Hearty, sweet, and savory southern baked beans start with canned baked beans and get doctored up with ground beef, smokey bacon, and brown sugar. They're super easy to make, and I've been told they are the best baked beans (I agree!).
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Bake time: 30 minutes
These baked beans and my Southern Mac and Cheese are always our top two favorites!
Baked beans are a very popular side dish around the holidays. Odds are, if you're viewing this recipe, a holiday is approaching! So if you're also in need of a good appetizer, consider my quick and easy Jalapeno Bacon Cheese Ball.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Baked Beans with Ground Beef has all the boxes checked for an easy side dish!
10-minute Prep Time - This recipe is an easy side dish because there isn't a lot of chopping involved. Use your kitchen scissors to cut or slice the green onions and the bacon. Also, there's no need to cook the bacon first since it cooks with the beans!
Canned beans - Start with canned baked beans for a true Southern classic - all doctored up with ground beef, crispy bacon, and a sweet-savory sauce that'll have everyone asking for seconds.
Crowd Pleaser - Just about everyone loves baked beans! They go with just about any kind of meat, and this recipe makes 8 servings. Easily double the recipe for a larger crowd.
Hearty Side Dish - The ground beef gives this side dish a hearty texture, and the bacon gives it a wonderful smokey flavor. And of course, the brown sugar makes it all come together with just the right amount of sweetness.
Add some freshness to your plate with my Broccoli Cauliflower Salad - it's cool, crunchy, and full of smoky bacon flavor.
Ingredients You'll Need
Hamburger meat and bacon add a savory element, providing a rich and meaty flavor that complements the sweetness of the beans.
Ground Beef - makes for a rich and hearty side dish (or main meal!).
Hickory Smoked Bacon - adds a delicious smoked flavor; so no need to add any liquid smoke. Cut the bacon into small pieces about 1-inch squares. You can use either raw bacon or pre-cooked bacon! I love the pre-cooked bacon because it crisps up nicely while baking.
Bush's Original Baked Beans - canned baked beans make this recipe so tasty and easy! Use the barbeque flavored beans if barbeque sauce is more your style. I have not tested this recipe using the barbeque sauce flavor, but I'd have to think they would work just fine.
Dark Brown Sugar - adds sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor.
Worcestershire Sauce - gives this recipe a flavor booster.
Green Onions - wash the green onions, hold them tightly together in a bunch, then use scissors to slice them.
Ingredient Swaps
- Green Bell Pepper - this is an optional ingredient because I know some of you don't like onions at all. So in place of the onions, you can use one small chopped green bell pepper. I recommend cooking them with the ground beef to soften them up.
- Yellow Onion - use minced yellow chopped onion instead of green onion if that's all you have.
- Light Brown Sugar - if all you have is light brown sugar, you can use it in place of the dark brown sugar. The beans won't have as much molasses flavor, but it will work just fine. You could also make your own dark brown sugar by adding 1 tablespoon of molasses to 1 cup of white granulated sugar.
- Ground Sausage - spice it up by using half ground sausage and half ground beef. Thanks for the tip, Jera 🙂
How to Make Baked Beans with Ground Beef
Step by step photos and instructions ensure you will have complete recipe success!
Step 1: Cook the ground beef and drain off the fat. Add the dark brown sugar, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and salt. Mix well.
Step 2: Add both cans of beans and gently stir.
Step 3: Pour the mixture into a large baking dish. Lay the cut bacon strips on top.
Step 4: Bake in a 400F oven uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Recipe Tips
Taste and Adjust - before adding any salt to the beans, do a taste test first. Then if salt is needed, add a small amount at a time, stir, and taste again.
Don't Overmix - to avoid soggy or mushy beans, gently stir or fold in the beans. Less is more when it comes to blending beans.
Make Ahead - you can make this dish the day before. Just cook and drain the hamburger meat, mix in the dark brown sugar, sliced green onions, Worcestershire Sauce, and pepper. Let cool, cover, and place in the refrigerator. Then when you're ready to bake them, fold in the beans and top with bacon. Test for salt; add if needed. Bake as directed.
