Classic slow-cooked baked beans (Printable)

Tender beans in rich tomato sauce, slow-cooked to a sweet-savory finish, ideal for hearty meals.

# What You Need:

→ Beans

01 - 2 1/2 cups dried navy beans or 3 (14 oz) cans navy beans, drained and rinsed

→ Sauce

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
05 - 1/4 cup molasses or dark treacle
06 - 3 tbsp brown sugar
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
10 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
12 - 1 tsp salt
13 - 1 cup water
14 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# How-To:

01 - If using dried beans, soak overnight in cold water, then drain. Place in a large pot, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
02 - Set oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
03 - Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute to release flavors.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, molasses, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and water. Stir thoroughly.
06 - Add the cooked or canned beans to the sauce, stirring gently to coat evenly. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
07 - Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and beans are tender.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot as a side dish.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like they've been simmering since morning, but you're actually done in just over two hours.
  • The molasses and brown sugar create this deep, almost mysterious sweetness that keeps people guessing what's in them.
  • They're the rare side dish that people genuinely ask you to bring back.
02 -
  • Don't skip the oven step and try to finish them on the stovetop—the dry beans really need that gentle, even heat to soften properly and let the sauce reduce to the right thickness.
  • If your sauce looks too thin after an hour, leave the lid off for the last 20 minutes so it reduces down and becomes thick and clingy instead of soupy.
  • Taste as you go near the end—molasses varies in sweetness, so you might need to adjust with a splash more vinegar if it's tasting too sweet, or a pinch more salt if it needs bringing into focus.
03 -
  • Use a Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot so the beans heat evenly in the oven without any hot spots that might scorch the bottom.
  • If you're short on time and didn't soak your beans overnight, do a quick soak by bringing them to a boil, removing from heat, letting them sit for an hour, then draining and proceeding as normal.
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