Sweet and smoky Southern baked beans flavored with onions, bell pepper, garlic, plenty of spices, and ground turkey are the perfect cookout side dish. These beans are loaded with flavor and will be your go-to side dish all summer long!
Join me in celebrating Juneteenth with more than 30 other Black culinary creators. Juneteenth marks our country’s second independence day, signifying the final emancipation of those enslaved in the US announced in 1865. This year, we are celebrating "Freedom Day" by offering a delightful selection of mains, sides, desserts, and refreshing drinks that are perfect for backyard barbecues and summer gatherings with friends and family.
Join us in honoring the legacy of progress and freedom by cooking and sharing these recipes. Additionally, you can easily follow each participant by using the hashtag #JuneteenthCookout2023 on Instagram. You can find a list of all recipes from the 2023 Juneteenth Virtual Cookout on the Eat the Culture website.
You will not find a Black cookout in the South without baked beans on the menu. Baked beans and barbecue might as well be peanut butter and jelly, and you better not serve baked beans heated straight from the can!
Southern-style baked beans are extremely flavorful with the perfect balance of sweet, smoky flavors and a touch of heat. Flavored with onion, bell pepper, garlic, plenty of spices, and ground meat, these baked beans are requested at every family cookout and do not last long.
For more irresistible Southern recipes, check out our Southern Deviled Eggs and Southern Coleslaw recipes next!
Table of Contents
What Are Southern Baked Beans?
Southern baked beans are a flavorful side dish made with beans flavored with sweetened tomato sauce and other tasty ingredients.
Typically made with canned beans such as Bush's Baked Beans, southern baked beans get doctored up with added ingredients like veggies, spices, brown sugar, molasses, and meat. Baked beans are a go-to cookout side dish and are an excellent accompaniment to grilled meats.
Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe
- Ground turkey. For added flavor and heartiness. Ground beef also works.
- Yellow onion. To flavor the beans.
- Green bell pepper. For even more flavor and texture. I used green bell pepper, but yellow or red also works.
- Fresh garlic. Because it makes everything taste better!
- Canned baked beans. I recommend Bush's Baked Beans. I used one can of vegetarian and one can of barbecue beans.
- Ketchup. Combined with the other ingredients to add barbecue sauce flavor.
- Brown sugar. For rich sweetness.
- Molasses. For a rich caramel-like sweetness.
- Worcestershire. For delicious umami flavor. I recommend Lea & Perrins.
- Apple cider vinegar. Adds acidity to balance out the sweetness.
- Dijon mustard. For a tangy, peppery bite.
- Liquid smoke. Liquid smoke adds a tasty smoky flavor.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. To season the beans.
How To Make This Recipe
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground turkey, and cook until almost cooked through. Add the onion and bell pepper and continue to cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant.
- Skim any visible fat with a spoon and add the baked beans, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, liquid smoke, and spices. Stir the beans with a wooden spoon until all of the ingredients are well combined.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake the beans uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned on top and bubbly. Allow the beans to cool slightly and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
A wide variety of ingredients can be added to baked beans to give them more bold flavor. Try adding some of the following ingredients to your next batch:
- Bacon
- Smoked sausage
- Maple syrup
- Barbecue sauce
- Spicy mustard
- Hot sauce
More FAQs
Absolutely! Make these baked beans vegetarian by omitting the ground meat or by substituting plant-based meat.
Southern baked beans are the perfect make-ahead recipe. Prepare these beans the day before, wrap them in the skillet tightly with foil, and store them in the refrigerator. Reheat the beans covered in the oven until heated through.
I recommend canned baked beans such as Bush's Baked Beans. Any flavor works well, but my favorites are the vegetarian and barbecue flavors because they do not contain pork.
What to Serve With Baked Beans
If you want to serve up an authentic down-home cookout, serve southern baked beans with some of the following dishes:
- Oven Baked BBQ Chicken (try it on the grill!)
- Soul Food Candied Yams
- Southern Macaroni Salad
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
- Southern Hush Puppies
- Southern Fried Okra
- Southern Fried Green Tomatoes
- Hot Water Cornbread
- Sock It To Me Cake
- Old Fashioned Banana Pudding
- Southern Buttermilk Pie
- Strawberry Sweet Iced Tea
Recommended Tools for This Recipe
More Southern Recipes You Will Love!
- Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
- Cajun Shrimp and Grits
- Southern Salmon Croquettes
- Southern Smothered Chicken
- Cajun Crawfish Etouffee
- Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits
- Classic Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
- Southern Green Beans
- Southern Collard Greens
- Bananas Foster French Toast
- Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes
- Hummingbird Cupcakes
- Peach Sweet Tea
📖 Recipe
Southern Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey - 85% lean, or ground beef
- ½ medium yellow onion - chopped
- ½ medium green bell pepper - seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 2, 28-ounce cans baked beans - I used Bush's Vegetarian and Barbecue beans
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar - or light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses - such as Grandma's
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and cracked black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground turkey, and cook until almost cooked through. Add the onion and bell pepper and continue to cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant.
- Skim any visible fat with a spoon and add the baked beans, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, liquid smoke, and spices to the skillet. Stir the beans with a wooden spoon until all of the ingredients are well combined.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake the beans uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned on top and bubbly. Allow the beans to cool slightly and enjoy!
Notes
- Make these baked beans vegetarian by omitting the ground meat or by substituting plant-based meat.
- Leftover baked beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
More Delicious Juneteenth Recipes!
The Great Migration (Soul Food Classics)
Amid the Great Migration, countless African Americans departed from the Southern states. They relocated throughout the United States, carrying vibrant culinary traditions, which they adapted to suit their new homes. Some remained the Soul Food Classics, such as Southern Baked Beans and Old-Fashioned Candied Yams, while others, like Chesapeake Bay Crab Feast and Strawberry Sweet Iced Tea, were new renditions of old favorites.
- Sweet Tea + Thyme- Chesapeake Bay Crab Feast
- Meiko And The Dish - BBQ Beef Plate Ribs
- Good Food Baddie - Grilled BBQ Spatchcock Chicken
- Kenneth Temple - Southern Potato Salad
- Pink Owl Kitchen - Southern Baked Beans
- Britney Breaks Bread - Old Fashioned Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Britney Breaks Bread - Classic Red Velvet Cake
You can find a list of all recipes from the 2023 Juneteenth Virtual Cookout on the Eat the Culture website.
Chanda Muse
Is it ok if you don’t have a cast iron skillet?
Ashley Boyd
Absolutely! A regular oven-proof pan works fine.