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These Baked Beans with Ground Beef are sweet, smoky, and filling. It's a tasty dish that combines baked beans with a few other ingredients to create a flavorful, hearty dish. Serve it at your next barbecue or on its own with some crusty toast.

Even after making these hamburger baked beans innumerable times, people still ask me how to make them. This technique is a classic Southern method for giving baked beans even more flavor. It's one of those meals that really makes me nostalgic about my early years, and I love that it still does. The flavor is rich and deeply satisfying, and it's also a terrific recipe to eat as a main course!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Main Ingredients
How to Make Baked Beans with Ground Beef Step by Step
Expert Tips:
Storage and Reheating
Variations & Substitutions
How to serve this Baked Beans Recipe with Ground Beef
Frequently Asked Questions
More Delicious Beef Recipes You'll Love
Recipe
Baked Beans with Ground Beef Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Basic & simple ingredients - The ingredients are basic and most likely already in your pantry.
Rich and satisfying - Because ground beef is used in these beans, they are incredibly tasty and substantial. They have a flavorful, smoky, sweet, and sticky glaze. They go very well with a hot dog or hamburger and potato salad.
Versatile - It can be served as a main course or as a side dish at barbecues, potlucks, and family meals.
Great for leftovers: This dish stores well and tastes even better the next day.

Main Ingredients

This basic recipe calls for only a few ingredients. Here are the major items you'll need:

Ground Beef - For many outside of the South, ground beef might seem like an unconventional ingredient, but it gives the beans a substantial depth and a ton of delicious meaty flavor.
Homemade baked beans - I use my homemade baked beans, but a can of baked beans works too. You can also start with plain navy, kidney, or butter beans.
Onion - I like to use yellow or white onions. One of this recipe's traditional tastes.
Garlic powder - Adds a mellow, savory garlic flavor to the sauce.
Ketchup - brings a depth of flavor from the vinegar and tomatoes. Additionally, the beans have a thicker texture. If you want a little more tang, you could use half barbecue sauce and half ketchup!
Mustard - An otherwise rich and sweet meal gains brightness and tang from the addition of yellow mustard.
Brown sugar - gives the beans the ideal amount of sweetness. Molasses can be used instead. Brown sugar, either light or dark.
Worcestershire sauce - gives a rich, savory umami taste. If worcestershire sauce isn't available, you can substitute soy sauce for it to have a comparable taste.
Butter - Dotted over the top before baking, it melts into the dish and creates a lovely, glossy sauce that coats the beans.
Salt - Since baked beans are already salty, add the salt sparingly. Since every canned bean is unique and some may be saltier than others, taste the beans before adding any salt.
Black pepper - A little freshly ground pepper balances the sweetness.
Smoked paprika (optional) - Adds a lovely smoky depth; optional, but highly recommended.
Smoked chicken bits (optional) - Serve on top for extra smoky, meaty flavor.

How to Make Baked Beans with Ground Beef Step by Step

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
The ground beef should be browned in a big saucepan. Add the onions when the ground beef is about halfway done. After draining, set aside.

Combine the beans, ground beef, onions, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and spices in a large mixing bowl.

Mix thoroughly until everything is properly incorporated. To taste, add salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish and dot the top with the butter. Bake uncovered for 1 hour.
Before serving, let the dish settle for 10 minutes. Serve with chunks of smoked chicken on top.

Expert Tips:

Instead of using ordinary mustard, you can use a teaspoon of dry mustard.
You can also use an oven-safe Dutch oven, ideally nonstick, if you don't have a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Don't Overmix. Fold or stir the beans lightly to prevent soggy or mushy beans. When it comes to mixing beans, less is more.

Let the sauce sit for a few minutes before serving, as it will continue to thicken as it cools.
Avoid bitter mustard: I recommend using yellow mustard for this dish. Avoid using dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard as it adds a bitter flavor to the beans.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for three to four days. When reheating in the microwave or on the stove, add a splash of water or stock.
Reheat in the microwave on high for one to two minutes or in the oven at 350°F until well heated.
Additionally, leftovers can be frozen for up to three months. Before reheating in the stovetop or microwave, let them thaw in the refrigerator.

Variations & Substitutions

Try adding some diced jalapeños, crushed red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of hot sauce to make it spicy.
For a little extra taste, add some diced red or green bell pepper.
You can substitute light brown sugar if dark brown sugar is all you have on hand. Although the beans won't taste as much like molasses, it will still function perfectly.
Add a dollop of sour cream, sauteed onions, and chickpeas.
Use ground turkey, ground chicken, or chicken sausage instead of ground beef.
Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on top right before they're done, then bake until it melts.
Sweeter substitute: Substitute brown sugar with honey or maple syrup for a different sweetener option.
Extra tang: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to balance the sweetness and brighten the flavor.

How to serve this Baked Beans Recipe with Ground Beef

Almost any main course pairs well with baked beans. They go particularly well with sandwiches and grilled foods like chicken, burgers, and hot dogs! Serve the Southern mac and cheese, the grilled corn salad with blueberries, and the baked beans on the side. Serve with cornbread, French bread, or saltine crackers as a main course. Additionally, I've served baked beans with stuffed fish, and the pairing was fantastic!

Breakfast spread: Incorporate the beans into a breakfast spread by serving them with eggs and toast for a savory and filling meal.
Game day snack: Turn the baked beans into a hearty snack for game day by serving them with tortilla chips, over hot dogs or alongside other favorite game day foods like pulled chicken sandwiches, brisket tacos, or queso dip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make hamburger baked beans ahead of time?

Yes, without a doubt! For optimal results, keep it refrigerated and serve it within 1-2 days. When you are ready to serve, bake it until it is hot and bubbling at 350°F in a preheated oven.

Can you cook baked beans in the slow cooker?

Yes! One of my favorite things about this dish is the variety of ways you can prepare these beans. One such method is the slow cooker. It will take at most a couple of hours, though each slow cooker is unique. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 6 hours on low.

How Long Can Baked Beans Last In The Fridge?

Keep these baked beans in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for three to four days. They can also be frozen for up to three months. They can be slowly warmed in a skillet or reheated in the oven.

What's the difference between ground beef and hamburger meat?

In essence, they are identical. Ground beef is simply the raw form of what many people refer to as "hamburger meat." Many people use the terms interchangeably. In this recipe, either one will work perfectly.

Why do my baked beans look runny right out of the oven?

The beans will get thicker the longer you bake them. The beans are typically watery when they first come out of the oven, but they thicken as they cool.

Can I reduce the sweetness of this recipe?

Yes, you can change the sweetness by reducing the amount of brown sugar. Add half the sugar, taste, and add more if necessary if you don't like sweet sides.

Should I drain the excess grease after browning the ground beef?

Yes, removing the extra grease keeps the dish from getting overly greasy. If your ground beef is really oily, you can rinse it with warm water after draining it in a strainer.

If you tried this Baked Beans with Ground Beef or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!

Baked Beans with Ground Beef