Easy Meal Plan
My husband can make a meal out of baked beans, but most other humans prefer to have the beans as a side to the main course. When served as a main meal, serve with French bread, saltine crackers, or Mexican Cornbread. As a side dish, baked beans are fantastic with oven baked brats, juicy steaks, or Easy Grilled Salmon with BBQ Sauce.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much. These beans also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months; just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
These baked beans are a perfect side dish for all kinds of meats such as hamburgers, hot dogs, or ribs. Every time I make these beans, people compliment them. Try them with my Panko Chicken Tenders, Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin, or Southern Meatloaf.
Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure they are stored in an airtight container. We like to use BPA-free glass food storage containers with locking lids.
Yes, you can! The beans must be completely cooled off before placing them in the freezer. Tip - I like to refrigerate them first, for about 4 hours to get them nice and chilled. Then place them in an airtight, freezer-friendly container (such as the ones I mention above) and store them for up to 3 months.
More delicious side dishes
If you tried this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment! I'd love to hear from you.
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Recipe
Easy Baked Beans with Ground Beef
Equipment
- Large Saute Pan
- measuring spoons
- measuring cup
- Kitchen shears
- Casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 1 cup Dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup Green onions, sliced approximately 1 bunch
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 2 28-oz cans baked beans Bush Original
- Dash salt taste test before adding salt!
- 6-8 strips Hickory smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces raw or pre-cooked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a large pan or skillet, cook the ground beef and drain off the fat. Turn off the heat. Add the dark brown sugar, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the canned beans and gently mix. Taste the mixture and add salt if desired; gently stir again. Over mixing will cause the beans to get too soft and/or mushy.
- Pour into a large casserole dish. Lay the cut bacon pieces on top.
- Bake in the oven uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Notes
- Taste and Adjust - before adding any salt to the beans, do a taste test first. Then if salt is needed, add a small amount at a time, stir, and taste again.
- Don't Overmix - to avoid soggy or mushy beans, gently stir or fold in the beans. Less is more when it comes to blending beans.
- Storing - keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure they are stored in an airtight container.
- Make Ahead - you can make this dish the day before. Just cook and drain the hamburger meat, mix in the dark brown sugar, sliced green onions, Worcestershire Sauce, and pepper. Let cool, cover, and place in the refrigerator. Then when you're ready to bake them, fold in the beans and top with bacon. Test for salt; add if needed. Bake as directed.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2018 and was updated in 2025.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Leigh Ann Davis says
Great flavor! My whole family loved it. This is the only baked beans recipe I will be making!
Anne Clark says
AWW, thank you Leigh Ann!! I'm so happy everyone liked it; everything was delicious 🙂 Thank you for leaving a comment and 5 stars!!!
Gloria says
I did as a previous poster frying my bacon then fried yellow onion and ground beef. I also reduced the brown sugar to 2/3 and added 2 Tablespoons of Molasses and dash of cinnamon. I alao added about a can of white nothern beans to give a lil visual. Was a HIT at the cookout!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Vallerie Pulcini says
How can at leat 80oz of ingredients only feed 8?
Anne Clark says
Hi there! That’s a great question—thanks for asking.
This baked bean dish makes about 88 ounces total, so if you’re serving 8 folks, that’s around 11 ounces per person—a good, hearty helping, especially for a side dish at a BBQ or potluck.
But if you’re planning to serve it by the cup, this batch makes closer to 11 full 1-cup servings. So yep, you can definitely stretch it a bit more depending on how you’re scooping it. Either way, it feeds a crowd and always disappears fast around here!
Hope that helps, and I’m so glad you stopped by the recipe!
Judy says
Very good and easy to make. My family enjoyed it.
Anne Clark says
Thank you for leaving a nice comment and 5 stars, Judy! I'm happy you and your family enjoyed the baked beans!
Vickie says
I used yellow onion and cut up bacon and fried it to add to cooked hamburger meat. Everyone loved it. Wish I had taken a picture.
Anne Clark says
Yay Vickie! I love how you combined the bacon with the hamburger meat! I'm excited everyone loved it. Thank you for letting me know and for the 5 star rating
Michele says
amazing
Chris Grant says
Love this recipe! It has a great flavor. I added a few ingredients (of course!).
I added a can of tomatoes, a can of cream of corn. I also added cannellini beans, and cut the brown sugar a bit. My husband loves it!
