Quick Barbecued Beans (Printable)

Smoky, tender beans simmered in tangy barbecue sauce. A perfect side for cookouts and weeknight dinners alike.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans

01 - 2 cans (15 oz each) navy beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Sauce

04 - 1 cup ketchup
05 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
06 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
08 - 2 tablespoons molasses or honey
09 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (use vegan version if needed)
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)

→ Fat

14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Steps:

01 - Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
02 - Add the drained and rinsed beans to the saucepan, stirring gently to coat them evenly in the aromatic base.
03 - Pour in the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, molasses or honey, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper if using. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - Remove the lid and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes if a thicker, more concentrated sauce is desired.
06 - Taste the beans and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot as a side dish alongside grilled vegetables, burgers, or cornbread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one saucepan which means cleanup is almost nonexistent.
  • The sauce balances sweet smoky and tangy flavors so well that people will assume you spent hours on it.
02 -
  • Do not skip rinsing the canned beans because the thick liquid they sit in will make your sauce cloudy and flat.
  • Stir gently and infrequently while simmering because aggressive stirring breaks the beans into mush before the sauce has time to develop.
03 -
  • Let the beans rest off the heat for five minutes before serving because the sauce thickens and the flavors settle into something more cohesive.
  • Swap honey for maple syrup to make the recipe fully vegan without losing any of the deep sweetness.

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