Spicy Baked Beans with Bacon

Spicy Baked Beans with Bacon are a fun twist on the classic barbecue side dish that have a serious kick. Make these big batch baked beans in the oven for any type of gathering! Makes 8 servings.

Love baked beans with a classic backyard barbecue? You’ve got to pair ’em with Instant Pot BBQ Brisket and Oven Fried Okra!

2023 Update: This recipe was originally shared in June 2015. I have simplified the recipe and it now includes measurements by weight. The post has been updated to include new photos, as well as more tips and tricks. I hope you love them!

I’m a Memphis girl, and I love me some barbecue, as well as all the “traditional” barbecue sides that come with it, like baked beans and coleslaw. Pair ’em with Memphis Style Ribs (Dry Rub Oven Baked Ribs Recipe), and I’m a happy girl.

Since moving to Texas, the land of beef barbecue, I’ve learned about some new barbecue sides.

They’re all delicious, and I certainly won’t complain when served fried okra or macaroni and cheese with my barbecue… but I like what I grew up with.

And whenever I think about making barbecue at home, I gravitate to those sides from my past.

Why I love this recipe:

These baked beans in the oven pack in a ton of flavor—they’ve got spice from Bloody Mary Mix and sriracha sauce (or your fave hot sauce). They’ve got some smokiness from the bacon. And they’ve got sweetness from honey.

Quite honestly, I love ’em because they are less sweet than the canned variety.

These beautiful baked beans from scratch are not too sweet and pack a major punch of heat. (But of course, you can adjust the heat level to your tastebuds!)

It also makes a big batch, so they’re fantastic for sharing.

While they’re not as fast to make as my Instant Pot BBQ Baked Beans, they’re worth the effort!

Dishes you should pair these BBQ baked beans with: Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Mustard Coleslaw | Apple Cider Pulled Pork with Apple Coleslaw | BBQ Chicken Burger Bites with Avocado Slaw | Pear BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pear Slaw | Pulled Pork Coleslaw Eggrolls

Need some barbecue inspiration? Head on over to my Outdoor Entertaining Recipe Index for more ideas!

What you need to make this recipe:

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• Large mixing bowl
• Dutch oven (that’s oven safe)
• Baking dish or casserole (if not using an oven-safe Dutch oven)
• Colander
• Sharp knife and cutting board

Here’s what you need:

• Navy beans — the dried variety. We’re going to soak them overnight before cooking, so make sure to do this! You could also use another white bean, like a northern white bean or a cannellini bean.
• Water — this is important to the soak, friend! It’s also important for cooking the beans.
• Kosher salt — I use a medium grain kosher salt for this recipe. You could also use a similarly sized sea salt, too.
• Bacon — use your favorite kind.
• White onions — yellow onions would work in a pinch, too!
• Garlic cloves — while pre-chopped garlic is really convenient, I find that garlic cloves you chop yourself have a lot more flavor.
• Bloody Mary Mix — we’re using this to give us a ton of flavor to the beans! Zing Zang is our favorite Bloody Mary Mix. Tabasco Bloody Mary Mix also has really good flavor!
• Barbecue sauce — you can get your favorite at the store (we prefer Rendezvous and Stubb’s brands in our house) or you can make your own barbecue sauce
• Honey — this is our sweetener. I love how the honey plays with the hot sauce. That said, I think maple syrup would make an excellent substitute for this if you do not eat honey.
• Sriracha sauce — or another hot sauce of your choosing! I love the heat sriracha brings to these oven baked beans.
• Dijon mustard — while some baked beans recipes call for dry mustard, that’s not what we’re using here.
• Worcestershire sauce — just a splash gives us some major umami! It’s a nice addition to this baked beans with bacon recipe.

How to make Spicy Baked Beans with Bacon

First and foremost, go through the beans. Pick out any broken beans, plant debris or small rocks, and place them in a large bowl that has more than enough room. Soak the dried beans in water overnight.

Cook the beans. Drain the beans, and place them in a large Dutch oven. Add water, and bring to a boil over high heat for 1(ish) hour, or until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside.

Cook the bacon. In the same Dutch oven, cook the strips of bacon until caramelized.

Remove the bacon, but leave the bacon fat in the pan.

Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. (This will take 4-6ish minutes, depending on your stovetop.)

Give them an occasional stir so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the liquid ingredients. Pour in the Bloody Mary Mix, barbecue sauce, honey, Sriracha sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Bring it to a boil.

Add the beans. Give ’em a stir, and sprinkle on the bacon.

Bake for 45 minutes with the lid on.

Remove the lid, and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes before serving. The sauce will be sticky and gooey.

Enjoy!

Erin’s Entertaining Tips

Baked Beans with Bacon are one of my favorite dishes to serve at a backyard barbecue or any other outdoor gathering involving food because they go so well with so many dishes.

Whether you’re making actual barbecue, like Memphis Style Ribs (Dry Rub Oven Baked Ribs Recipe) or Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork, this recipe is a delicious side dish.. You could also serve them something like Juicy Lucy Burgers

With that in mind, here are a few tricks I’ve learned over the years while making homemade baked beans.

• Give yourself more than enough time. I always start cooking mine with 3-4 hours to go before guests arrive. Why? Sometimes, the beans take longer to soften when boiling. And if they finish early, they can always be kept warm or reheated in the oven.
• Give ’em a good taste. These baked beans are less sweet than the canned variety, and I like that. However, before you serve them, give them a taste and doctor them as needed.
• Double the easy baked beans recipe if you’re feeding a crowd. The bean’s cooking time might need to be a little longer since there are more beans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Tips And Tricks To The Best Baked Beans in the Oven

• Use the right ingredients. We’re using dried beans in this recipe, not canned beans. Also, choose your favorite bacon and use that!
• How to store Spicy Baked Beans: Once these beans have cooled off, place in an airtight food storage container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until they’re at the optimal temperature.
• Season to taste. While I think this combination is pretty dang perfect, you might like your baked beans with bacon a little sweeter. That’s OK. Follow the instructions below, then give the beans a taste. If it needs more sweetness, add in another drizzle of honey. If you like it spicier, feel free to add in more hot sauce.