Published on 06/23/23

These slightly sweet and tangy Slow Cooker Baked Beans would make the perfect addition to your next family gathering or summer bbq! They are homemade baked beans that are made with real, simple ingredients and savory flavor. They are one of our family favorite recipes every year for the Fourth of July and family reunions!

The best recipe for slow cooker baked beans.

The Best Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Our whole family loves a good homemade baked beans recipe, like our smoked baked beans, but this recipe makes the whole cooking process even easier! We absolutely love slow cooking these beans for delicious results. A great recipe that starts on the stovetop but then just simmers all day to make the best baked beans recipe that has a little bit of tang from the mustard and a touch of sweetness.

Traditional baked beans require soaking dry beans for hours, but we hit the easy button and just used canned beans for our crockpot baked beans. Simple and a real crowd-pleaser – the perfect summer side dish!

What You Will Need

bacon – we love using nice, thick bacon slices to add so much flavor!
yellow onion, garlic, & green pepper – cooked up in some of the leftover bacon grease for some added flavor and a little bit of a crunch.
pinto beans & great northern beans – a combination of different beans that can be picked up at your local grocery store.
barbecue sauce – either grab your favorite store-bought bbq sauce or make your own!
ketchup – perfect for a savory sauce in these baked beans.
coconut sugar – added for a touch of sweetness, option to sub with brown sugar.
apple cider vinegar – just a splash for that bit of tanginess that we all know and love.
yellow mustard & stone ground mustard – this mixture of mustard flavors really bring the whole bean recipe to life.
smoked garlic powder & smoked onion powder – we absolutely love the hint of smokey flavor these add, but you can absolutely use the regular version of each too.
worcestershire sauce – great for a little added depth of flavor!

How To Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans

The first step to making this easy baked beans recipe is to cut the strips of bacon into small chunks and cook them in a large saucepan on the stove top until the fat renders.

Pieces of bacon cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Remove the cooked bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and leave about 2-3 tablespoons of bacon grease. Bring the skillet back to a medium heat, add the onion, garlic, and pepper, and cook until they have softened.

Onion, garlic, and green bell pepper cooking in the skillet after the bacon was removed.

Now add the delicious bacon, sautéed onion, garlic, pepper, and the rest of the ingredients to a slow cooker. Give it a good mix and place the cover on top.

All of the baked beans ingredients in the slow cooker.

Cook everything on the high heat setting for 3-4 hours or the low setting for 4-6 hours of cooking time. Give it another mix and leave it on the warm setting for everyone to enjoy!

The slow cooker baked beans after cooking.

Slow cooker baked beans in a bowl with a spoon.

Best Way To Serve Slow Cooker Baked Beans

This easy crock pot baked beans recipe would be amazing with just about anything! Typically we like to serve them up in the summer for a backyard bbq. Our family enjoys them with some smoked baby back ribs, grilled ribs, coleslaw, cornbread muffins, potato salad, and some grilled corn on the cob! Any of your traditional grilled or smoked dinners would be great with this perfect side dish.

A small dish of baked beans on a plate with ribs, coleslaw, cornbread, and mexican street corn.

Pinterest image for slow cooker baked beans.

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