Slow Cooker Baked Beans

June 14, 2021   5 Comments

Slow cooker baked beans is vegetarian and will outperform any can of baked beans. These are a BBQ side favorite and I make them all summer.

This recipe makes seven cups of beans and you can bring it to a group BBQ in your slow cooker so the beans remain warm. I love these as a side for anything at because they go so well with hot dogs, corn, coleslaw, veggie – you name it.

Beans, of course, are loved by vegetarians and your gluten-free crowd. Because I added molasses this is also a kid pleaser.

Don’t tell anyone this, but these beans are high in manganese, magnesium, potassium, selenium, thiamin, and vitamin B6. You get a lot of bang for your calorie buck with beans.

The slow cooker was originally a bean cooker (before people figured out you could cook other stuff in them) so it makes perfect beans EVEN WITHOUT SOAKING. This recipe doesn’t require that you soak the beans before you start. No soaking is required for my Instant Pot refried beans eother.

If you want to work with canned beans try my Chipotle Copycat Black Beans

There is one ingredient in these slow cooker baked beans that many of you will not have in your pantry. Liquid smoke can be found next to the barbecue sauces in the grocery store and NO – it is not like adding cigarettes to your beans.

Liquid smoke is made by channeling smoke from smoldering wood chips into a vapor. They remove the tars and resins and you get a smoke-flavored liquid that tastes really good and isn’t that different from other types of flavorings (like vanilla which is the essence of vanilla beans). Look for Wright’s Liquid Smoke – it doesn’t have additives such as salt, vinegar, or molasses and retails for $1.99 a bottle.

The liquid smoke adds back the flavor that you would have added had you used some pork fat or a ham hock - and it works!

I did not soak the beans before I put them in the slow cooker and the texture was perfect. I believe with smaller beans it isn’t as necessary to soak them. If you do soak them, the cooking time will be shortened. Keep an eye on them so they don’t get too mushy.

What do you bring to BBQ's?

Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Molasses Recipe

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

1.6 from 24 reviews

Makes 7 cups

Print  Pin

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon liquid smoke such as Wright’s Liquid Smoke
6 cups water

1 cup ketchup
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup cider vinegar

Instructions

Put onion, chili powder, pinto beans, liquid smoke, and water into a 6 quart slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans and put them back into the slow cooker. Add the ketchup, molasses, mustard, and cider vinegar and mix until blended. Heat on low for 20 minutes or until bubbling.

Nutrition Facts

A ½ cup serving is 154 calories, 0.7 g fat, 0.0 g saturated fat, 30.1 g carbohydrates, 8.2 g sugar, 7.5 g protein, 5.5 g fiber, 252 mg sodium, 2 Freestyle SmartPts

Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes

Other posts you might like:

---

Instant Pot Refried Beans

There is nothing fried about instant pot refried beans - but it sure tastes like heavy, luxurious food.

---

Fast & Easy Copycat Chipotle Black Beans **VIDEO**

Like all the healthy foodies, I make my food from scratch unless I don’t....