Stacy says
Do I drain the beans?
Anne Clark says
Hey Stacy! No, you don't need to drain the beans. The last time I made these beans I did not pour off any of the liquid, and the beans were fantastic. Rave reviews! Thanks for visiting my blog. If you make the beans, please let me know what you think!
Leigh Ann Davis says
The best baked beans!!!!!
Anne Clark says
Thanks, Leigh!! I’m glad you liked the beans 🙂 I enjoyed our family get together yesterday! ❤️
J. Hood says
Such a great recipe - it was a big hit with the hubby and kids! I added a half pound of ground sausage to mine just for kicks. It’s fantastic either way!
Anne Clark says
Oh I love the addition of ground sausage (so much flavor)!! Thank you so much, friend! I appreciate the feedback 🙂
Rebecca says
Will this work if I make the day before, put in the fridge and bake the next day? Wasn’t sure if the beans would be mushy.
Anne Clark says
Hi Rebecca. Yes, you can assemble the baked beans the day before (don’t overmix or the beans will get mushy). But save the bacon step for when you’re ready to bake the next day. Hope you enjoy!
Rand says
Would this recipe still work if I omitted the bacon?
Anne Clark says
Hi Rand! This recipe will definitely work without the bacon. Thanks for visiting my blog. Anne.
Rand says
Thank you so much for your quick response! Making this today!
Anne Clark says
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy the baked beans
Adriane says
Do I put the bacon on top raw? Will it cook on the final bake?
Anne Clark says
Hi Adriane. Yes, put the raw bacon on top. It will cook with the beans. Thanks for asking!
Melissa cleek says
You should cook your bacon first till its really crispy then crumble them into the beans trust me also a table spoon of molasses really gives it super good flavor.
K. Shavo says
What is the portion the nutritional analysis is based on?
Anne Clark says
Hello. The way the program calculates the nutritional information is after I’ve input all the ingredients and given it the number of servings, it divides everything by the number of servings. In this case, I’ve told the program there are 8 servings, even though some people get 10 servings. For this recipe, a serving is approximately 10.6 ounces. I hope this helps.
Kathy says
Just made this and will prepare some garlic cheese bread to go with it for tonight. The guys are going to like this. Easy and delicious. Thank you!
Anne Clark says
Yum Kathy! Love garlic cheese bread, and it goes great with these beans! Thanks for letting me know Enjoy!
Jacob priddy says
All I have is chili beans, could I use those?
MyKitchenSerenity says
Hi Jacob! That’s a great question. I have not tried chili beans so I can’t say. I would imagine they’d add a little smoky or spicy flavor along with the sweetness of the brown sugar. If you try it, please let me know how it turned out.
Rear says
Cooking it for a second time - followed the directions to a T, except for the dash of salt, since the beans have more than enough. Delicious!
MyKitchenSerenity says
I'm so glad you liked the recipe!! Yes, leaving out the dash of salt is a great suggestion. Thanks for the comment!
Kathryn says
Do you cook the bacon before it goes into the oven?
Anne Clark says
Hi Kathryn! No, you do not have to cook the bacon first. Thanks for asking. Hope you have a great day
Mamie Carr says
Best way to reheat these yummy beans.
Ryan K Biddulph says
Awesome guys. My mom made baked beans with bacon and maple syrup. I never heard of a ground beef combo but it sounds SO good. I need red meat about once a month after going largely vegetarian or sometimes vegan, with my veggie wife. A little iron boost goes a long way.
lifeloveandblog says
Thanks, Ryan! MMM, maple syrup makes delicious baked beans as well! Adding ground beef to the baked beans creates a hearty side dish that could also be a main dish. Hope y'all are doing well. Take care!
Holly P says
I have made this recipe and it is always a hit. I planned on making it this week but I only have Van Camps Pork and Beans. Would I need to revise the recipe using these beans instead of Bush’s Original? I know Bush’s are sweeter and thicker.
MyKitchenSerenity says
Hi Holly. Thank you for your question. My suggestion is to add 1/2 cup ketchup to the recipe. Like you said, the Bush's beans are thicker, so adding some ketchup would help thicken them up. Let me know how they turn out! Take care 🙂