You just can't beat sweet and smoky homemade baked beans. If you are looking for something healthy and filling on a budget, then give these Slow Cooker Baked Beans a try! Lower in sugar and salt than store bought, they are a great source of fibre and vegetarian protein source and super cheap to make.
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You really can't beat homemade baked beans. We have taken a classic British breakfast and cooked it in a slow cooker (crockpot), so you can wake up on a cold morning with this comforting breakfast ready to eat (if put on a timer).
Baked beans in the slow cooker also make a great side dish and jacket potato topping.
These are so good for batch cooking as well, because they freeze really well. Portion them up, put them in the freezer and then get a portion or two out in the morning to have with lunch or to go with the kid's dinner.
SO simple to make - as simple as dumping all the ingredients into the slow cooker and leaving to cook.
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Slow Cooker Baked Beans Ingredients
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Cannellini beans - Ever wondered what kind of beans are baked beans? They are usually haricot or cannellini beans. These are the best beans to use for baked beans, as they are nice and creamy. You could add some red kidney beans or black beans in too.
- Garlic granules and paprika - These create the lovely smoky flavour and can be adapted to suit your own tastes.
- Passata - For that lovely rich sauce.
- Maple syrup or honey - You can leave this out, but it's nice to have a touch of sweetness in the baked beans that would get with canned baked beans.
- BBQ Sauce - We love our slow cooker baked beans with a real smoky flavour, so added some BBQ sauce to make BBQ baked beans. Use the best quality one you can.
- Apple cider vinegar - This is more than to add flavour. Vinegar enhances the other flavours.
- Tomato puree - Also known as tomato paste. Used to thicken the sauce and give the baked bean recipe a really boost of tomato flavour.
Slow Cooker Baked Beans Variations
Flavour - The great thing about baked beans in the slow cooker is you can change the flavours around. Personally, we LOVE BBQ beans. Want curry beans? Add some curry powder. Play around with the recipe and see what you like. Make them spicy by adding a splash of Buffalo sauce, or your favourite chilli sauce.
Bacon - Want to make them more indulgent? Just fry up some chopped bacon and add it to the slow cooker with all the other ingredients. You could use turkey bacon to make it lighter.
How to Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Step 1
To make baked beans from scratch, put all of the ingredients into a large slow cooker. We use a Morphy Richards Slow Cooker.
Step 2
Mix well to coat all of the beans.
Step 3
Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours, so most of the liquid is absorbed. The beans should be creamy and tender.
What To Serve with Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- Beans on toast is such a classic, but there is so much more that you can do with slow cooker baked beans. Add them to stews, pies and bolognese or put them on top of a baked potato with some cheese. use them in this Jacket Potato with Beans and Cheese recipe. They make a really delicious and cheap nacho topping too, especially when you add some Mexican spices to them.
- We love them in a Shepherd's Pie as a way to bulk it out and make it go further. You can also put them in a puff pastry parcel to make a comforting pasty. Follow our Cheese and Onion Pasty recipe, but use beans instead.
- Our kids love these with sausage and chips, so why not try our Air Fryer Sausages and Skin on Fries?
Dannii's Top Tips
- Use a mixture of beans like cannellini, haricot, black beans and red kidney beans to mix things up.
- If you like your homemade baked beans a little more saucy, then you could add a little stock, (about 100ml) to the slow cooker with all the rest of the ingredients.
- Make flavoured slow cooker baked beans by adding curry powder.
- You can use dried beans to make this, but you would need to soak them overnight and the cooking time would need to be increased.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can store them in the freezer, and they make a great batch cook dish. Just allow them to fully cool and then freeze them flat in ziplock bags. You can also keep them in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
To reheat them, just make sure they are fully defrosted and then gently heat them in a pan. They will be very thick, so you will need to add some stock to loosen them up a bit.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
If you've tried these slow cooker beans, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 700 g (1.5 lb) Cannellini beans - canned; drained weight
- 400 g (1.66 cups) Passata
- 3 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoon BBQ Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon Tomato puree
- 0.5 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic granules
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients into a large slow cooker.
- Mix well.
- Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours, so most of the liquid is absorbed. The beans should be creamy and tender.
Recipe Tips
- Use a mixture of beans like cannellini, haricot, black beans and red kidney beans to mix things up.
- If you like your homemade baked beans a little more saucy, then you could add a little stock, (about 100ml) to the slow cooker with all the rest of the ingredients.
- Make flavoured slow cooker baked beans by adding curry powder.
- You can use dried beans to make this, but you would need to soak them overnight and the cooking time would need to be increased.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Sam says
I had to come back and say wow!! This turned out great. I moved to the US from England and aside from getting imported Heinz beans have not found anything I liked. These filled the spot! Served on top of a jacket potato with cheese. Delicious. I will be making these again and again. Thank you for sharing.
Jo says
Hi ya, how many grams is one portion?
Dannii says
Sorry, I don't know how many grams. But this whole recipe serves 4, so it is a quarter of the recipe per person.
angie says
What is passatta?
Thank you!
Dannii Martin says
It is strained tomatoes. If you are in the US you might know it as tomato puree
Bexy says
Happy Baked Beans on Toast Day (25th Dec). A simple peaceful tradition started a few years ago here in the UK, as an alternative to the avarice, stress and waste created by mainstream traditions, kept going by films and the media, for retail. Enjoying simple pleasures, for to live a simple life helps others to simply live.
Lucy says
Love baked beans and I've never tried making them before, this is the perfect recipe as my kids will devour it!
Lynda says
These look soooooo yummy!!
I am not familiar with passata...is it something that is sold in the US? Would tomato paste be a good substitution?
Thank you so much! :-)
Dannii Martin says
You would know passata was tomato puree. It's strained tomatoes.
Sarahjane says
I don't like tinned tomatoes but I'm desperate to try this recipe! Might change my mind
Nat says
Great recipe, could these be made without a slow cooker? Thanks X
Dannii Martin says
Yes, you could make these on the hob or in the oven.
StressedMum says
I have bookmarked this as love using my slow cooker and would love to try homemade baked beans x
Michelle Burdett says
How many servings does this make please Dannii?
Thanks
Michelle
Dannii Martin says
6 servings.