Vegan Baked Beans

Name: Vegan Baked Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or preferred cooking oil); 1 large onion (, diced); 4 cloves garlic (, minced); 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 2 teaspoons dry mustard ((sub with dijon mustard)); 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1/3 cup tomato paste; 3/4 cup vegetable broth (, low sodium); 1/3 cup maple syrup ((sub with brown sugar)); 2-3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses; 2 tablespoons tamari (, low sodium (sub soy sauce)); 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce; 1.5 teaspoons liquid smoke ((*optional)); 3 15-ounce cans (425g) great northern beans (or navy beans (rinsed and drained)); 3/4 teaspoon sea salt (, more to taste ); Fresh cracked pepper (, to taste )

April 7, 2024 By Melissa Huggins / 56 Comments

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Make your barbecue complete by putting these Vegan Baked Beans on the table! This smoky, flavorful side dish is easy to prepare and made in one pot. It’s also a freezer-friendly recipe, perfect for family dinners or Sunday meal prep.

Fully cooked beans in a white pot with a spoon in the middle Napkin and mustard powder in the background.

Push the store-bought version aside and fill up on these rich and tasty Vegan Baked Beans! This easy side dish will bring depths of flavor to all of your favorite meals. My family loves them alongside my vegan mac n' cheese and skillet cornbread.

This recipe is simple, flexible, and only takes about 1 hour to come together. It'll be worth the wait! The leftover beans are freezer-friendly so you can enjoy them for family meals or weekday lunches. Using canned beans keeps this recipe as easy as possible. No soaking is required!

Ingredients Needed

The ingredients are fairly simple, but if you don't have some of them, they can easily be substituted with something you have on hand.

all of the ingredients to make baked beans on a table top.

Dry Mustard: You can replace it with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard. This adds more zing so you may want to reduce the vinegar.
Smoked Paprika: Chipotle powder works well. It has some heat, so you may want to reduce or omit the red pepper flakes. You can use regular paprika but it won't have the smoky flavor.
Vegan Worcestershire: 2-3 teaspoons of hoisin sauce or you can omit it altogether.
Maple Syrup: Brown sugar is a great alternative.
Tamari: Soy sauce is the perfect replacement (note: soy sauce contains gluten)
Liquid Smoke: This is optional, so you can skip it. If you want a little more smoky flavor, you can add another teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Tomato Paste: ½ cup ketchup will work. The flavor isn't as deep but it's still delicious.
Molasses: Reduce the maple syrup to ¼ cup and add 3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar.
Great Northern Beans: You can use cannellini, pinto, kidney beans, or a blend of them.
Apple Cider Vinegar: You can use white or red wine vinegar, but you may want to reduce the amount in the recipe.

How to make baked beans

It takes just six easy steps to make these beans! Here's what you'll need to do as well as some cooking variations below:

6 various process photos of cooking beans in a white pot.

Heat oil over medium heat in a 6-quart Dutch Oven. Now add onion and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Now stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds.
Add the dry spices and sauté for 30 seconds.
Pour in the broth and bring to a mild simmer for a few minutes.
Stir in the maple syrup, molasses, tamari, vinegar, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper.
Add the beans and stir to combine well. Cover with lid and place it in the oven for 45 minutes. Uncover the pot and let it bake for 10-15 minutes until the sauce is thickened and caramelized on top.

Cooking Variations

My favorite way to cook these beans is in the oven. The flavors really shine through and I love the caramelized sauce. Follow my easy instructions in the recipe card below to bake your beans in the oven. Here are other ways to cook them:

Stovetop: Instead of transferring to the oven, cover the pot and simmer on low for 40-50 minutes. Then uncover for an additional 10-15 minutes to thicken.

Slow Cooker: Sauté the onions, garlic, tomato paste, and spices before adding them to your slow cooker. Reduce the broth by ¼ cup. Stir everything together, cover with a lid, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. Make sure to give the mixture a stir once or twice while it’s cooking.

How to Serve

Grill up some portobello mushroom steaks at your next barbecue and serve the beans as a side dish along with vegan potato salad or vegan macaroni salad. You can also top them on nachos, baked potatoes, salads, and more!

overhead view of baked beans in a white pot. Hand holding spoon and stirring beans.

FAQs

Can I substitute canned beans for dried beans?

Dried beans will work, but they do take some preparation. Use 1 lb of dried navy beans and soak them overnight. Drain and rinse them the next morning. Add the beans to a pot with water and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Remove from the heat as soon as the water begins to boil, cover with a lid, and let them rest for 45 minutes before using them in this recipe

How do I store them?

Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. They also freeze well when sealed tightly. Thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat the batch in the oven or on the stovetop until warmed throughout. Keep covered so they don't dry out and add a few splashes of broth if needed.

More bean recipes to try

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