These doctored up baked beans are bursting with flavor and deliciousness, and are the perfect quick side you can put together with just a teeny bit of effort.
While there's nothing wrong with opening up a can of baked beans to use as a side, just a few simple ingredients and minutes in the kitchen can jazz up your classic baked beans and take them to the next level.
I recently tried making homemade baked beans from scratch, and it was a huge hit! But of course, on days when I've run out of dry beans, I often turn to a store-bought can of baked beans, and take a few minutes to jazz it up.
This is one of those recipes that will become your favorite- all because of the flavor!
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
The recipe is super easy. You don't need a lot of hands-on kitchen time or ingredients for that matter. It's also super budget-friendly and doesn't need a lot of prep time too.
Just get your trusty cast iron skillet and a few pantry staples, and you're pretty much sorted. This one's pretty much become a staple in my household, like my fire roasted tomatoes.
Recipe Ingredients
Baked beans: I used the classic canned baked beans in tomato sauce here.
Veggies: Onion and green bell pepper, to bulk up the dish and for that bit of chunky texture.
Mustard: For that smoky, earthy flavor.
Ketchup: To bring everything together. You can also use Worcestershire sauce or some homemade BBQ sauce if you want to, for extra flavor.
Seasonings: I used a mix of brown sugar (for some sweetness), garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Oil: Any regular cooking oil will work.
See recipe card for quantities.
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Substitutions & Variations
- Don't want to use brown sugar? Choose a natural sweetener like date sugar or cane sugar. Sometimes, I also like to add some of my homemade date syrup, if I have it at hand.
- For extra flavor, use an infused salt like a simple herb salt or my favorite garlic parsley salt instead of your classic table salt.
- Fancy a bit of acidity to the dish? Add a spoonful of apple cider vinegar (or regular vinegar) to the mix.
How to Make Doctored Up Baked Beans
Step 1: Heat oil in a skillet and sauté chopped bell pepper and onion for a few minutes until they soften.
Step 2: Add in the baked beans and give it a good mix.
Step 3: After 2 minutes, add the seasonings, ketchup and mustard.
Step 4: Stir well and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
💭Top Tip
Remember to keep the heat medium-low while cooking the baked beans. High heat will cause the sauce to burn.
How to Store Leftover Baked Beans
Store your leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheat it in the microwave or in a pan over low heat whenever you want to have it.
You may also need to add a splash of water to adjust the consistency and lend some moisture to the baked beans.
This cast iron skillet has a smooth finish to help provide even heat distribution for improved cooking and frying, even on grills, stoves or induction cooktops. It comes complete with a non-slip, handle cover to keep a solid grip during cooking.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Fancy a kick of heat? Throw in some jalapeno flakes or sliced jalapenos. I like to use some spicy habanero infused oil instead of your regular cooking oil.
- You can also add a mix of red, yellow and green bell peppers into the mix if you want to bulk up the dish. Whenever I have some of my Air Fryer dehydrated bell peppers at hand, I add them in.
- Sometimes, I also add my homemade vegetable bouillon into the mix, to bring in some more deliciousness.
How to Use Doctored Up Baked Beans
Enjoy these doctored up baked beans on your morning toast, or serve them alongside some sunny-side up eggs to make it a hearty meal. I usually make these when I run out of my cherry tomato confit.
You can also turn these baked beans into a hearty side dish by teaming them up with some pan-fried, sliced sausages and baking them in the oven for a few minutes, until the top is slightly caramelized.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! This recipe is freezer-friendly too. Use a freezer-safe container to prevent freezer burn, and allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before you reheat it.
More Side Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this doctored up baked beans recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Doctored Up Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 2 cups baked beans
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 2 teaspoon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet and sauté chopped bell pepper and onion for a few minutes until they soften.
- Add in the baked beans and give it a good mix.
- After 2 minutes, add the seasonings, ketchup and mustard.
- Stir well and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
Notes
- Fancy a kick of heat? Throw in some jalapeno flakes or sliced jalapenos. I like to use some spicy habanero infused oil instead of your regular cooking oil.
- You can also add a mix of red, yellow and green bell peppers into the mix if you want to bulk up the dish. Whenever I have some of my Air Fryer dehydrated bell peppers at hand, I add them in.
- Sometimes, I also add my homemade vegetable bouillon into the mix, to bring in some more deliciousness.
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