    And these baked beans are fantastic! Really, I mean, fan ab-so-very-lute-ly-tas-tic! I’ve never made these before, didn’t even occur to me. Grandma loves this (no teeth) and I keep buying the canned ones for her. I love them myself (got teeth) and I really have to try this out. Thanks very much!

  42. The consistency of these beans looks perfect and the recipe sounds so delicious. Perfect for a BBQ…or anytime.

  43. I like beans and I never tried them this way.. But definitely will ๐Ÿ™‚

  44. My husband loves beans, so I know that he would love these, especially with the chili.
    I have never seen a more gorgeous picture of baked beans:)

    congrats on all of your recipe accolades! Sounds like you are off to a great start in DC.

  45. it happens ๐Ÿ™‚ Love that you made this with dry beans! People rarely take the time to soak and cook beans these days, cans are so easy, but inferior.

  46. I made my first batch of baked beans in years this summer…but cheated and used canned beans. My hubby loved them, so I’ll have to raise the bar and make them totally from scratch! You’ve inspired me ๐Ÿ™‚

  47. These look so toothsome and spectacular! Baked beans are a rare treat b/c of the high sodium, but these could totally be tweaked to be low-so. Love it! Also LOVE that they’re vegetarian. Nothing ickier than finding that big flabby piece o’ pork at the bottom of the dish. Or can. Except perhaps finding that big ole piece o’ pork in your mouth! Scary stuff, my foodie friend!!

    Huge congrats on the recipes, btw. You totally deserve it!! Such a great site.

  48. Delicious looking baked beans and love the color it gave. Nice flavor combination used.

  49. Baked beans from scratch! Trust Tiffany to do the work ๐Ÿ™‚ Great on your accomplishments!!! Really happy for you. You are one sweet girl and deserve every blessing.

  50. Hey, do you want to join us for our “Fresh Mystery Basket” Challenge? It would be great to see you approach it from a vegan perspective!

  51. Congratulations on your features ๐Ÿ™‚ These look delicious…I love baked beans but have never tried to make them before. Delicious!
    Hope you have a wonderful week

  52. Yum! Molasses is always a must in my baked beans too. Love your version. You always seem to pack a lot of flavor into your food. I would eat your food any day of the week! If only I was so lucky!!!