Smoky Bacon Baked Beans

Rich homemade baked beans simmered in a tomato sauce with hickory smoked bacon, onion, Worcestershire sauce and a touch of sweetness. Ready in around 30 minutes, they are an easy choice for breakfast, brunch or a comforting meal on toast.

Weekend breakfasts at our table are always better when there is something warm bubbling away on the stove. These homemade baked beans have a thick, rich tomato sauce, smoky bacon and just enough sweetness to round everything out without becoming sugary. Cannellini beans keep them hearty while still making the recipe quick enough for an ordinary morning. Spoon them generously over thick buttered sourdough, add eggs alongside if you like, and breakfast is sorted.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Serves: 4 · Cuisine: Australian · Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

Smoky Bacon Baked Beans

• 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 200g hickory smoked bacon, diced
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
• 400g crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 125ml chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, optional
• Pinch of chilli flakes, optional

Method

1. Heat a large frying pan or shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until lightly golden. If the pan is dry, add the olive oil.
2. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock, then stir through the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
6. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken.
7. Add the drained cannellini beans and gently stir to coat them in the sauce. Simmer for a further 8–10 minutes, until the beans are hot and the sauce is thick and rich.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Stir through the apple cider vinegar and chilli flakes, if using, just before serving.

Serving Suggestion

For a slow weekend brunch, serve these beans alongside Baked Spinach and Feta Eggs, with a basket of warm Simple Rosemary Focaccia for tearing and dipping into the sauce.

Storage Notes

Allow leftovers to cool before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a small splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened.

Make Ahead Notes

The beans can be made a day ahead and gently reheated when needed. The flavour develops further overnight, making them particularly handy for an easy breakfast or brunch.

Notes

Cannellini beans give the finished dish a soft, creamy texture, but other canned white beans can be used if that is what you have on hand.

A good hickory smoked bacon carries most of the smoky flavour here, so it is worth choosing one you like. The smoked paprika builds on it rather than replacing it.

Keep the beans at a gentle simmer once they are added. Vigorous stirring or boiling can cause them to break apart.

The finished sauce should be thick enough to cling to the beans. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with a small splash of chicken stock or water.

Taste before adding extra salt. Bacon, stock and Worcestershire sauce all bring their own seasoning.

The Grace Table Tip

Serve the beans over thick slices of well-buttered sourdough while they are piping hot. The bread catches the rich tomato sauce underneath while keeping enough texture around the edges for a proper breakfast on toast.

For a meat-free version, leave out the bacon and begin by softening the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.