Vegan Baked Beans

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

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 10

Servings people

Calories 139kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Equipment

Dutch Oven or Oven-Safe Skillet (see note for stovetop method)

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
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
⅓ cup tomato paste
¾ cup vegetable broth , low sodium
⅓ 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)
¾ teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
Fresh cracked pepper , to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 ° F (177 ° C).
Heat oil over medium heat in a 6-quart Dutch Oven or large oven-safe skillet (*see note). Once the oil is shimmering, add onion and sauté until softened and lightly golden. About 4-6 minutes.
Lower heat one notch and add the garlic. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Now stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds.
Add the dry mustard, cumin, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Now add the broth and bring to a mild simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes to slightly thicken.
Add the maple syrup, molasses, tamari, vinegar, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add the beans and stir to combine well. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Cover with lid or tin foil and place it in the oven for 45 minutes, stirring midway through. Now uncover the pot and let it bake for 10-15 minutes more or until the sauce is thickened and caramelized on top.

Video

Notes

Beans: If you don't have navy beans or great northern beans, you can use cannellini, pinto, or kidney beans.
Oven-Safe Cookware: If you don't have it, you can transfer the beans to a casserole dish and cover it with a lid or tin foil.
Stovetop Method: 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.

Substitutes:

Vegan Worcestershire: 2-3 teaspoons hoisin sauce (or omit)
Tomato Paste: ½ cup ketchup
Molasses: Reduce the maple syrup to ¼ cup and add 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar.

Flavor Profile: The beans have a great balance of sweet, spicy, tangy, and smoky flavors, but feel free to switch it up to your liking. Here are a few variations:

Sweetness: for a subtle sweetness, reduce the maple syrup to ¼ cup or increase to ½ cup for more sweetness.
Heat: for less heat, you can reduce the red chili flakes to ¼ teaspoon or omit them altogether.
Tang: for more tang, increase the vinegar to 3 tablespoons and decrease to 1 tablespoon for less.

Nutrition