Smoked sausage baked beans are a hearty, flavorful side dish that’s perfect for cookouts, potlucks, and family dinners. The smoky sausage adds a savory bite to the tender beans, while molasses, apple cider vinegar, and mustard create a sweet and tangy sauce. I like serving these baked beans alongside grilled chicken, but they’re just as good with burgers, ribs, or pulled pork.
This recipe starts with canned pork and beans, so there’s no need to soak dried beans or spend hours cooking them from scratch. You’ll brown the sliced smoked sausage in a skillet, sauté the onion and garlic, and combine everything with the beans and seasonings before baking. The oven brings the flavors together and thickens the sauce into a rich, slightly sticky coating.
These beans also work well for make-ahead meals because the flavors continue to develop as they sit. Prepare them a day in advance, refrigerate, and reheat before serving. They’re an easy way to turn a simple grilled dinner into a satisfying meal.
If you have leftover smoked sausage, use it to make: Smoked sausage spaghetti or Smoked sausage rolls.
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Smoked sausage baked beans recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced, I use kielbasa
- 3 (16-ounces) can pork and beans
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, I use TABASCO
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a Dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add onion to bacon drippings and cook until soft.
- Add garlic and smoked sausage and cook until sausage is browned.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Place Dutch oven, uncovered, in the oven and cook for 45 to 55 minutes, until thick.