Crockpot Baked Beans (Easy, No Soak Recipe)
These homemade Crockpot Baked Beans are incredibly easy to throw together and taste way better than the canned stuff! Tender navy beans simmer in a rich, flavorful homemade barbecue sauce, then are topped with crispy chopped bacon for the finishing touch. They’re the perfect side dish for holidays, potlucks, and backyard barbecues this summer.
For more Easy Summer Side Dish Recipes, be sure to check out my Air Fryer Corn on the Cob, Greek Cucumber Salad, and Italian Pasta Salad.
If you’re looking for an easy recipe to bring to your next summer cookout, these Crockpot Baked Beans are just what you need!
This is a set-it-and-forget-it kind of recipe (one of my favorite kinds) and only takes a few minutes of prep. Plus it tastes so much better than any baked beans that come out of a can, I promise you!
One of the best things about this easy recipe is how simple it is to prepare ahead of time. Just toss everything into the crockpot and let it cook while you go about your day. Yes, you don’t even have to soak the beans first!
Now, this isn’t a quick recipe by any means. You’ll need to let the beans cook for 8-10 hours in the crockpot to get nice and tender, similar to how I make my Crockpot Ham and Beans.
If you’re making this for an early afternoon barbecue or event, you could let it slow cook overnight. Set it to warm until you’re ready to serve!
Ingredients for Crockpot Baked Beans
- Dried navy beans – you will need one pound of dry beans; NOT canned beans!
- Onion – you will need one medium yellow onion, diced.
- Sweeteners – brown sugar and molasses give a hint of sweetness to the beans. Stick with light or dark molasses. I do not recommend using blackstrap molasses because it can have a bitter taste.
- Apple cider vinegar – helps balance out the sweetness from the brown sugar and molasses and adds a nice depth of flavor.
- Tomato paste – adds flavor and acts as a thickener for the baked beans.
- Mustard – I like to use yellow mustard for a bit of tang. You could also use dry mustard.
- Spices – you will use a combination of salt and black pepper to season your baked beans.
- Thick-cut bacon – adds a nice smoky flavor. You can leave it out if you’d like, but it really takes the beans to the next level!
A full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions are located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Homemade Baked Beans in the Crockpot – Step by Step
Place the dried beans into a colander. Rinse the beans and remove any that are damaged or broken.
Combine the rinsed beans, water, diced onion, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, yellow mustard, and pepper in your crock pot.
Set the crockpot to the high setting for 9-10 hours. If you have presoaked your beans (see notes) you can set the crockpot to the low setting for 8-10 hours or high setting for 4-6 hours.
During the last hour of cooking, stir in the cooked bacon and salt.
Tips and Notes
- No Soak vs. Soak Option: as written, this recipe uses a no soak approach. I like this because it cuts out another step. However, you can definitely soak your beans before cooking if you prefer. Simply soak your dried beans in a large bowl with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight, then drain the beans in a colander. Add the soaked beans to the crockpot and follow the recipe as written, but cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Don’t add salt or bacon until the last hour of cooking! This is very important because adding salt to the dried beans too soon will prevent them from softening.
- What kind of beans to use: I used navy beans, but you could also use dried pinto beans or northern beans.
- For a shortcut, you can use canned beans. Make sure you rinse and drain them well before cooking. You will need to reduce the water to ½ cup. Then cook for about 3 to 4 hours on low or 1 to 2 hours on high.
- To make this into a main dish, you can add cooked ground beef.
- Store any leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Recipe: Crockpot Baked Beans (Easy, No Soak Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried navy beans
- 5 cups water
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 5 strips thick cut bacon, cooked until crisp and cut into small pieces
- 3 teaspoons salt
Equipment
- 1 Crockpot
Instructions
- Place the dried beans into a colander. Rinse the beans and remove any that are damaged or broken.
- Combine the rinsed beans, water, diced onion, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, yellow mustard, and pepper in your crock pot.
- Set the crockpot to the high setting for 9-10 hours. If you have presoaked your beans (see notes) you can set the crockpot to the low setting for 8-10 hours or high setting for 4-6 hours.
- During the last hour of cooking, stir in the cooked bacon and salt.
Notes
- No Soak vs. Soak Option: as written, this recipe uses a no soak approach. I like this because it cuts out another step. However, you can definitely soak your beans before cooking if you prefer. Simply soak your dried beans in a large bowl with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight, then drain the beans in a colander. Add the soaked beans to the crockpot and follow the recipe as written, but cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Don’t add salt or bacon until the last hour of cooking! This is very important because adding salt to the dried beans too soon will prevent them from softening.
- What kind of beans to use: I used navy beans, but you could also use dried pinto beans or northern beans.
- For a shortcut, you can use canned beans. Make sure you rinse and drain them well before cooking. You will need to reduce the water to ½ cup. Then cook for about 3 to 4 hours on low or 1 to 2 hours on high.
- To make this into a main dish, you can add cooked ground beef.
- Store any leftover baked beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
